Fun things to do in Swaziland

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THE REILLY FAMILY

The Reilly Family created Mlilwane Game Sanctuary in Swazialnad to help restore the wildlife that was depleted in Swaziland in the past. James Reilly settled at Mlilwane in 1906 and began to mine tin. He became the largest employer of industrial labour in the country and introduced electricity to Swaziland. He was known the locals as “Machobane”. His son, Ted Reilly was born at Mlilwane in 1938 and still runs the sanctuary today.

The Reilly’s saw the demise of Swaziland’s wildlife which included the rinderpest (or cattle plague) in 1896, excessive & illegal hunting, the ‘wildebeest plague’ in the 1930’s, poison, traps, herbicides, pesticides, and wholesale depletion of Swaziland’s game and flora over decades. Ted Reilly decided to turn the family farm into a sanctuary for indigenous wildlife in 1963. Since its opening wildlife of all kinds including fish and reptiles have been ‘hunted’ in Swaziland to be brought here to increase their numbers. It is now 10 times its original size due to support from the Royal Family and private donations. It is now a National Park.

Thanks to this remarkable family, much of Swaziland’s wildlife still flourishes.

What a terrific park. We actually ended up liking this park ore than the Kruger! It was so isolated and rustic! We stayed in the park in a hut that had no electricity, was within a stones throw to a water hole. In this waterhole we were treated to a rhino and her baby and several elephants!! It was one of my favorite places that we stayed. Although I did sweat off about 10 pounds during the night. No electricity=no a.c. A very restless night....but it was worth it!

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An absolute must is a visit to the Swazi Candles Craft Center. It is great to see how the candles are shaped by hand. And the candles do make nice souvenirs.

The craft center hosts next to the candle factory also wood carvers, a batik shop and more.

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At the Mantenga Cultural Village you can see how the Swazi people used to live. It is all brought in a way like they still live there, but i doubt that.
It was just nice to see how the hut were build, the food was cooked and to hear about the traditional ways. Our guide, a young Swazi girl, told us all about the customs around marriage. How the girl was taken in the middle of the night and how here father got 17 cows. She even showed us the traditional wedding dress, a leather skirt and apron.
On top of that there was traditional singing and dancing.

Something you should see once in a life time, but that is also enough.

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Near the border at Ngwenya you can visit a glass factory. Here they make the most beautiful things from recycled glass. There is a balcony from which you see the melting and blowing of the glass below you.

There is a shop that sell the glassware. All purchases are safely packed in paper and a carton box. Our glasses made it home in our weekend bag in the normal luggage in the aircraft.

Hlane Royal National Park is Swaziland's primary game park, featuring the usual array of animals, including elephants, rhinos, lions, hippos, leapoards, and giraffes. The park is especially known for its rhinos. You can tour the park in your own vehicle or through ranger-led game drives. The ranger-led drives are done both with vehicles and as walking tours.

There is food and lodging in the park. However, we did not stay in Hlane, as we were trying to get to Kruger that evening and were pressed for time.

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Would you like to take the family to stay inside a real Game Park and not worry about being eaten by the animals? Mlilwane is a fantastic place to stay and visit and there are no man-eating inhabitants. In fact you can go on walks at night and see animals you might not see otherwise like Bush Babies. Mlilwane means Little Fire, after the numerous fires started by lightning strikes on the Mlilwane Hill. The Sanctuary covers 4,560 hectares and comprises of a southern and northern section. The north section includes the Nyonyane Mountain known as the "Rock of Execution" and Swazi Royal graves. The south section can be explored by foot, mountain bike, horseback or vehicle day and night.

Accommodation varies from camping to the very comfortable beehives (pictured). Facilities include the fantastic Hippo Haunt restaurant which overlooks teaming wildlife in the pond just outside. You can also have a braai nearby.

Family orientated loads of wildlife and a generally relaxing environment. They even have a swimming pool. Enjoy!

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Unfortunately the Main Lodge was closed on the day we visited, but I managed to take some photographs.
It is worth a visit even when the shops are shut.
Plenty of Mango trees and cycads.
The restaurant has a beautiful setting over a lake.