Mkhaya is all about intimate encounters with some of Africa's icons. All travel within the reserve is solely guided, by open Land Rovers or on foot, providing superb photographic opportunities and probably the best chance of seeing Black Rhino in the wild in Africa today.
Mkhaya has been assisted with generous grants and support from the World Wide Fund for Nature, the SA Nature Foundation, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Dr Anton Rupert, HRH Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the Prettejohn family of Ngwenya Glass, The European Union, Rhino Rescue Trust of Great Britain, Netherlands Rhino Foundation, Corrine Itten, Lowry Park Zoo, San Diego Zoo and many others. Their efforts are greatly appreciated and it is their support that has helped Mkhaya survive. Besides this generous assistance, Mkhaya's operations are totally self-financed through visitor revenues, conservation revenues, Nguni cattle and other self-sustaining resources.
Named after the Senegalia (Acacia) nigrescens tree once prolific across the lowveld, ‘Mkhaya’ also aptly means ‘home’ derived from the fact that this valuable hardwood is the chosen tree for structural building in Eswatini. Knobthorn trunks have been incorporated in some of Stone Camp’s structures.
With a somewhat different history beginning with the conservation of Eswatini's (formerly Swaziland) beautiful indigenous Nguni cattle, Mkhaya took on the vision of nurturing and propagating locally threatened and endangered species. With very stringent conservation security, Mkhaya is now home to Eswatini’s only buffalo, sable antelope, Livingstone’s eland and tsessebe populations. Along with special species such as b;ack & white rhino, giraffe and roan antelope, these animals are often sighted at close range on safari. Birding is an additional highlight.
Mkhaya has a number of fenced areas to enable intense species management and the high security necessary for endangered species. As and when population numbers grow, nuclei are released into the bigger game sections, which to date include sable, black and white rhino, tsessebe to name a few.
Mkhaya is an award winning reserve, having received the AA's 'Travellers Value Award for Top-End Leisure Travellers' & 'AA Highly Recommended Accommodation' while the rhino viewing has been quoted as being '...on par with a mountain gorilla encounter in Central Africa', by photo-journalist Stephen Cunliffe in Wild Magazine.
Mkhaya is staffed and patrolled entirely by Swazis from neighbouring communities and currently boasts what is arguably Africa's most effective anti-poaching unit. It is totally self-financed through visitor revenues and your support is greatly appreciated as a means of sustaining this unique international conservation effort.
A trip to Mkhaya is a trip into Real Africa - a soul enriching, quality experience you'll never forget.
Essential Information: Please note pre-booking is essential; No children under 10 years; There is NO ELECTRICITY nor INTERNET at Stone Camp - a chance to truly get off grid. The accommodation units are semi-open, with no doors or windows. There are fixed entry and exit times of either 10am or 4pm depending on your chosen package. The meeting point is not staffed and guests are met by prior arrangement only.
