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Hlane Royal National Park was proclaimed as a National Park in 1967, following Mlilwane Game Sanctuary (1961), under instruction of King Sobhuza ll. "Hlane" is the siSwati name for 'wilderness'.

Hlane is an affordable lowveld destination with exciting species lists including impressive ancient hardwood habitats, big game and rich birdlife.This 22,000 ha park, once the region’s rich hunting grounds, still boasts the largest herds of game in the Kingdom with speciality species being lion, elephant, vultures and marabou stork.

Affordable Accommodation is available in Ndlovu Camp and Bhubesi Camp. The camps are 16km apart, Ndlovu Camp being the heart of activity within the big game area, while Bhubesi Camp is a quiet self-catering camp outside the endangered species area.  

Note: all visitors must be in camp by sunset and movement between camps or into / out of the Park after dark is not permitted.  Gates close at 18h00 daily.

Hlane is managed for the species inhabiting it, with both self-drive and limited access areas.  The Lion are in a separate limited-access area, only accessible by guided game drives.

All activities are guided and depart from Ndlovu Camp, with exception of self-drive in select areas. Day Visitors are welcome to self-drive and picnic, visit the restaurant or take part in activities. Sunset and sunrise activities are not possible for guests staying at Bhubesi Camp, unless a full group booking and prearranged with Management to depart from Bhubesi Camp.

Essential Information: Please note gates are open from Sunrise to Sunset.

Hlane Royal National Park Information Sheet

Camping
Wildlife
Restaurant
Picnic
Game Drives
Birding
Big Game Viewing
Family Friendly
Guided Walks
Cultural Tours

FACILITIES

Ndlovu Camp Restaurant

Ndlovu Camp’s large restaurant seats 100 people in the semi-open area, with a expansive deck and self-service bar. The restaurant is literally in the heart of Ndlovu Camp, overlooking a busy waterhole with resident hippo and frequented by many species. Wholesome meals are served to the serenade of birdsong by day and enhanced with lantern ambiance by night.

Ndlovu Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, with an assortment of light lunches to full meals accompanied by a small bar. All refridgeration is run on gas and solar, which limits ice stocks. The restaurant facilities are open to overnight guests, campers and day visitors.

Day Visitors Facilities

Day visitors are welcome to enjoy the restaurant, summerhouses and communal braai areas within Ndlovu Camp as well as book guided activities at the Activity Centre. The private fireplaces in front of self-catering units are not available to day visitors. Group functions are available with prior booking through Big Game Parks Central Reservations. Day visitors are required to leave the park by sunset.

Braai Facilities

Three large communal campfires are available in Ndlovu Camp, lit by camp attendants when requested or on busy days. Each of these have a large braai grid, a stone table, a low stone wall perimeter and a number of chairs. These areas provide for the perfect bushveld story sharing and meeting other like-minded people.

Activities

All activities are booked at the Activities Centre in Ndlovu Camp, or prearranged through Big Game Parks Central Reservations.  Activities depart from the Activities Centre.  Our guides are all trained in-house, take pride in knowing the area and animals well and enjoy imparting their knowledge with and learning from our guests.  Activities are conducted in the different segments of Hlane, with only selected guided game drives visiting the Lion Area for safety reasons.  

Game Drives

Game drives are the traditional leisurely African Safari, winding along bush roads in Land Cruisers and Land Rovers with canvas roofs. More of the park is seen in this manner, with keen eyes spotting wildlife and birds en-route, and time is taken for capturing those memorable moments.

  • Sunrise Game Drive (2,5hr) – Rise with the wildlife to see in the day, camera in hand for the golden photography hour.  Tea/coffee and a snack are included.  Please note this activity is not available to guests staying at Bhubesi Camp, unless a group (min 6 people) activity and departure form Bhubesi is pre-arranged.
  • Sunset Game Drive (2,5hr) – celebrate the day with a game drive, stopping to enjoy the sunset in a beautiful spot.  A drink is included. Please note this activity is not available to guests staying at Bhubesi Camp, unless a group (min 6 people) activity and departure form Bhubesi is pre-arranged.
  • Midday Game Drive (2,5hr) – is the alternative for day tours and corporates planning a day in the bush. These drives all include the Lion Area and have a minimum age of 6 years.
  • Rhino Drive (1.5hr) – Our ever popular Rhino Drive is a shorter 1,5 hour drive focusing on white rhino and excluding the Lion Area. The highlight of this drive is the potential opportunity of alighting the vehicle and quietly approaching rhino on foot. Not all rhino are approachable and guides have discretion. Due to the nature of this activity, minimum age 13 years.
  • Self Drive – Hlane offers numerous roads for self-drive, suitable for normal sedans in dry conditions.  All guests must be in camps or have departed the Park by sunset (18h00).  Please see below and don’t forget your map!

