The Phophonyane Nature reserve is located next to the Piggs Peak which is found in the Northern part of Eswatini. It is a privately owned Nature reserve and it was set up to cater for the animals that were almost extinct due to the constant poaching that was being done by the locals and the colonialists. It is surrounded by a large forest and the Phophonyane River which makes it fully drained throughout the whole year. It is also a home to the famous Phophonyane waterfalls which add to the beauty of the reserve.
The reserve was also known for being a home to a large number of reptiles and it was most feared by the locals although at the moment you will hardly find any reptiles in the reserve. when you get to alone on one with the owner of the reserve you will get to know some of the reptiles that are believed to be here but seldom found that is black mambas, millipedes, pythons and many more others.
The Phophonyane lodge is where most of the activities are organized from before heading out to the different parts of the Resreve to check out its undisputed beauty. The lodge organizes different activities like hikes, nature walks to the neighboring villages from where you can easily mingle with the locals and get to know their day to day way of life and they also organize game drives through the reserve which are mostly done with the help of the tour guide. The Phophonyane lodge has a variety of accommodation facilities ranging from tents, cottages, modernized huts and many more others.
The Phophonyane nature reserve has hike trails that are used by tourists for easy spotting of the animals and birds that habitate within the Resreve. Some of the wild animals that you can look out for while in Phophonyane include the red duiker, Vervet monkeys, baboons, bushbucks and many other small animals among others.
It is a home to about 240 bird species and these can be seen during the wet season. There are many birding habitats in the reserve although most of the birds can be found along the Phophonyane River, the Phophonyane falls and the surrounding forests. Some of the bird species found here include the Narina trogon which is also used as the logo of the reserve, fish skimmers and many more others.
There is a story that is connected to the Phophonyane reserve and although most people do not know whether it is true or not, it has been told to all tourists who visit the reserve. It is believed that there was a hunter who wanted to marry a certain beautiful girl but in order to do so, he had to first present to the father of the girl with the skin of a white leopard. He went to a side of the Mountain that was owned by witches and that was how he was turned into a flower. When after several days, the man had not returned, the girl sat at the River and started crying and that is how the Phophonyane falls were created.
Some of the best activities that you will get to enjoy while in this quiet reserve include walking through the numerous trials that are found near the lodge, taking a swim in the pool that is created by the waterfalls, take a drive to the Gobolondlo mountain where you can enjoy a good hike with the help of a tour guide and hike up the falls where you will have a good view of the Phophonyane reserve.
After your exploration of the Phophonyane Nature reserve, you can go around and enjoy exploring some of the tourist attractions that are near the Phophonyane nature reserve.
The Piggs peak, this is located about 10 kilometers away from the Phophonyane and one of the tourist attractions that you should check out. It is a home to many places that are worth visiting and it was named after a colonialist named William Piggs who later on migrated to the neighboring country of South Africa. Some of the places that are worth visiting while in Piggs Peak include Bulembu, the Maguga dam, the Ngwenya mine, the Nsangweni paintings and many more others. You can also go around the Piggs Peak and do some shopping for souvenirs in the different shops that are scattered all over town.
Bulembu town, Bulembu town is located just right when you are about to get to the border of South Africa and Eswatini. It was once a thriving mining town but at the moment it is a stopover for the tourists travelling to South Africa and while here you can do some little shopping and enjoy some local food that is prepared in the different restaurants.
Maguga Dam, this is one of the tourist attractions that you can check out when you are in Phophonyane reserve. It has the tallest dam wall in southern Africa and some of the activities that are carried out here include boat trips and fishing. You can take a walk around the dam and enjoy the cool breeze surrounding it.
The Ngwenya mine, this is the oldest mine in the whole country and it has been in existence for more than 40,000 years. The ion red ore was what was mined here and there is a Centre nearby from where you can learn more about the mine and what the locals used the ochre for.
Nsangweni rock art, the Nsangweni rock art is just a few kilometers away from the Nature reserve. It is believed to be the first place where the San Bushmen settled and this is evident from the different rock paintings that you will get to see while there. The paintings are of different things like animals, homesteads, rudimentary tools that they used for hunting and carrying out other household chores and all these paintings were done using Ochre and blood from the animals.