Zebra and blue wildebeest are often seen grazing together. More interesting is the black wildebeest , a rare highland special. Blesbok are quite common but the largest of all antelopes, the eland , is harder to spot. Klipspringers can be found on rocky outcrops. Other small antelope species include oribi , red duiker , common duiker and the rare grey rhebok.
Leopard is present but the chance of seeing one is very small. The rugged terrain of Malolotja includes rolling grasslands, deep ravines and patches of woodland.
Three rivers, fringed with riverine forest, run through the reserve. Ngwenya Mountain, Swaziland's second highest mountain, stands out. Malolotja can be visited throughout the year. The dry winter months from May to September are ideal, but the nights can be bitterly cold. The wet summer months are more pleasant, but peak temperatures can be high for hiking and rain can interfere as well.
Mist is common throughout the year, but particularly from October to March. The scenery is more appealing in the wet summer months from October to April. Malolotja can usually be accessed in any vehicle, although some of the roads in the reserve are 4x4 only. Visitors can stay at the campsite or in self-catering log cabins. Alternatively they can stay in traditional beehive chalets — complete with modern interiors — at nearby Hawane resort, which runs activities into and around the reserve, including horse-riding.
A small dam at Hawane is good for bird watching and fishing. The Malolotja wildlife experience is more about quality than quantity. Among the larger mammals are grazers such as blesbok, zebra, blue wildebeest and the rare black wildebeest. Smaller antelope include grey rhebok, mountain reedbuck and oribi. A few shy leopard roam the hills and gorges, while serval and aardwolf stalk the grasslands and baboons patrol the ridges.
Look out for aardvark diggings and the scattered quills of porcupines. Malolotja has many treats for birders. The main drawcard is the endangered blue swallow. Malolotja is also home to localised reptiles, such as the Swazi thick-tailed rock gecko. A limited network of rough roads is not really designed for game viewing but serves to reach the trailheads. Mountain bikes can be hired at the entrance gate.
For a more adrenaline-charged experience, the Malolotja Canopy Tour comprises a 50m suspension bridge and 11 wooden platforms ingeniously affixed to the steep sides of Silotshwane Gorge. Participants zip-line from platform to platform on a steel cable high above the forest canopy and Majolomba river.
Their products are among the best of their kind in Swaziland. Made mostly of soapstone, an easily workable local rock, their natural grey-green colour is enhanced by oiling or darkened with shoe polish. Without doubt, Malolotja should be on the itinerary of every adventure-seeker or scenery-lover visiting southern Africa. Malolotja Nature Reserve Malolotja is one of the very best highland reserves in southern Africa, its 18,ha wilderness of high rolling hills and deep forested river gorges offering a genuine wilderness in which hikers can lose themselves for days.
Hawane Horse Riding. Malolotja Hiking. Malolotja Canopy Tour. Hawane Resort Malolotja Nature Reserve. Malolotja Cabins Malolotja Nature Reserve.
Highlands View Guesthouse Mbabane. Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane Mbabane. Brand new state of the art hotel in the heart of Mbabane perfect for leisure and business travellers.
Emafini Country Lodge Mbabane. Contact: Malolotja Nature Reserve in Swaziland on for information and bookings. Follow the links below to Swaziland's premier wildlife regions and game reserves. Resources for planning a Swaziland safari :. Malolotja Nature Reserve is situated in the heart of Swaziland's highlands and is the last unspoilt mountain wilderness left in Swaziland.
In addition to astounding hill top views you may see numerous animals from ten or more species, plus a unique highveld birdlife. The Malolotja Falls -the highest in Swaziland - cascade over feet 90metres into thick Afro-montane forest.
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