The Best Things to Do in Swaziland brings you 48 hours of adventure in the Ezulwini Valley. Stay in a mountainside lodge. Go on a bicycle-safari past zebra, giraffe, antelope and warthogs. Experience traditional Swazi village life. Watch a cultural dance performance that will amaze you with its athleticism.
Where is Swaziland?
This tiny, landlocked nation is wedged between South Africa and Mozambique. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa, at only 120 miles from north to south, and 80 miles across east to west. No two points in the country are more than a two and half hour drive apart. Swaziland was a British protectorate from 1903 until it regained its independence in 1968. It is an attractive country, with many different climates, from cool mountainous highlands, to rainforests, and hot, dry savannah lowlands.
What about Swaziland’s new name? Is it Swaziland or Eswatini?
In April 2018, Swaziland got a new name. To celebrate 50 years of independence, King Mswati III changed the country’s name from Kingdom of Swaziland to the Kingdom of Eswatini. Eswatini’s meaning is “land of the Swazis” in the Swazi language, and was partially intended to prevent confusion with the similarly named Switzerland. You’ll still see Swaziland in print everywhere. It will take time for the new name to take hold. No one is offended if you still call it Swaziland.
The King of Swaziland has HOW MANY wives?
The government is an absolute diarchy, ruled jointly by King Mswati III and Queen Mother Ntfombi Tfwala. The King’s official title is Ngwenyama which means “Lion”. The Queen Mother’s offical title is Ndlovukati, meaning the She-Elephant.
You’ll see pictures of the king everywhere. He currently has 14 wives, and picks up a new one every couple of years. He simply takes whatever young girl he likes. In 2002, Zena Mahlangu, an 18-year-old high school student, was kidnapped by government agents and disappeared. A few weeks later, her mother was notified that her daughter was now pregnant and about to become another wife of the king.
Mswati III was crowned King in 1986 at only 18 years old. He was the youngest head of state in the world for 15 years! The King has absolute power in Swaziland. He cannot be opposed, sued, or brought up on charges. He has a net worth of over 200 Million USD, while over half of Swazi citizens live on less than $2 a day. Despite all this, he remains relatively popular among the people of Swaziland.
What are the people of Swaziland like?
The majority of its 1.2 million people are ethnically Swazi, but there are also a small number of Zulu and White Africans, mostly people of families who came here during British colonial times. Over 100,000 live in the capital, Mbabane (Mbabane pronunciation is BAH-BAHN, the “m” is silent). Swaziland appears more prosperous than neighboring Mozambique, or even nearby parts of South Africa. However, it suffers from the most serious health crisis in the world. 27% of the adult population is HIV-positive. Eswatini also has the highest rate of tuberculosis in the world. Consequently, despite its relative economic prosperity, it has the 12th lowest life expectancy, at just 58 years. Despite all this, the people of Swaziland are friendly, welcoming, proud of their heritage and culture, and quick with a smile or a laugh.
How to Spend Two Perfect days Enjoying the Best Things to Do in Swaziland:
Day 1:
We’ll assume a starting location of Johannesburg for your journey to visit Swaziland. Whether you have a morning flight landing at Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport (JNB), or are already staying in the city, either way you can catch a morning “luxury van service” to Swaziland. Seats are comfortable and snacks, drinks, and wi-fi are available on board. City Ride leaves the Sandton Gautrain Station at 9am, and OR Tambo International Airport at 10am. After a smooth 4 hour ride, and a brief stop at the border, you’ll arrive in the capital city of Mbabane at 3pm. Fares are around $28.
From Mbabane, you can hop on any kombi van heading to Ezulwini for just a dollar. The City Ride folks can help you find one. Tell the driver you want to get off at Lidwala Backpacker Lodge. It is right on the main road to Ezulwini, just a mile before the Gables Shopping Center in the center of Ezulwini. It will take you 30-40 minutes to get there, depending on how many times the kombi stops to let people on and off.
You’ll be dropped at the foot of the driveway to Lidwala, and walk up a steep hill to a beautiful lodge nestled among trees, boulders, and a bubbling stream. Drop your bags, and grab a cold Sibebe Premium Lager, you have arrived in Ezulwini Valley, meaning “The Valley of Heaven”!
If you are feeling energetic, you could follow the hiking trails out of the lodge to the very top of Sheba’s Breast mountain for an amazing sunset view. After sunset, you can pitch in a couple of dollars for a budget communal dinner at the lodge, or you can get a kombi to the Gables Shopping Center. In this little strip mall, you’ll find several restaurants:
- Sheba’s Rock Spur is a good steakhouse
- Adega The Gables serves Portuguese food.
