Swaziland

It's been over 20 years since we were last in Swaziland. What surprised us most is how popular it is with foreign tourists.

On Friday 5th October,  we met Danie and John in Piet Retief, entered Swaziland at Lavumisa  and went to Royal Jozini for 2 nights. We loved Ekulutheni lodge and got to chill eventhough the game viewing was sparse. 

We spent a night at Hlane in Bubesi cottages. Book number 6 if you can, it's at the end of the access road. We had fantastic rhino sitings at Main Camp and loved the visiting Crested Guineafowl on our verandah.

We had lunch at Malandela's Restaurant in Malkerns. The King of Swaziland - in full regalia and with bodyguards - was dining at the next table. This cool spot should be on every Swaziland itinerary. 

For the next 2 nights we stayed at Mlilwane. I would recommend booking into the beehive huts here or better still, a night at O'Reilleys Hotel (original colonial farmhouse) but we stayed at Sondzela, the backpacker's lodge. Basic rooms in another converted farmhouse with the very grumpy Getrude in charge. It turned out to be a great experience; sitting around the giant boma fire each night on tree stumps for chairs, chatting to other travellers over bottles of wine and whiskey. There are a few influential colonial families left in Swaziland. The O'Reilley clan were instrumental in getting Swaziland to proclaim National Parks and Mlilwane was their farm. It's well stocked with game but you don't get that bushveld feel. The bird watching is excellent, you can hike and there are 4x4 trails up to the top of the surrounding hills.

On our last night in Swaziland we stayed at Malalotja, with it's misty cliffs and dramatic scenery. This is also a hikers delight but the cottages are a little shabby these days. 

The Great Greenfield Southern African Safari Company: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Lesotho

This blog is an overview of our trip because I know that many of you would love to do a similar adventure. The blogs that follow will contain all the details of each section. All journeys between places are doable in 1 day. 

✓is the minimum recommended stay. 

You can add nights for special interests.

* Fishing🎣

*Hiking🏃

*4x4 driving🚙

*Beach🏊

*Safari🦁

*Birding🐦

*Diving🐟

Part 3 and 4 are add ons if you would like to visit Swaziland and/or Lesotho.

Part 1: Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park

Graskop- 1✓ 

Kruger National Park - 3✓ - 5 nights 🦁🐦

( Last night must be at Letaba for access to Giriyondo Border Post.4x4 only)

Part 2: Mozambique

Bilene - 1 ✓- 2 nights🏊🚙

Tofo Beach - 4 ✓- 7 nights🏊🐟🎣

Maputo- 1✓ night ( Polana Hotel)

Santa Maria - 3✓ - 5 nights🐟🏊🎣🚙(Maputo Special Reserve )

Ponta do Ouro - 3 - 4 nights 🐟

( Santa Maria to Joburg is too far so if you are skipping Swaziland spend 1 night here)

Part 3: Swaziland

Hlane National Park - 1 night✓🐦🦁

Mliwane National Park - 2 nights✓🐦🦁🚙🏃

Malalotja National Park  -1 night🚙🏃

Part 4: Drakensberg and Sani Pass.

Lake Naverone, Underberg, KZN- 2 nights ✓🎣🚙🐦🏃

Sani Top Chalets, Lesotho -1 Night- ✓🚙🐦

Note1: Although we didn't do it this time, you can add Vilancoulos and the Bazaruto Islands,  about 5 hours north of Inhambane to your itinerary too, especially  for divers.

Note 2 : D and J added the Drakensberg to this itinerary, we headed back to Joburg.

Note 3 : Shortest duration for part 1 and 2 : 14 nights and this is really not too rushed.

Note 4: If you skip part 1, you could enter Mozambique at Komatiepoort but Joburg to Belene would be a very long day of driving and your trip would be 10 nights.

Quebec City and Montreal

It's a long way from PEI to Quebec City, so we stopped overnight along the way. It's a good drive through lots of scenic forest and we did see bears.

We upgraded from camping to a hotel for the city visits. In the USA and Canada RVs are fantastic in the countryside but not well catered for in the cities. Luckily Stephen and Vivienne travel with a motorcycle so they were able to get into town despite

some rain.

