Mpumalanga Lowveld / Eswatini

Distance
259 km (161 mi)

Itinerary
8 am to 4 pm
Traveling south and passing Mpumalanga's largest city, Nelspruit, we'll turn due east for a distance along the national N4 route before heading south again toward Jeppe's Reef. Located at the border with South Africa and the tiny kingdom of Eswatini – the last absolute monarchy in Africa - we visit Matsamo Cultural Village, established as a community effort to showcase Swazi customs, tradition, and language. Participants from surrounding villages, all part of the Shongwe clan, offer visitors the opportunity to experience a touch of their ancestry, first by enjoying a guided tour of the working village and later ending with a truly impressive traditional dancing display as their drums echo throughout the valley.
After clearing customs and immigration, your tour traverses the scenic Komati River pass, stopping at the country's main water catchment supply, the Maguga Dam, before reaching Mbabane and your overnight accommodations. Reilly's Rock is set in a renovated colonial house built on a 'koppie' in the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, where sweeping views of the Ezulwini Valley may be enjoyed. The lodge grounds are a haven to several tiny antelope, including suni and blue duiker.