- Ocean Basket has good seafood and sushi
- Another option is to get a ride a couple of miles north of the Lidwala Lodge to Luxy Garden Restaurant. It’s the best Chinese food you’ll find in the country.
Day 2:
9am – Walk or get a ride a mile south down Mantenga Drive to Swazi Trails. This tour company rents mountain bikes. You’ll want to rent a bike for the day. A daily (9-5) rental costs around $35USD.
If you are still itching for a decent cup of coffee, pedal your new ride next door to Mugg & Bean in the Gables Center.
After powering up on coffee, its time to pedal a seven kilometer ride to our first stop of the day.
- Exit the Gables Center by taking a right, and head southeast on the main road – MR103. Keep going for 4 kilometers.
- When you see the sign for Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, turn right onto D55. Continue for 3 kilometers.
You have arrived at the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. This wonderful game reserve has no man-eating predators, so you can do a self-guided bike safari past zebra, Roan antelope, warthogs, crocodiles. The sanctuary won’t be mistaken for the Serengeti, and doesn’t have the Big 5, but where else can you walk or ride a bike right next to so many animals? Where else can you get a selfie with a wild warthog or a nyala or an impala? It is really fun to pedal these unmarked trails, getting a bit lost, not knowing what you’ll see around the next corner. Entry is 100 rand ($7).
The animals are used to human activity, so they don’t run off until you get pretty close. Being out in the bush on your bike is a thrill, and a very different experience than sitting in a steel cage of a jeep waiting for the guide to point something out to you. You get to be the hunter! (Camera hunter that is).
You’ll be pedaling through open grassland, through forest, past watering holes. There are safari trucks out there as well, but not too many. You’ll often be relatively alone on the trail.
After a few hours of cycling, you’ll have worked up an appetite. You could get lunch right here in the Reserve at the Hippo Haunt Restaurant and Bar. They have a set-price buffet lunch, as well as a la carte sandwiches, and a full bar. If the Hippo is not your cup of tea, you could also grab lunch back at the Gables Center, as it is on the way to our next stop.
After lunch and a rest, it’s time to for a 10km pedal on to our second stop of the day, The Mantenga Cultural Village. Aim to depart the Reserve by 2pm.
- Exit the Reserve the same way you came in. Continue northeast on D55 for 3.2km.
- Turn left onto the main road MR103, continue northwest for 3.6km.
- Turn left just before you get to the Gables Shopping Center. You’ll immediately pass the U.S. Embassy (a ridiculously oversized and over-guarded fortress). You’ll follow this road for 3 km til you arrive. Keep looking for the signs.
Mantenga Cultural Village
Mantenga is the last stop on our visit to Swaziland. Upon entry you’ll first notice a well-built representation of a traditional Swazi village in 1850, a mini complex of sixteen reed-woven huts, and reed fences that serve as windbreaks. After paying the entry fee, you can wander around the model village. You’ll see young dancers getting ready and changing into costume in some of the huts. Hand-made crafts will be on sale. Tour buses will be dropping people off for the 3:15 dance performance.
Next, you’ll be ushered to a large veranda/stage and seated for the traditional dance performance. You can order beers and soft drinks for the bar while you wait. Once it gets going, the drumming and singing and dancing is really quite spectacular. The ladies do these straight-leg high kicks that put the Rockettes to shame. The girl on the far left of the picture had lipstick on her shin from the spot where her leg was kicking herself in the face! The men drum, and stamp their feet in warlike posturing. If you are sitting in the front, be prepared to be dragged up on stage to join them. Its lots of fun. The dancers finish after about 45 minutes, you’ll be encouraged to drop some banknotes in a jar, and then led to the village for a tour.
Back in the model village, your village elder guide will explain the ancient Swazi way of life. He’ll show you the use and purpose of each huts and how traditional tools are made. He’s a funny guy and provides an entertaining 20 minute tour.
There are two dance performances each day, at 11:15am and at 3:15pm. The Village is open 8am to 5pm. Admission is only 100 rand ($7), but tips are expected for the performers, and for your village guide.
Once the Village tour is complete, you’ll need to return your bike to Swazi Trails by their 5pm closing time.
- Exit the Village the way you came in, and continue for 2km
- Just before you reach the US Embassy, and the main road, turn left on Mantenga Drive. Continue 1.8km.
- Swazi Trails will be on your left.
After dropping off your bike, it’s definitely time for a cold Sibebe (beer). There is an excellent pizza place right next door to Swazi Trails; Pizza Vesuvio. You could also stop in any of the afore-mentioned dinner options in the Gables Center.
