Weekend in the Swaz

Trip Start Jul 01, 2008
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Trip End Aug 10, 2008


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Flag of Swaziland  ,
Sunday, July 27, 2008

After a week of work in Maputo, we decided to head to nearby Swaziland for some fun and relaxation. Swaziland is a small, landlocked country (one of the smallest on the continent), bordered by South Africa on three sides except to the east, where it borders Mozambique. Like Lesotho, Swaziland was formed by a group of indigeous people trying to escape from the chaos of the colonization of Southern Africa. What remains today is one of three monarchies in Africa - and arguably the most stable, as the Swazi people looooove their king.

The Swaz, as I have come to call it, has a very laid back vibe; Swazis are more likely to celebrate for fun than demonstrate for reform. A progressive and hands-on attitude towards wildlife preservation has endowed it with a striking bunch of national parks. We chose to spend our time in the largest of these parks, Hlane National Park.

Now, I don't mean to belittle our experience in Kruger National Park, but Hlane definitely packed more excitement per square kilometer. Over the course of two game drives and a walking safari, we got up close an personal with some very large animals...and you will see in the photos. We also had the opportunity to stay overnight in semi-authentic rondavels (traditional southern African construction), complete with oil lamps! All and all, we agree that it was the perfect complement to our Kruger trip, and money well spent!
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