BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI – The sound of engines will soon join the sounds of music and the outdoors when the Yebo Mzala Yebo Gogo Arts Festival Eswatini 4×4 Adventure Tour takes participants on a three-day journey through some of Eswatini’s outdoor spaces.
The event is scheduled for 6 to 8 November, with Malolotja Nature Reserve serving as the main base for an experience that will combine 4×4 driving, camping, music, hiking and other outdoor activities. Local musician Bholoja, says the idea is to make the experience bigger than a conventional music festival.
The 4×4 tour is expected to bring teams from Eswatini, South Africa and Mozambique. Among the South African teams mentioned are Team Sgora, Team Kraag and the Muddies Jeep Club, while Eswatini will be represented by teams including Gandaganda and Bakkie Life. Bholoja also said Team Nogwaja is expected to join. But the tour is not only closed for those anyone with a 4×4 is more than welcome to join the experience.
Participants will not simply stay at one venue. According to the programme, the adventure begins with a reception and welcoming party on November 6, followed by the start of the tour the next morning.
On November 7, the route will start from Malolotja and go around the kingdom then the first rest station will be Mlawula then they take off again to close it at Malolotja again. The music programme is expected to begin from 5pm after the kingdom tour with the full line-up still to be revealed.
The choice of Malolotja adds another dimension to the experience. The reserve is recognised for its mountain landscapes, hiking trails and outdoor experiences, including the Malolotja Canopy Tour, which moves through the forest canopy using a series of platforms and zip lines.
For Bholoja, the setting also connects with the cultural side of the project. The musician, whose real name is Mbongiseni Ngubane, known for his Swazi Soul sound and for drawing inspiration from Swazi traditions and cultural heritage. This time, however, the journey will take his cultural message off the stage and onto the road. As Bholoja puts it: “Three days. One Kingdom. Endless adventure.”
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