Day 3:
8am – Check out of Lidwala Lodge and get a lift down to the Gables Center. At 830am the City Ride shuttle departs the Gables Shopping Center. By 2pm you’ll be back in Johannesburg.
Or, for further adventure, why not continue on to Mozambique? That’s what I did. To do this, you’ll need to get a kombi to the main bus station of Manzini. From this chaotic parking lot, you’ll just have to ask anyone where the vans to Maputo are. You’ll be pointed in the right direction, and find a couple of big vans slowly loading up with people and luggage. I waited several hours for my van to fill. We had just one seat left for an hour! Once we got going, we reached Maputo in five hours, including an hour wait at the border because the Mozambique immigration just didn’t feel like being bothered to process a visa for me. I’m not sure if they were slow-rolling me waiting for a bribe? Finally our van driver came in and yelled at them to hurry up, and they got to work.
If you have more time, here are some other awesome things to do in Swaziland:
Mkhaya Game Reserve
This park has game drives that spot both White Rhino and the rare Black Rhino, giraffe, sable antelope, and buffalo.
Hlane Royal National Park
Hlane offers one of the best African safari experiences that most people who visit Swaziland look for. It has four of the “Big Five” with lion, leopard, rhino and elephant, as well as giraffe, hippo, crocodile, and zebra.
Lobamba
Is the small village where the King and the rest of Swaziland’s royal family live. You can visit the National Museum, and the Lozitha and Embo state palaces.
Umhlanga (Reed Dance) festival
This is one of the top events to visit Swaziland for. It’s in August/September, when unmarried women parade in front of the king at the Reed Dance.
The Bushfire Festival
The biggest music festival in the country brings international music stars to the House On Fire in little Swaziland.
Usutu River whitewater rafting
Swaziland has one rough river that will give you a thrill in the summer/fall months.
Malolotja Nature Reserve
This national park has some spectacular hiking, and a canopy zip-line tour. Open 7am to 4pm in summer, and the zip-line costs R595 ($42). Other places worth visiting include the Mbuluzi Game Reserve, the Shewula Mountain Camp, and Sibebe Rock.
Best Things to Do in Swaziland: Know before you Go:
Backpacker Daily Budget (Hostel bed, three cheap meals, three beers, two public transport rides, one tourist activity):
$40. $14 for a hostel bed at Lidwala Lodge. $3 for milk and cereal breakfast, and $4 street-food lunch, $5 for dinner at Lidwala, $5 for three cold Sibebe Premium Lagers, $2 for two Kombi rides around town, $7 for entry to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary.
Cheap Beer index:
$1.40 You can get a cold Sibebe Premium Lager for 20 Rand at The Pub and Grill in Ezulwini.
When to visit Swaziland:
Really any time of year is a good time to visit. It never gets too hot in the touristy areas of the country. Summer (December – January – February – March) is very nice with highs averaging 80 degrees, and lows of 65. This is also the rainy season, but not too much at 3-4 inches per month, mostly in thunderstorms.
Wintertime (June-July) is cool and comfortable with highs of 72 and lows of 51. It hardly rains at all this time of year. This can be good for safaris. The vegetation is thin, and animals are clustered around watering holes, so are easier to find. Just being a sweater.
What language do they speak in Swaziland?
SiSwati and English are both official languages. SiSwati is the common spoken language, and English is the language of business, schools, and media. You’ll do fine speaking English everywhere but the smallest villages.
Do you need a visa to visit Swaziland?
No visa is needed. Nationals of USA, UK, AUS, and CAN can enter eSwatini visa-free for 30 days.
How to get to Swaziland:
Flights to Swaziland:
The only Swaziland international airport is the brand new King Mswati III International Airport (SHO). This strangely located airport is a one hour drive from Manzini, and a 90 minute drive from Mbabane. The airport has only ONE FLIGHT ROUTE! Four times a day, South African Air flies a 50 minute hop between Swaziland and Johannesburg. This flight starts at $178 one-way, $356 return. For a budget traveler, it makes no sense to pay this much to fly in here. Upon landing, you still have a long, expensive cab ride ahead of you.
A much cheaper option to visit Swaziland is to arrive via Johannesburg O.R. Tambo (JNB). Many airlines fly here from all over the world. European and American flights include:
-
- Air France to Paris
- Alitalia to Rome
- British Airways to London
- Delta to Atlanta
- Iberia to Madrid
- KLM to Amsterdam
- Lufthansa to Frankfurt
- South African Airways to Frankfurt, London, Munich, New York, Washington
- Swiss Air to Zurich
- Virgin Atlantic to London
To visit Swaziland from JNB takes about four hours. Multiple businesses offer “luxury shuttles” which means you get a full seat to yourself, rather than being crammed in like a sardine as in most African transport. Transport companies include Sky World, Transmagnific and City Ride.