Guided Walks

All Game Walks on Hlane are guided and conducted outside the endangered species area, along roads and game paths, or simply through the bush. 2 hours of quiet walking in nature heightens all the senses and the slow pace allows for interpretation of the signs of the wild, making the experience truly memorable. Your preference of either a Game Walk or a Birding Walk will dictate the area chosen for the walk.

Our recently introduced Mahlindza Dam Walk circumnavigates the largest and busiest water source on Hlane, amid mature trees rich with birdlife. Transfers to and from Mahlindza can be pre-arranged.

* Bottled water is included in our Guided Walks. Minimum age 13 years.

SunUp Cycle

Possibly the best way to begin the day is by hopping on a mountain bike and pedalling out to Mahlindza Dam for coffee and rusks. Our 2 hour pre-breakfast SunUp Cycle offers a fun outdoor activity in the African Bushveld. This activity is suitable for beginners with relative fitness, following flat sandy roads on sturdy well-maintained mountain bikes. If a cycle is in order later in the day, a bottle of refreshing water will be provided.

Self Drive

Hlane’s main game areas have numerous dirt roads suitable for self-drive game viewing. Care must be taken in rainy season, when the clay-rich soils become tricky. Guests are requested to treat all animals with respect quietly observing from a fair distance. Maps are available in the shop and at Reception.

Umphakatsi Cultural Experience

The Hlane Umphakatsi (Chief Village) is an intriguing group outing which embraces the rural Swazi way of life and shares the benefits of tourism. The experience includes a tour of the authentic living homestead, explanation of and adherence to traditional culture, trying your hand at day-to-day activities and engaging with residents. The Swazi people are proud of their rich cultural heritage, which is transmitted by word of mouth from one generation to the next.

The Umphakatsi Experience is a 2,5 hour external self-drive activity, for which we provide a guide. The duration includes a 25-minute drive either way from Hlane’s Ndlovu Camp. Due to the logistics and in respect for the community and chief, this activity is available to groups only, pre-booked through Central Reservations.

Ehlatsini Bush Trails

Ehlatsini Bush Trails offer full days of walking and fully catered camping in an overnight rustic trail camp, perfect for small groups keen to engage fully with the bush. Moving through climax savanna giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, kudu and nyala are often spotted. Marabou and vultures watch the group from their nests atop the ancient Acacias and the opportunity for surprise encounters with exciting wildlife, including unusual invertebrates and insects, abound. Dropping down towards Sundwini Camp on the Mlawula River, woodland birds give way to colourful forest species, with the ever present possibility of baboon sightings.

Sundwini Camp is set up with open gazebos and bed rolls laid out on ground sheets. Meals are cooked on and served around the open fire. Water and personal bags are transported with the supply vehicle. A cold bush shower and long-drop latrine provide basic ablutions.

1 Night Ehlatsini Bush Trail departs Ndlovu just after breakfast and returns the following day on a slightly different route. Includes packed lunches, dinner and breakfast on the second day. Walking 5-7 hours per day.

2 Night Ehlatsini Bush Trail is an extension of the 1-night trail, providing a day of exploring the foothills of the Lebombo Mountains. Due to lowveld heat, trails are seasonal, running from 1 April – 30 September. Age restrictions and group sizes apply.

Bush Trails Info Sheet

Directions

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) has 12 borders, making access easy from almost anywhere along our boundry with either South Africa or Mozambique. To assist, we have created a "Suggested Borders" document for you.

Suggested Borders

From Eswatini Border Posts

Mananga/Border Gate Border

Matsamo/Jeppe's Reef Border

Ngwenya/Oshoek Border

Sandlane/Nerston Border

Sicunuza/Emahlatini Border

Mahamba Border 

Lavumisa/Golela Border

Mhlumeni/Goba Border

From Eswatini Border Posts

From Mbabane

From Manzini

From Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary

From Mkhaya Game Reserve

Reviews

The reviews shown here are taken directly from TripAdvisor.  We encourage potential guests to visit the pages and read what our guests have said!

Please feel free to post your own review on Tripadvisor:

Ndlovu Camp TripAdvisor Page

Bhubesi Camp TripAdvisor Page

 

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary is the perfect extention to a Hlane holiday with self catering, group accommodation, camping and activities, or stay at KaMsholo Bushveld Safaris, Eswatini’s best birding site close to KZN border