The Essence of Swaziland Tour - 3 days/4 nights

Day 1

Depart Johannesburg at 07h00, collect from Nelspruit, travel via Barberton and arrive at Bulembu Lodge by mid-day. Lunch on the lawn, whilst you can just relax and soak in the tranquility, solitude and warm hospitality.

Bulembu Lodge is situated in the malaria free mountain village of Bulembu, Swaziland, and presents a charming blend of history, beauty, comfort and nature. The Lodge once housed senior mine staff and now has 12 enchanting and comfortable en-suite bedrooms in the converted mine manager's homes and quaint director's cottages.

Today, Bulembu has a vision to create a totally self-sustaining community, restoring health, education, commerce and providing care for the children. Join the journey and connect with the town and its vision.

Take a step back into the past and visit some of the attractions dating back to the 1930's.

Enjoy a traditional African barbeque under the stars.

Day 2

Breakfast will be served from 07h00 onwards.

The area has an extensive network of trails. Enjoy an easy hike on paths which weave through beautiful grasslands, interspersed with rocky outcrops, flowing streams, waterfalls and small ponds. The more fit and energetic can hike Swaziland's highest mountain, Emlembe (1863m), being rewarded with undoubtedly some of the most beautiful scenes of mountain peaks that stretch as far as the eye can see (round trip approximately 3 hours).

Depart Bulembu Lodge by 12h00, with a lunch stop en route at a restaurant overlooking the impressive Maguga Dam and its even more impressive dam wall architecture. Take a short stroll to a viewpoint whilst your lunch is being prepared.

Travel via the Ngwenya Glass Factory, Swaziland's nr 1 artwork attraction, before heading for your destination, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland's pioneer conservation area. Mlilwane is a beautifully secluded sanctuary situated in Swaziland's "Valley of Heaven", the Ezulwini Valley.

Check into Reilly's Rock Hilltop Lodge, formerly the home of Mickey Reilly, one of Swaziland's earliest white settlers. The house has remained in the family and has been transformed into a unique hilltop lodge. Apart form a few necessary subtle additions and renovations, the house still stands as it was built almost a century ago. It is steeped in intriguing history. The main building was built of stone in exchange for an ox-wagon in the early 1900's.

Enjoy an open landrover scenic drive onto the striking Nyonyane Mountain with its exposed granite peak - the "Rock of Execution".

Dinner will be served in the dining room from 19h00.

Day 3

Breakfast will be served from 07h00 onwards.

Swaziland offers many amazing craft attractions, with the added advantage of being able to watch these masterpieces being created and purchasing them at factory prices.

Visits include the Gone Rural Showroom, Swazi Candle Factory and many of the smaller attractions on this route.

A lunch stop will be made at the delightful Sambane Coffee Shop adjacent to the Swazi Candle Factory, whereafter departure to Shewula Mountain Camp, with a stop en route at the bustling Manzini Market.

Shewula Mountain Eco-Tourism camp is the first of its kind in Swaziland and fully owned and run by the community. Most of the food comes from the community, so traditional organic Swazi menu's are offered. All buildings are made of local stone and thatch. The Shewula community are a friendly agricultural people, with traditional thatch and stone houses dotted in neat fields of maize, cotton and vegetables. Enjoy incredible views and gain insight into traditional Swazi lifestyles.

The Community still survives the "ubuntu" tradition, meaning that you are a person only with and through other people.

Dinner by the community.

Day 4

Breakfast will be served at 08h00.

After a morning nature walk, pack and return to Nelspruit/Johannesburg. Arrive late afternoon/early evening.