from SAMBULO DLAMINI in Mbabane, Eswatini
Eswatini Bureau
MBABANE, (CAJ News) – ESWATINI Riding Holidays, an initiative offering visitors a tour on horseback to some wildlife conservation parks, is poised to enhance the kingdom’s tourism revival.
Eswatini Tourism announced the introduction of the scheme, said to provide exciting new, flexible holiday adventure packages that suit families, friends, couples and singles on either Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary or KaMsholo Bushveld Safaris (formerly Nisela Safaris).
“With the diversity of terrain, fabulous horses and guides, adventure and accommodation, the Eswatini Riding Holidays are a brilliant horsey holiday, a great introduction to trail riding and, for those who have not visited before, the friendly Kingdom of Eswatini,” the agency stated.
Eswatini Tourism believes the beauty of this itinerary is the flexibility and that non-riding family and friends can be part of the holiday.
Ranging from two to seven-night itineraries, the Eswatini Riding Holidays combine fun rides with accommodation such as Mlilwane’s Rest Camp and KaMsholo’s Tinsele Camp.
Their seven-night trail is fully accommodated but can also include two nights in EmaSomini Fly Camp in the northern reaches of Mlilwane.
Mlilwane is Eswatini’s pioneer conservation area, with a 60-year history. It is known as Eswatini’s Outdoor Lover’s Paradise.
KaMsholo is the newest addition to the Big Game Parks stable. It is a small pristine lowveld reserve tucked under the Lubombo Mountains.
Eswatini Tourism believes the highlights of the Riding Holidays are plains rides, climbing the Nyonyane Mountain, small river crossings, spectacular views across the Malkerns, Ezulwini and Mantenga Valleys, changing habitats and the impressive bushveld with giraffe against the Lubombo backdrop as well as ranch-style riding with the indigenous Nguni cattle at KaMsholo.
The horses are said to be carefully selected and bred for comfort and trained for easy, happy riding, providing the relative freedom to survey the countryside from the saddle.
The majority are home-bred Warmblood-Arab-Boerperd crosses. Appaloosa, Clydesdale, Friesian, Lusitano, Percheron and thoroughbred crosses have been added for size and comfort.
Most are between 15 hands high (hh) and 15,3hh, with the smaller horses often more agile in the mountains. A height of 15hh is equivalent to 1,524 metres.
– CAJ News