Beautiful Tourist Places in Mhlume, Lubombo, Swaziland, South Africa, Africa
Mhlume is a town situated in the district of Lubombo in northeastern Swaziland, around 120 km northeast of Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland. It is mainly noted for its large sugar cane fields and houses a Mhlume Sugar Company, which is the major employer in the region. Mhlume is geographically positioned between 26°02′ S latitude and 31°51′ E longitude. Siteki is the seat of the Lubombo district, located around 65 km south of Mhlume. The district of Lubombo covers an area of 5,849.11 sq. km, comprising 11 settlements, including Mhlume.
How to reach Mhlume?
There is no airport in Mhlume, so international tourists are needed to reach Matsapha International Airport first and afterwards they can take car rental at the airport or wait for bus, of which hiring a car is convenient as buses are not regular between this route. Matsapha International Airport receives flights only from Johannesburg in South Africa. The local transportation of Mhlume is catered by buses, taxis and minibuses.
Culture, Food and Shopping in Mhlume:
There are many standard restaurants in Mhlume offering crispy and crunchy Swazi and other African cuisines, serving visitors with a higher degree of love and care. All types of shops can also be found in Mhlume, including handicraft stores.
Things to do in Mhlume:
- Mountain biking
- Quad biking
- Fishing
- Game drives
- Hiking
What to see in Mhlume?
Mhlume Sugar Company:
The Mhlume Sugar Company is the major employer, landmark as well as tourist attraction of Mhlume, where visitors can learn the sugar production method used in Swaziland. There are also many typical things to learn.
Mlawula Nature Reserve:
Situated around 30 km southeast of Mhlume, the Mlawula Nature Reserve is spread over an area of 16,500 hectares, home to around 350 species of birds. It also offers different enjoyable outdoor activities such as mountain biking, quad biking, fishing, game drives and hiking. The reserve can be explored best through a guided tour.
Hlane National Park:
The Hlane National Park is the largest among the national parks in Swaziland, with an area of 30,000 hectares. The park is well known for a large elephants and rhinos’ population and other wildlife include cheetahs, giraffe, zebras, lions and leopards. There are also many camping options within the park.
Manzimyame Protected Landscape:
The Manzimyame Protected Landscape is one of important protected areas in Swaziland, located around 70 km south of Mhlume. It is a very dense park with eye-catching landscape, so one can consider guided tour for easy exploration of this nature beauty.
Other places of interest in and around Mhlume include:
- Mantenga Nature Reserve
- University of Swaziland
- Indingilizi Gallery
- Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary
- Blue Lagoon Leisure Park
- Ezulwini Handicrafts Centre
- Mkhaya Game Reserve
- Somhlolo National Stadium
- King Sobhuza II Memorial Park
- National Museum of Swaziland
- Malkern Valley
- Somhlolo Stadium
- Grace Christian Fellowship International Church
- Royal Swazi Sun Hotel
- Hawane Nature Reserve
When to visit Mhlume?
The pleasant and clear climate of Mhlume attracts tourists throughout the year, though one can consider month between June and August to experience the real nature beauty of Mhlume.
Where to stay in Mhlume?
Hotels at Mhlume are not only known for offering a wide range of facilities and services, but also well versed in arranging different tours for their guests with lot of care and security. Visitors can also consider hotels in the nearby towns of Mhlume when the town gets crowded and for more upgraded amenities. Here are some modernized hotels in and around Mhlume:
- Mhlume Country Club and Lodge
- Singwe Lodge
- Mbuluzi Tented Lodge
- Mbuluzi Campsite
- Nkhankanka Lodge
- Tambuti Tented Camp
- Simunye Country Club
- Shewula Mountain Camp
- Hlane Royal National Park
- Steenbok Guest House