I strongly recommend City Ride even though I didn’t actually get to travel with them, and here’s why: Both Sky World and Transmagnific wanted me to complete a bank wire transfer to book a seat on their van! Like many companies in Africa, they are unable (unwilling?) to deal with the fees of major credit card companies. They have some local payment system that works for people from South Africa. For foreigners, they want you to complete a bank wire transfer, which is just ludicrous for a $28 bus ride. They wouldn’t respond to my offers to pay cash on arrival. So, I ended up booking with City Ride for 400 rand, as they would accept cash. The day before my trip, the City Ride van broke down. Nella from City Ride notified me by email, and offered to book me with one of their competitors. After several back and forth emails and much last-minute scrambling, she got me a seat on Transmagnific. Such diligent customer service is hard to find!
By Land from South Africa:
There are multiple border crossings from South Africa. Minibuses leave from Park Station taxi stand in Johannesburg and stop in Mbabane and end in Manzini. The fare is 230 rand ($16). These are traditional sardine-can crammed vans. You’ll have to wait for the minibus to be full before leaving.
By Land from Mozambique:
There are multiple border crossings from Mozambique. Vans from Maputo leave when full.
How to get around Swaziland:
Rental car – You can rent a car from the King Mswati III International Airport, or from Johannesburg. This is a good way to get around, main roads are well paved. Driving is on the left as in South Africa. If driving a South African car, you may need a permit from the rental car company authorizing you to take it into Swaziland. You’ll pay a 50rand ($3.50) road tax upon entering Swaziland.
Kombi minibusus drive up and down the main roads, and you can hail one most anywhere. Rides cost between 30 cents for a short ride, up to $2 to cross half the country.
Bicycle – Biking is a great way to get around the Ezulwini Valley. You’ll want to see the Mlilwane Animal Sanctuary on a bike. Unfortunately, there are no affordable bike rental shops. The only option in Ezulwini is Swazi Trails, which rents mountain bikes of mediocre quality for outrageous prices by African standards. I paid r280 ($20) for just a half-day rental. A day-long rental was in the $35 range, and that’s not even for a full 24 hours, you are expected to turn the bike in by store closing time at 5pm. Hopefully one of the hostels will catch on to the opportunity, and rent out bikes for something remotely reasonable.
Walking is possible. The town is quite spread out, so you’ll walk a lot if you want to get to anything. It is hilly, with poor sidewalks.
Currency of Swaziland:
The currency of Swaziland is the Lilangeni (plural form Emalangeni). It is pegged at par with the South African Rand (14.2 ZAR = $1 USD) and available at numerous ATM’s. Both Lilangeni and South African Rand are readily accepted currencies in Eswatini. However, Emalangeni are NOT accepted anywhere outside of Eswatini. For this reason, you should ensure that you use up all your Emalangeni before leaving the country. If you visit Swaziland from South Africa with a pocketful of Rand, then you don’t need to get any Emalangeni. Eswatini is a largely cash economy. For more info on your cash-versus-credit card options when travelling, check out my post on How to Access your Money in Foreign Countries.
Swaziland mobile phone providers:
Mobile phone use is a little difficult when you visit Swaziland. Few operators offer international roaming in Swaziland. Of all South African providers, only MTN has roaming here, and for a surcharge. Data charges are much more expensive than in South Africa. All SIMs must be registered with the government.
Swaziland has two mobile network providers:
MTN Swaziland – SIM’s are sold in MTN stores and everywhere for about 75 cents without credit. Prepaid is called PayAsYouGo. You’ll need to top-up immediately. MTN vouchers can be bought from most major retail stores across the country in the form of scratch cards or till slips. Each voucher has a unique PIN code printed on it. In order to load the indicated amount of MTN airtime onto your phone, simply dial *141*#.
300 MB costs $10
500 MB costs $16
1.5 GB costs $28
Swazi Mobile is a newcomer to the market, and is quickly gaining market share. They offer prepaid bundles of different amounts, nearly always cheaper than MTN Swazi. Their “MAX DEAL 4” gives you 30 days with 500 on-net minutes, 100 off-net minutes, 50 local SMS, and 1 GB of data for $14.
