Swaziland Guide
Mkhaya Game Reserve
Roughly 30km north of Big Bend lies Mkhaya Game Reserve, situated along a turn-off from the wonderfully named village of Phuzumoya ("drink the wind") in classic lowveld scrubland, filled with acacia and thorn trees. A sanctuary for the rare black rhino, Mkhaya also accommodates white rhino, elephant and numerous antelopes such as nyala, sable and eland. As well as a tourist attraction, Mkhaya also operates as a refuge where endangered species such roan antelope and tsessebe are bred. Rubbing shoulders with them, in the reserve section closest to the road, are herds of Nguni cattle.
Day visits and overnight stays at Mkhaya must be booked in advance, and you can't tour Mkhaya in your own vehicle, but must arrange to be met at the gate (10am or 4pm) from where you'll drive in convoy to the reserve's ranger base and the starting point of the first game drives. Kombi buses from Manzini to Big Bend stop at the gate; ask for the Phuzamoya shop drop.
You'll need to book your visit to Mkhaya through Swazi Big Game Parks Central Reservations ( 
5283944, 
www.biggameparks.org ). Day visits cost E440, including lunch. The reserve's main camp, Stone Camp, makes up for the lack of elevation in the reserve with an atmospheric bush setting beside the dry Ngwenyane river bed. Full-board accommodation (including game drives R1001-2000) is offered in seductively luxurious open-plan and open-sided thatched stone huts with en-suite toilets and showers, which give you a wonderful sense of sleeping right in the bush. All of these are secluded but secure and lit by paraffin lamps. Beautifully prepared three-course meals are served around a large campfire in the main part of the camp under the shade of a massive sausage tree (its seed pods look like sausages), and staff have been known to treat guests to traditional dancing.