Expert Reviews of Hlane Royal National Park (5 Reviews)

Hlane Royal National Park is arguably Eswatini’s most productive wildlife-viewing destination. Most people only stay one night as the reserve is small, and the game drive circuit is rather limited. Even on a one-night stay, you are likely to see four of the Big Five (buffalo is absent). However, if you are driving through Eswatini on a South Africa trip, you might find Hlane a bit underwhelming.

The reserve is divided into two sections: the general game area where self-drive is allowed and a smaller Limited Access Area, also referred to as the Endangered Species Area. The latter is home to lions and elephants and can be accessed on guided game drives only.

Most overnight visitors stay at Ndlovu Camp located at the edge of a large waterhole, the main hangout and drinking place of the park’s big population of white rhinos. Giraffes, nyalas and warthogs are frequent visitors to the waterhole as well.

Self-drive is allowed in Hlane but game drives

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and rhino walks can be booked at the reception. Since you can see white rhinos very close to the waterhole in front of the lodge, I’m not sure what the rhino walk buys you, but a guided game drive is recommended. If nothing else because it is the only way to go into the Limited Access Area. The three guided game drives on offer are the sunset game drive, sunrise game drive and midday game drive. Sunrise and sunset game drives are obviously the best option, and these are not available to day visitors.

I went on a guided sunset drive and assumed that lion sightings in the enclosure were guaranteed, but I was wrong. The bush is quite thick and despite driving every track in this relatively small area, we didn’t see any lions. Luckily elephants are easier to spot and we came across one of these giants walking along the road to a waterhole.