A Journey Through Swaziland (now eSwatini)

Swaziland was renamed the ‘the Kingdom of eSwatini in 2018. Its a small, landlocked monarchy in southern Africa – almost like an enclave within South Africa situated on the border of Mozambique.

It is known for its wilderness reserves and festivals. The people are friendly and welcome tourists wherever they see them. The country’s rich traditional Swazi culture is what intrigues many visitors.

With the exception of desert and sea, every geographical feature of Africa’s terrain is found within Eswatini (Swaziland). This is a country of magnificent mountain scenery with rivers, waterfalls and gorges; unique rock formations which are among the world’s most ancient; lush and fertile valleys, plus typical African bush. From west to east, Eswatini moves from mountainous Highveld, through Middleveld to Lowveld, and then rises again to the Lubombo mountains. Altitudes vary from 21m to 1800m (70ft to 6000 ft) – yet the country’s east and west borders are less than 200 km (125 miles) apart.

swaziland eSwatini travel — The beauty of eSwatini: The land of rolling hills and meandering rivers

The highveld is a land of hills, waterfalls and great buttresses of ancient rock – providing the country’s most dramatic and impressive landscapes. A temperate climate means some rainfall all year round and regular mists in summer, so the scenery is generally reasonably lush.

The middleveld is generally less striking – an area of undulating bush and moist savannah lying at an average 700m above sea level. It is home to the bulk of Eswatini’s population and the tourist hub of the Ezulwini Valley. The lowveld is hot, bush country sitting as low as 21m above sea level. Although much drier than the other areas, it is home to vast, heavily irrigated sugar estates which are impressive in their own right. The remaining tracts of wild bush here harbour Eswatini’s major game reserves and offer easy access to areas of genuine wilderness.

swaziland eSwatini travel tourism — ESwatini: Open grasslands

With such a remarkable and varied ‘natural playground’, there is a wide choice of activities available in Eswatini for visitors to explore and enjoy the scenic landscapes. Hiking trials can be found all around the country but particularly in the highlands and mountains, and there are two championship-standard 18-hole golf courses in scenic settings and a smattering of 9-hole course around the country. For those who prefer to remain seated, both cycling and horse riding offer alternative ways to explore a variety of locations, at levels from beginners upwards, and there is even a chance to go quad biking through areas of wilderness.

The country’s mountains and gorges also provide opportunities for climbing and abseiling as well as a thrilling tree-top canopy tour of zip-wires, bridges and platforms in the Malolotja Nature Reserve. And from the highest peaks, to underground, Eswatini is home to the only major granite cave system in southern Africa, which can be explored even by visitors with no prior experience of caving.

swaziland eSwatini hotels — You can find top-class hotels and lodges in Eswatini

When it comes to water, boat trips are available on a few of Eswatini’s dams, and the Great Usuthu River offers thrilling white water rafting, whilst fishing is possible on a number of the dams and rivers.

This is Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy and has a population of
just 1.6 million people. National capitals are Mbabane and Lobamba

The Lebombo Mountains are a backdrop for Mlawula Nature Reserve
Mlawula Park offers several exciting hiking trails popular with tourists. Hlane Royal National Park is also a popular tourist destination and is home to diverse wildlife including lions, hippos and elephants. You can see more than 507 species of birds here – out of which four have been introduced by humans

King Mswati III currently has 15 wives while his predecessor had 125.

The country Has the world’s highest prevalence rate for HIV/Aids
Low life expectancy with 54 years for men, 60 for women.

FOOD GUIDE

When catering for yourself, experiencing local markets and stalls is a great way to pick up cheap good quality food as well as tasting local delicacies and dishes. Ensure all food is thoroughly washed and cooked well though. In more remote locations where cultural influence is high, African staples such as stew and pap (a traditional porridge made from ground maize) are great things to try.

Whilst meat is generally available across tourism establishments in Eswatini, for the locals it is normally a luxury. Animals are generally slaughtered for special occasions and are considered a high status food. When this happens nothing is wasted, with stews made with spiced chillies including tripe, offal, hooves, trotters and chicken gizzards. When people do eat meat, they tend to really go for it. Attending a Eswatini wedding is often something of a sight, as Swazi’s cram on as much charred flesh as they can!

swaziland eSwatini safari — Don’t forget to go on a horseback safari when in Eswatini

Eswatini also has many artisan food producers including Eswatini Kitchen – a specialist in making jams, sauces, chutneys and more. Eswatini is also home to it’s very own chilli production with Black Mamba Chilli, and in the northern town of Bulembu, Eswatini produces it’s very own honey!

Other popular foods include pumpkin, beans and rice, where available. Sweet potatoes are widely cultivated and sorghum is farmed in some areas. Fruits include many tropical varieties in season, such as mango, guava, paw-paw, banana and avocado, which grow freely around most homesteads. The best time for most fruits is the late rainy season, from December to March.

Restaurants are mainly found in the larger, more central towns such as Mbabane and in more tourist focused areas such as the Ezulwini Valley. Portuguese cuisine (an influence from nearby Mozambique) including seafood, and especially prawns, can be found in areas like Big Bend.

In most hotels, restaurants and bars offer a good selection of spirits, beers and wines, and of course you can try the traditional Swazi beer, especially in more rural areas, but be careful – its got a bit of a kick!

HOW TO GET THERE

Mbabane is just a few hours from Johannesburg. SO the best way to reach Eswatini is via the international hub of Johannesburg. Once you land in Johannesburg access into Eswatini can be by road or air. Johannesburg is very well served by airlines from around the world with a number of European, African, Middle Eastern and American airlines all flying direct.

Flights to Eswatini from Johannesburg are currently provided solely by Airlink, taking around 45 minutes. Flights depart four times per day and cost from US$175 one-way and US$350 return. An airport tax of E50 is payable when departing from King Mswati III International Airport.

swaziland eSwatini attractions — Natural wonders in Eswatini

VISA FORMALITIES

A full passport valid for at least three months is required for entry into Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). For tourist visits, visas are NOT required by citizens of most Commonwealth countries, the USA, Japan, most European Union countries and certain other countries. Tourist or business travellers are allowed to visit Eswatini for up to 30 days.

Following this you can apply for a further 30-day extension at the Ministry of Home Affairs. If staying for longer than 60 days, you will need to apply for a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP).

For visitors who need visas and who are travelling through South Africa and planning to obtain them from Eswatini High Commission there.

WHEN TO GO

Eswatini is very a much a year round destination with lots to offer across all seasons.

As with all Southern Hemisphere countries, seasons are opposite to that of the majority of Europe and North America in the Northern Hemisphere. Generally speaking, rain falls mostly during the summer months, often in the form of thunderstorms typical of tropical environments, although Eswatini can vary from tropical to temperate.

The dry season (Winter) lasts from mid-April to mid-October, with an average temperature of 20°C (the days being sunny and the nights chilly). The rainy season begins at the end of October, lasting through to March. During the dry seasons expect hot days when the sun is out, but temperatures can drop quickly at night with extra layers needed at all year round.

Variations in temperature are also dependent on the altitude of the different regions with temperatures of up to 40 degree having been recorded in some areas.