Eswatini
Capital: Mbabane
Population: 1.2 million
Area: 17,364 km²
Official Languages: Siswati & English
Currency: Lilangeni (accepts South African Rand)
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Sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique lies a gem, capable and willing to host you. So went the regular radio ad during our two years in Eswatini, then still officially known as Swaziland. You could probably add ‘hidden gem’ to that statement. This small and often overlooked country packs an outsized punch, with traditional festivals, dramatic landscapes and myriad wildlife viewing opportunities.
At Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, you can spend a night in a traditional beehive hut
Getting to Eswatini
Eswatini borders both South Africa and Mozambique, and the border crossings are pretty hassle-free, especially from South Africa. This makes it easy to incorporate Eswatini into your South African travels. Flights are available from Johannesburg, landing at King Mswati III International Airport. The airport is relatively new and in the middle of the bush. Located about an hour from the capital, the airport isn’t far from some of Eswatini’s game reserves.
Men read the paper as their wives dance at the annual Buganu festival
Getting around Eswatini
Getting around Eswatini is easiest if you have your own vehicle. Rental vehicles hired in South Africa can be brought into Eswatini (check with your rental company first). Otherwise, you can collect a rental car upon arrival at the airport or from one of the main towns (Mbabane or Manzini). If you’re on a tight budget, public transport here is a cheap way to get around. Public busses and kombis (minibuses) service all the main settlements in Eswatini. With few timetables, most leave when full. Ask around at the bus station to be pointed to the vehicle heading in your direction.
Where to Stay in Eswatini
The king of Eswatini is a big fan of 5-star hotels. So there are a disproportionate number of these to choose from in this compact kingdom. Thankfully there are myriad alternative options too. The Big Game Parks of Hlane, Mkhaya and Mlilwane have some fantastic varied offerings. Camping is possible at many of the country’s nature reserves. And there are some pleasant (if slightly run-down) community tourism projects. Shewula Mountain Camp in the east and Mahamba Gorge Lodge in the southwest are good places to experience community tourism in Eswatini.
What to do in Eswatini
Get out into the game reserves of Eswatini to spot rare black rhinos on foot, cycle through herds of wildebeest or fly through the canopy of Malolotja on a treetop zipline. If shopping is your thing, explore the craft stalls and galleries of Ezulwini and Malkerns for traditional carvings and basket ware, or less conventional candles and glassware. Adrenaline junkies can jump in a raft and head down the Usutu River. Or don a headtorch and slide underground for a caving trip in the hills around Mbabane. If you’d rather be above ground and dry, climb the evocatively named Execution Rock, Sheba’s Breasts, or Sibebe, the world’s second-largest rock monolith.
Climb Sibebe, the world’s second-largest monolith, for expansive views across northern Eswatini
What to see in Eswatini
See Swazi culture alive and well at annual festivals such as Incwala, Umhlanga or Buganu, featuring singing and dancing, royal appearances, and plenty of traditional food and drink. For history, head east from the capital to see the San rock paintings of Nsangwini. Watch wildlife while hiking one of Eswatini’s many relaxing game reserves. Or just enjoy the sight of an African sunset from the edge of the Lubombo mountains at Shewula Mountain Camp.
Entry Requirements Eswatini
For citizens of most countries, visas are not required for a visit to Eswatini. Tourists are allowed to stay for up to a30 days. There is the ability to extend this by another 30 days once in-country.