Overview

The Kingdom of Swaziland is located in Southern Africa and named after the 19th century king Mswati II. The nation is bordered by South Africa to the north, south, and west, and by Mozambique to the east. Swaziland has an extremely rich history due to its inhabitation since the prehistoric period. Most of its population is ethnically Swazis and Nguni-speaking people.

Activities & Attractions

The royal ceremonies, excellent wildlife reserves, and superb scenery are reasons enough to visit Swaziland. Hlane Royal National Park is home to a gamut of wildlife and tourists can also stay in its camping facilities. The Ezulwini and Malkerns Valleys are very scenic and a beautiful tourist spot, especially for those who love nature.

Mbabane is renowned for its handicrafts and definitely worth a visit. Other activities and attractions include water sports and safari tours. Visit Maguga Dam, which is situated between the Matsamo border post and Mbabane, for fun-filled water activities.

The Reed Dance, or Umhlanga, is the typical dance of the Swazis and takes place in late August and early September. This event attracts many people and visitors are permitted to take photographs of the dance if permits are obtained in advance.

Lodging

A variety of accommodation facilities are available in Swaziland. Luxurious hotels in the country are quite spacious and meet international standards. Self catering-accommodations offer tastefully decorated cottages at affordable rates. They come in varying configurations to suit the requirements and size of each traveler. Bed and breakfast inns are also available to travelers who seek more privacy or are on a budget.

City Inn, Ezulwini Sun, and Foresters Arms Hotel are some of the most popular hotels in Swaziland. For more details regarding lodging check out the links found below in the resources section.

Transportation

To travel throughout Swaziland you can utilize the buses that run throughout the country. For shorter distances you can use taxis, but they are slightly more expensive than the buses. Most of the roadways are in good condition but there are some that remained unpaved.

It is recommended that you take caution if you are planning to use mini-bus taxis. They follow fixed routes and are constantly stopped by people on the Swaziland streets.Many of these vehicles do not comply with common safety standards and are either overloaded or travel at excessive speeds.