We spent quite a long time at the Québec Civilisations Museum.  It's a hodge podge of colonial artifacts, updated with a more PC and well done section on the First Nation Peoples.

After a visit to the Port Vieux Market and a walk through the old, walled town,( a world heritage site,) we went to the famous Bar 1608 at Chateau Frontenac for cocktails. Quebec is a gourmet city, so we tried wines and snacks at Bar L' Escale and Bistro Papa George followed by dinner at Sapristi, where despite being part of a chain, we got excellent fresh pasta. Of course, that's down Breakneck Steps and along the very quaint Rue Petit Champlain.

The next day we walked the ramparts and explored the citadel and the old town a little more.  We spoiled ourselves with lunch at Michelin starred Saint Amour. In the afternoon we did a tour of the Parliament Building and had drinks in the Celio Revolving Bar, high above Grand Allee.

On the third day we drove out to Isle d' Orleans and Montmorency Falls. The island is known for it's organic farming and vineyards and is a real foodie destination.

We were happy to be back in Montreal and treated ourselves to a stay at the Monville Hotel. Like in Quebec City we used Uber wherever we went. Montreal is a city of neighborhoods, each best explored on foot. A stroll and drinks in Gay Village followed by local Asian food and Burlesque at The Wiggle Room on St. Laurent Blvd.

Gay Village

Perhaps we had been traveling too long or perhaps it was the comfy bed and block out curtians but we made the most of The Monville. 

Stephen and Vivienne joined us for a Dim Sum brunch in Chinatown. We enjoyed walking the Old City and later on we went to the Jean Talon Market in Little Italy.

We walked Mile End and  Plateau Mont Royal, stopping at coffee shops, bars and breweries with dinner of peri peri chicken Portuguese style at Rotisserie Romanos to round off the evening.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a lot more city wanderings, the World Press Photography exhibit, more bar hopping and a traditional dinner of poutine and smoked meats at Reuben's Deli and Steakhouse.

Maine, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island

We met Stephen and Vivienne in Boston and on the 6 September and headed up to Maine. 

They have a new RV ( Motorhome ) and we were following behind in a rented SUV. Camping is an ideal way to see the National Parks and before we realised it Neil and I had done 12 consecutive nights in a tent! Stephen was fantastic about helping us pitch each day and providing us with an electric light, a heater and a very big inflatable mattress with electric pump.

The braais and campfires were a welcome change after months of restaurants. It was pretty cold so we stopped at a Walmart to buy leggings and long t-shirts to cope with the winter weather.

We camped at Bar Harbor National Park for 3 nights. There's hiking in the mountains and walks on the beaches and Stephen and Vivienne did some cycling. We are not "tick the bucket list items" types but we did celebrate having travelled in all the 48 contiguous states of the USA. And spent at least a night in all but 3.

Maine Lobster Roll

The road border between the US and Canada was a breeze; no need to even get out of the car. We drove through New Brunswick. We camped a night in Alma and the following night in Picton with a view of the estuary.

We did 2 nights in Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. It's a nice little city with a small waterfront development. We toured the Fort and enjoyed traditional live music at the Irish pub. In a city of microbreweries the original a Alexander Keith's isn't bad and the brewery is worth a visit.

One day we did a road trip to Pictou and Lunenberg. It's a pretty coast but Pictou was very touristy and full of tour busses. Of course, you can get the quintessential fishing boat shot. And enjoy a hot chocolate with a view.

We spent 2 nights in Cape Breton National Park.

On Friday 13th we stayed at Fox Harbour. For Saturday we managed to get tickets to a music festival at Jost vineyards; great music and an insightful day into the lives of locals.

We crossed on to Prince Edward Island to camp at Prince Edward Island National Park. If you remember the Anne of Green Gables books from when you were a child, you might like the rather sappy museum in the original house where the author based her book.

Most restaurants we found to be pretty mediocre but we are giving a real shout out to Carr's Oyster Bar, a fantastic waterfront seafood place with good South African wine on the menu. Charlottetown has it's fair share of hipster bars and coffee shops to while away some time.