Tailor-made safaris and travel to Southern Africa
REILLY'S ROCK HILLTOP LODGE
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Tailor-made safaris and travel to Southern Africa |
REILLY'S ROCK HILLTOP LODGE |
| Reilly's Rock Hilltop Lodge, dating from the early twentieth century, is a genuine piece of Colonial history. It was built by James Weighton Reilly for his bride, Billie, and has been in the Reilly family ever since. True to its illustrious and fascinating past, the house has been tastefully and lovingly restored by the Reilly family into a wonderful traveler's retreat.  Reilly's Rock enjoys a commanding position in the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Swaziland's pioneer conservation area. It is surrounded by lush botanically interesting gardens; game and bird life are an integral part of its setting, and the lodge enjoys panoramic views of the reserve, the Ezulwini Valley, and the scenic Ndzimba Mountains. The house itself is solidly built of hand hewn stone with mud as mortar. A visiting British Parliamentarian once remarked that the skill and finish of the old stonework resembled that of 14th and 15th century England.  The floors are fashioned of polished hard wood and there are many paned glass windows. With only six rooms, each decorated individually with family antiques, the atmosphere is exclusive and homey. The communal dining room and living room, both with fireplaces, are equally inviting.  A highlight is the long, covered verandah stretching around the house. Breakfasting on the adjacent patio, on sweet grainy muffins, freshly ground coffee, fruit and homemade sausage, is a perfect way to start the day.  Mlilwane is not a big game destination, and visitors will not see the 'Big Five'. They will, however, enjoy a very tranquil and beautiful setting, and an opportunity to unwind and relax. The reserve does boast several species of plains game, including zebra, bontebok, and impala, as well as hippopotamus in one of the watering holes. With no dangerous game, guests are free to enjoy the many walking trails that criss-cross the reserve, and additional activities include mountain biking and horse-riding through the park.  Reilly's is very conveniently located for visits to nearby craft centers such as Swazi Candles, Baobab Batik, Tishweshwe Crafts, and Shiba Hand Weavers where visitors will meet some of the highly talented Swazi artisans whose work is sold all around the world; for those interested in purchasing African wares, there are few better places to do so. Guests staying at Reilly's for longer than one day should also consider day trips to Mlilwane's sister parks, Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve, where one can enjoy game-drives in open safari vehicles with good chances of seeing the 'Big Five'. Reilly's Rock is a wonderful lodge in a little known corner of Africa. It offers peace and tranquility in a lovely setting, and is the perfect link for travelers driving the scenic route between Maputaland and the Kruger National Park. Ecotourism angle  The Reilly family are synonymous with wildlife conservation in Swaziland. Mlilwane was the private farm of Mickey Reilly, who moved to Swaziland from Ireland at the turn of the 20th century. On his death, the land was converted into Swaziland's first proclaimed game reserve, and continues to be an enclave of wilderness as civilization encroaches from all sides. Apart from being key players in the management of Mlilwane Reserve, the Reilly family have also been instrumental in the establishment of Swaziland's two big game parks, Hlane and Mkhaya, and are very much the driving force behind wildlife conservation in this little African kingdom. To find out more about Reilly's Rock Hilltop Lodge, or make a reservation, call toll-free in the USA at 1-888-227-8311 or email us. |
