THE PROVINCE , THE KINGDOM AND THE COUNTRY
Mpumalanga, Eswatini and Mozambique have joined forces to create a new tourism route, inviting travellers to take their time and enjoy the spoils of all three. Lebogang Mokoena tried it out
Selling tourism is a bit like selling newspaper subscriptions: there is so much value but you have to immerse yourself in “the product” to fully appreciate its many layers. That’s why the Mpumalanga government is encouraging tour operators and the public to explore the scenic Triland Route. An initiative entered into between the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA); the Eswatini
Tourism Authority (ETA); and Mozambique’s National Tourism Institute (Inatur), the Triland Route aims to sell the province, the kingdom and the country respectively as a package rather than as single, separate destinations. The geography makes sense as Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, sharing borders with both Eswatini and Mozambique.
I was invited for a weeklong trip along with tour operators to see what the route entails and what a traveller can expect from the journey.
We start in Mpumalanga, a province rich with culture and attractions. The Barberton Museum (mpumalangamuseums.co.za/ barberton-museum) is quaint and rustic, and full of information and cultural significance. It could, however, do with some funding for a much-needed facelift. You do leave the place feeling like much more could be done to inform people about its stories and geology. It does not help that one is not allowed to take pictures in certain areas inside, leaving them easily out of mind the moment one steps outside.
A short ride from the museum takes you to the Makhonjwa Mountains, an orophile’s dream. This range of small mountains and hills covers an area of 120km x 60km. They were declared a world heritage site in 2018, with Unesco recognising the land as “a unique remnant of the ancient Earth’s crust, containing among the oldest and best-preserved sequence of volcanic and sedimentary rocks on Earth”. The snaking drive to the top offers picturesque views and great mineral stories as well as rare foliage sightings. It is worth getting a guide to explain the significance of the mountains because much might be dismissed as ordinary when it is far from that.
The famous Panorama Route does not disappoint. A light, cold drizzle greeted us and threatened to keep us carbound, but the Blyde River Canyon’s pull was far greater than the possibility of catching a cold. The mountains and trees reflect beautifully on the water, giving it a green tinge. That, along with the rain-pregnant skies, made for amazing pictures.
Also on the Panorama Route is the Graskop Gorge Lift (graskopgorgeliftcompany.co.za), where you can enjoy zip lining and bungee jumping all while taking in beautiful mountain views that stretch as far as the eye can see. Nature really does show off in Mpumalanga.
If high peaks and snaky drives are not your thing, the Kruger National Park might be for you. A steady flow of international tourists means the park is forever a hive of activity. However, Edwin Lukhele, who operates Kruger Via Canyon Safaris (krugerviacanyonsafaris.co.za), laments the low visitation by locals. “It’s a beautiful place and depriving yourself of what is near
is one of the biggest injustices I experience daily. Locals would rather spend thousands of rands for a bottle of alcohol at a club than [visit the park], but their children have never seen an elephant up close,” he says.
A drive in the Kruger National Park offers common sightings of elephant, wildebeest, zebra, antelope, vervet monkeys, crocodile and giraffe. A lazy lion is spotted about 500m from the main road, much to the various guided tourists’ delight. Mpumalanga has much to offer and maybe the next time you feel like some time out, give the beach a rest and opt instead for the east.
Gaupalelwe Seleka, the head of inbound marketing for Mpumalanga Tourism, is vehement that exploring is not just for the rich or foreign and says the Triland Route is meant to be enjoyed by locals too. “Enjoy Mpumalanga’s nature, Mozambique’s seas and take in the culture of Eswatini,” she says.
MOZAMBIQUE
While Mpumalanga has the comforting familiarity of paved roads and friendly service, travelling to Mozambique by road is a stressful experience. Not only do you have to deal with the language barrier, but the roads belong to the trucks and they make sure you know it. The locals are all business and don’t care much about explaining anything. It is a bit like looking for a taxi at the Bree Street Taxi Rank and not understanding a word of Zulu.
