Formally the royal hunting grounds, Hlane is
Swaziland’s biggest National Park and provided for us both good birding, and
friendly, comfortable accommodation at very affordable prices. Ndlovu Camp, the easily accessible main camp near the main
gate has excellent cottages for self-catering and also small rondovels and camping facilities. There is a basic shop and
a good value restaurant and bar. Some of the cottages, including the one we had,
Mbabala, overlook the large waterhole where a family
of white rhino spend much of their time.
At 360ZAR/night for a self-contained cottage, this was excellent
value. There is no power, so lamps are
used at night and the fridge and stove are gas.
The staff were all friendly and helpful and the rangers
knowledgeable. Bhubesi
Camp is a self-catering camp with large cottages on the banks of the
There are areas to walk around the camp and a network of roads to drive
around the park. Guided walks and drives
are also available. The park has
elephant and lion as the major attractions.
Large areas of knobthorn trees have been
destroyed from the elephants ring-barking them, but the ecosystem still appears
to survive.
We were visiting Hlane in mid-summer so there
was plenty of water about, making waterhole wildlife watching not as productive,
but there were still some interesting water birds about. At Ndlovu Camp
Water Thick-Knee, Blacksmith Lapwing, Three-banded Plover, Common Sandpiper,
White-faced Duck and Black-headed Heron were about at the waterhole with
Ostrich and Black-bellied Bustard feeding nearby. Excellent birding around the camp with
families of Paradise Flycatchers building nests above the huts, Red-faced
Mousebird, Green Wood-Hoopoe, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Plum-coloured Starling,
Cape-glossy Starling, Chin-spot Batis, Brubru, Black-headed Oriole, Southern Masked Weaver,
Red-headed Weaver, Spotted Flycatcher, Blue Waxbill, Red-backed Shrike,
Red-billed Oxpecker and many Lesser-striped Swallows, Dark-capped Bulbul, Diedrich’s cuckoo, Fork-tailed Drongo, Cape Turtle Dove and
Laughing Dove all around the camp area.
Also, along the ground and in low greenery in the camp are Kurrichane Thrush and Groundscraper
Thrush. The highlight was a delightful,
tiny African Scops Owl which roosts each day in the camp. The rangers are able to point out its
position.
Throughout the park are many raptors including
African Scops Owl - Hlane Royal NP - Swaziland
A well-established bird-hide at Mahlindza
Waterhole was excellent for evening viewing, although a little quiet at this
time of year, with Malachite Kingfisher, Egyptian Goose, African Jacana,
White-faced Duck, Black Crake, Water Dikkop,
Blacksmith Lapwing seen.
A guided sunset drive looking for lions gave us good views of Burchell’s Coucal, Black-bellied Korhan, Crested Francolin, Pin-tailed Wydah,
Crested Guineafowl , Grey Hornbill and a very close encounter with a young male
elephant.
Simunye Nature Reserve Dam has been
incorporated in the Royal Hlane NP and is situated a
few kilometers away near the
Royal Hlane was a highlight of our visit to