Hotels in Swaziland:
There are two main “cities” in eSwatini. Manzini has 80,000 people, and the capital Mbabane has 95,000. I don’t recommend staying in either. Both are congested with traffic, higher in crime, and lacking in nightlife and any exciting activities anyway. Better to stay in a lovely rural location and enjoy Eswatini’s natural beauty. Check out the Ezulwini Valley:
Lidwala Lodge in Ezulwini is just wonderful, and certainly Swaziland’s best hostel. It’s in a beautiful location on the slope of a mountainside. The buildings are surrounded by big boulders and trees, with a hiking trail to the top of the mountain leading right from the hostel. A stream runs through the center of the place, with little pedestrian bridges connecting the buildings. They have a (really cold) pool, and cook dinner each night for just a small “pitch-in for ingredients” fee. They sell beer and soda from a fridge at the front desk. The friendly managers can help you book tours. The lodge is conveniently located on the main road. You can catch a Combi bus here, or easily walk or bike into the Gables shopping center. This was the nicest hostel I stayed at in all of my Africa travels! I could have spent a week here sipping beers and reading a book by the gurgling stream. Dorm beds start at $14. There are also several well-equipped private en suite double rooms with verandas and garden views for $62.
Mantenga Lodge – If you really loved the cultural performance, you can stay at this lovely lodge right on site. It oozes colonial charm, has amazing views, and a pool. Rooms start at $52 a night with breakfast.
Restaurants in Ezulwini:
Traditional Swazi food is meat served with pap (maize), Barbecued ‘chicken dust’, and wild antelope. But you can find all types of cuisine here:
- Pizza Vesuvio has great wood fired pizza.
- Sheba’s Rock Spur is a good steakhouse
- Adega The Gables serves Portuguese food.
- Ocean Basket has good seafood and sushi
- Luxy Garden Restaurant. It’s the best Chinese food you’ll find in the country.
Swaziland Nightlife:
Nobody visits Swaziland for the nightlife. It tends to be oriented around drinks with your fellow hostel/lodge mates. The best bet for public nightlife is The Pub and Grill in the Gables Shopping Center. If you do meet someone special while out and about, let me remind you that a staggering 27% of the adult population in Eswatini is HIV-positive. That is more than 1 in every 4 people. Be careful.
Get a Swaziland guidebook:
By far the best guidebook out there is the Swaziland Bradt Travel Guide
What to Pack:
Swazis dress modestly. They understand the westerners dress differently, but they will laugh at men in shorts, and make judgements about women in short skirts. To learn how to pack light and be prepared for anything, check out my post The Worldwide Travel Packing List.
Swaziland Tourism Safety:
Is it safe to visit Swaziland? Sort of. Safety is a relative term. The murder rate in Swaziland is only half that of neighboring South Africa. Most tourists have no problems as long as they follow some commonsense rules. At all times, but especially in the main cities of Mbabane and Manzini, I would recommend enacting the same precautions you would in a big city like Cape Town or Johannesburg:
- While in public, don’t flash ANYTHING of value, like a wad of cash, jewelery, an $800 iPhone, or a nice DSLR camera.
- Stay on main streets in populated places, and don’t wander off down unknown streets.
- After sundown, do not walk around ANYWHERE. Go with trusted drivers directly to and from your destination.
Following these three simple rules will eliminate 99% of risk.
I had no problems during my visit. Although, I did have an unpleasant encounter. I walked a couple of miles, while carrying my backpack, from the bus station to my hostel. During this walk along a quiet back road, I passed a local man also walking in the same direction. I was walking faster (he seemed to have a limp or some kind of disability), and I said hello to him as I passed.
After I walked by, he calmly said “You are going to die.” I turned to look at him. Was he threatening me? He didn’t look dangerous. Again he says, “You are going to die. You’ll never make it.” “Oh yeah? How come?” I asked him. He replied; “It’s dangerous here man. People get killed. Someone gonna kill you for that bag. You never gonna make it where you’re going”. I didn’t know how to respond. No one had ever said anything like that to me after months of African travel. Part of me took him at his word, and I was scared. I started walking faster, and staring deep into the eyes of every driver that passed me, as if I could determine their intentions in a split second. I was ready to drop my bag and sprint into the forest if any car had stopped next to me. As I speed marched away, he kept repeating “You never gonna make it. You gonna die.”
I made it to my hostel, shaken, but unharmed. Later that night I brought it up with the other hostel guests, and they all thought it was just a weird encounter, and that I had nothing to worry about.
A more likely danger than street crime is road incidents and accidents. Assume all drivers are not paying attention / drunk / texting. Ignore people approaching your vehicle, and drive away if you feel uncomfortable. Do not stop if you encounter man-made obstructions in the middle of the road. This is a technique used by robbers to force vehicles to stop.
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