Having local operators in Mozambique as part of the Triland network makes for a more relaxed experience. You are also less likely to be hassled by the police every 1km.
When we arrive in Maputo, it is just after some significant rainfall. The area is incredibly flat and the waterlogged fields make for uncomfortable viewing. For the locals, though, this is quite common. In fact, severe weather in recent weeks has seen flooding in Maputo and other parts of Mozambique. They have had to adapt — you can tell by the way they build their houses.
Mozambicans live on a predominantly fishbased diet, so a trip to the famous Mercado de Peixe (fish market) sounds good on paper but the market is not very well kept. It’s grimy and, I am told, on a good day extremely packed.
Even having a local travelling with us, I feel we are being taken for a ride. The fish you’d get at an inland restaurant in South Africa would be far cheaper and without the suspicious smell. If Mozambique is known for its white sandy beaches and great seafood, Maputo makes one feel that the white beaches and great seafood can be dismissed as allegations.
Accommodation is, however, surprisingly good, and the route operators encourage local stays. For this reason, we find ourselves at the Platinum Lodge (platinumlodge.co.mz) in Matola. This densely populated city is right next to Maputo, to its west, and is also the capital of Maputo Province.
The area experiences a great share of rainfall so the roads are generally in a bad state. The drive to the lodge on an untarred road — extremely uncomfortable unless by 4x4 and in the hands of a skilled driver — turns out to be a huge injustice to the accommodation.
As clichéd as it will sound, the lodge is a hidden gem. A beautiful pool greets you as you enter and, thanks to some water-jet trickery and lighting, the pool dances to the night sky. The rooms are all fitted with king-sized beds, satellite television, air conditioning and beautifully designed ceilings. The lodge also has a big conference area, a presidential wing with its own kitchen and boardrooms, and the staff tell me it is a great place to work and play.
I couldn’t help but make a comparison to some of the best stays in SA. If it was located in Sandton, a night here would cost an arm and a leg.
The report is less glowing for our stay at the Lugar do Mar (lugardomar.com) near Macaneta Beach. The place is great with friendly staff, but the brown water; Wi-Fi that won’t connect in the rooms; and wildlife crawling on the ceiling make it difficult to settle. When you do finally manage to rest for the night, a maintenance worker firing up a motorised leaf blower right outside the window at 5am is not anyone’s idea of fun. I imagine Mozambique gets better the further north you travel.
ESWATINI
The Eswatini leg of the stay is a welcome relief. This tiny kingdom with a population smaller than that of Soweto (Eswatini’s is 1.192m while Soweto’s is over 2m) is scenic and the people are welcoming. Known for its cultural displays and entertainment spectacles, such as the annual Bushfire festival, the country is filled with historical monuments.
The little landlocked kingdom covers an area of 17,364km2. Chunky Dlamini, the marketing head for Eswatini Tourism Authority, says that while others may see the country’s small size as unfortunate, it is their greatest strength. “The size makes Eswatini better to enjoy,” she says. “This is one of the few countries where you can take in as much as you can and leave with a full appreciation of our people and culture.”
A trip to the Estwatini National Museum (entc.org.sz/museum) offers displays that preserve the history of the country and tell a story of a proud people. One can’t help but see the parallels with South African history.
The Mantenga Cultural Village (facebook.com/mantenganaturereserveandculturalvillage) is one of the best ways to tell the story of the country’s people. A man who introduced himself as Mbuluzi, named after the raging river that his father had to traverse on the day of his birth, takes us through the village. The performance by the traditional dancers caps off the visit in a feat of song and dance.
The Triland Route, though not without its shortcomings, is worth travelling. The route is picturesque, awe-inducing and a great and reasonably cheap way to experience
Southern Africa. A word of caution though, before taking this trip by road, brush up on your driving skills and, if you can, go by 4x4 or at least a high-clearance vehicle.
MORE INFORMATION
Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) mpumalanga.com
Eswatini Tourism: thekingdomofeswatini.com The National Tourism Institute: visitmozambique.gov.mz/o-quefazer/roteiros/
Mokoena was a guest of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA).