Photo - Southern Africa

Photo Samples, Southern Africa (2)

Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa,

Even outside the World Cup 2010, South Africa is very much worth a visit, however, surprisingly few find themselves going into Swaziland or Lesotho. These small kingdoms contain lots of highlights, from great nature to incredible people - and much less crime than in South Africa. Not a bad combination.

As usual, all photos are, of course © Claus Qvist Jessen, and none of them are to be used without my permission.

Partly abandoned mining huts, Bulempu; north-west Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Stranded truck; Bulempu, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Fruit and vegetable vendor; Piggs Peak, north-west Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

The "national dish of Southern Africa": The braai (barbecue), here from Piggs Peak, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Making firewood; Piggs Peak Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Maguga Dam; Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Mbabane, the capital of the small kingdom of Swaziland, can hardly be called an attraction in itself. However, if you like ramshackle buildings and friendly people, it's not bad at all. Here is the local car repair man. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Cutting the hair at a central market. © Claus Qvist Jessen

And the woman hair-dressers; Mbabane, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Model cars; Ezulwini, Mbabane, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Waiting for mama. Small boy at the market of Mbanbane, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Subtropical Swaziland is great for growing everything - here pineapple; Ezulwini Valley, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

As elsewhere in Africa, everything is done by hand; eastern Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Nice to know that you can always find a "qualified" surgeon; road sign from central Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Elephants and rhinos at a small pool; Mkhaya Game Reserve, central Swaziland. Mkhaya is a private game reserve (not a national park) and probably the best place in the region to see white rhinos. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Memories from a sad past: Rhino sculls from poached rhinos in Mhkaya. Happily, they haven't had one single case of poaching since 1992. In neighbouring South Africa, poaching is still a sad threat to these endagered pachyderms, partly because of the making of Yemeni "jambiyas", partly because of stupid Asia beliefs. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Close-up of a full-grown white (wide-mouthed) rhino in Mkhaya; Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Mkhaya roadblock. White rhinos looking at tourists looking at white rhinos; Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Mother and baby rhinos (white rhinos); Mkhaya, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

A rare black rhino of Mkhaya, Swaziland. The black is slightly smaller than the white cousin, mainly eats bushes (as opposed to grass; check the pointy lip vs the wide shovel of the white cousin) and is a bit more aggressive. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Beautiful female nyala antelope; Mkhaya, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

The largest antilope in the world, the shy Eland. Growing to almost 1000 kgs, this giant is remakable hard to "shoot" with a camera as it tends to stick to the forests; Mkhaya National Park, southern Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

If Elvis was to be reborn as a chicken, this is what he'd look like! Mkhaya, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Angry buffaloes; Mkhaya National Park, southern Swaziland. Apart from the hippos, the unpredictable buffalo is said to be the biggest man-killer. Messing with 750 kgs of solid meat is no fun at all.
© Claus Qvist Jessen

African sunset; Mkhaya, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Lurking lion; Hlane, Swaziland. This 18-year-old male has been kicked out of the flock by a younger competitor and now lives alone with his own (smaller) territory. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Hippo browsing through a bunch of rhino dung; Hlane, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

White rhino; Hlane, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Mlilwane National Park is one iof the nicest parks in Swaziland, and due to the absence of big predators, one can do the safari by foot.
© Claus Qvist Jessen

Small flock of warthogs; Mlilwane, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Well, some large predators are present, such as this 3-4 meter Nile crocodile; Mlilwane National Park, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Local barbecue; Mlilwane National Park, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Impalas; Mlilwane National Park, Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Waiting to perform; local dancers of Swaziland. The resemblance with the Zulu of South Africa is evident. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Women dancing. The figure on the blankets is the King Mswati III. © Claus Qvist Jessen

The stick dance, another traditional Swazi dance, always performed by men. © Claus Qvist Jessen

More stick dancing; Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

The can-can dancing was not necessarily invented in the red-light districts of Moulin Rouge, France. Here Swazi women from central Swaziland. © Claus Qvist Jessen

The border crossing in between Swaziland and Mozambique. Very African, indeed. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Beautiful landscape in north-western Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Local football team; Butha-Buthe, northern Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Happy man in need of a dentist; Butha-Buthe, northern Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Carrying the water, north-western Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Malealea region landscape; central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Fields and aloe plants, Malealea region landscape; central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Herding the cattle; Malealea region, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Happy herder; Malealea region, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Local farmer; Malealea, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Local musician using a home-made guitar; Malealea, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Another local musician displaying his home-made, one-string instrument; Malealea, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Driving towards the highlands; central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Local farmer boys, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Highland roadworks; Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Traditional round hut of Thaba-Tseke; central highlands, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Doing the cooking with junior on the back; Thaba-Tseke; central highlands, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Having a smoke; Thaba-Tseke; central highlands, Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Local miller protecting himself from the dust; Thaba-Tseke; central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

"Snap me! Snap me!" Eager kids of central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Locale cattle herder gazing across the Katze Dam. One of Lesothos main exports is water(!), all of it going to South Africa. According to rumours, all the water in the mighty Katze already belongs to RSA. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Herders trying hard to look strong and powerful. Fortunately, they are all very friendly; Lejone, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Herder taking a break with a smoke and a drink; Lejone, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Granny and baby; Lejone, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Shy boy; Lejone, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Slow transport is the order of the day; Lejone, central Lesotho. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Lost World Hotel; Sun City, North-West Province, South Africa. Once the playground of the Apartheid regime, Sun City is now open to anyone with the right money. Unfortunately, the Lost World costs about 1,000 USD a night for the cheapest rooms! © Claus Qvist Jessen

Luxurious pool at the Lost World Hotel; Sun City, North-West Province, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Slot-machine heaven; Sun City, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Large female elephant browsing her way through an unfortunate bush; Pilanesberg, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Blue wildebeast; Pilanesberg, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Fruit vendors outside Rustenburg; South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Burke Luck Potholes; Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Close-up of Burke Luck Potholes; Blyde River Canyon, Mpumalanga, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Fishing in Ohrigstad Lake, Drakensberg, Eastern South Africa. The black spots in the lake are hippos, supposedly the biggest man-killer in Africa, apart from the malaria mosquito! I just caught a few black bass - very tasty. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Traffic is a major killer in South Africa. Everybody drive like crazy and statistics are depressing, often witnessed by "memorials" along the road-side. Here outside Dullstroom, Mpumalanga, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Traffic control, yet another way of keeping people occupied; here outside Machadodorp, Mpumalanga, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

African dung beetle frolicking in a bunch of Elephant shit; Saint Lucia Wetlands Park, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

South African road block: Four out of five lions which just didn't want to move; Krüger Park, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Ready to run, the beautiful impala male from Krüger is one of the favourite meals of the lions and cheetah alike. © Claus Qvist Jessen

Typical African svannah landscape in the "rainy" season (January). In the dry season, everything is a lot drier and less green; Krüger National Park, South Africa. © Claus Qvist Jessen