Driving Round the World: Kwa Zulu Natal and eSwatini (Swaziland)

Just hatched turtle heading for the sea

Give way, elephant approaching

Baby Rhino - mum is just behind him

Back in Johannesburg we were reunited with the van. After repacking and reorganising the van we headed south to the coast of Kwa Zulu Natal (KZN) and the parks along the coast. This remote section of coast is the nesting site for thousands of loggerhead and Leatherback turtles. After three days of fine rain we were rewarded with seeing Loggerhead turtles emerging from their nests, as well as a female which had clambered up the beach, but found the sand too hard after the rain to excavate a nest, so she returned to the ocean. We had a very relaxed couple of weeks, visiting several National Parks and Reserves. Hluhluwe hosts the big five, and we were fortunate in seeing 21 white rhino including one mother and baby which came up to within 1 metre of the van - a very special moment. Tembe Park near the Mozambique border houses some of the biggest tuskers, and we came face to face with one on a track, fortunately he found a way through the surrounding forest. On our way out of the park we were stopped by a herd of around 80 buffalo standing across the track. The countryside is all very green after the rain, but being out of season the campsites are deserted, so we have had the pick of locations. Arriving at one of the campsites we found a UK Landrover parked up, belonging to Neil and Julie Lee. We spent a couple of evenings and a day chatting about overlanding and their involvement with iOverlander, Overlanding Sphere and various other facebook groups which they help manage.

A couple of white rhino with magnificient horns

Malolotja National Park

They were heading south and we drove north to eSwatini. The border crossing was easy and we entered a relaxed, very green and friendly country surrounded by mountains. The Malolotja reserve in the western mountains is a large unspoilt open area of high veldt, offering the promise of cooler weather. Arriving under an overcast sky we stopped in their campsite as an incredibly active thunderstorm broke and passed overhead. For three hours we were surrounded by almost constant lightning and very loud thunder. After visiting the viewpoints the following morning but seeing little as it was still cloudy we headed north to a couple of the game and nature reserves. At Hlane Royal Reserve white rhino come in the evening and morning to the water hole where they are inquisitive but short sighted so several times headed towards us, eventually taking fright when within 10m. The east of the country has some huge sugar cane farms, but has large undeveloped areas still covered in natural forest, resulting in large populations and diverse species of birds. We finally tore ourselves away and headed north to Mozambique.