Swaziland

Swaziland has a gentle quality to it and you’ll feel the peace as you amble through the Kingdom’s Game Reserve on horse-back, getting up close and personal with giraffe and zebra. If you prefer, sip a chilled sundowner to the captivating sight of hippos wallowing the pool below the restaurant.

Sunset over the broad valley at the nearby Ezulwini, “Place of Heaven”, is another memorable encounter with Swaziland’s natural beauty, as is the magnificent Mkhaya Nature Reserve. Here you’ll enjoy the thrill of hame drives and white water rafting, ending the day with a delectable fireside cuisine. For birders, don’t miss the magnificent Purple Crested Louries in the Phophonyane Nature Reserve. Swaziland is growing in popularity as a natural retreat to linger a while where perhaps you may like to do some mountain biking or hiking. Certainly, the Big Game Parks of Swaziland are a draw card for nature lovers, boasting elephant, lion, leopard and rhino.

When you’re ready to take a break from nature’s sights and sounds, Swaziland offers the other extreme. Thrills and spills aplenty at the well known Royal Swazi Sun and Casino.

Visitors are encouraged to watch traditional Swazi ceremonies at the Royal Village at Lobamba and for those who love arts and crafts, feel the heat as the accomplished glass blowers at Ngwenta Glass Factort turn broken bottles into collectable artwork..

Location

Swaziland is a tiny country and shares the majority of its border with the South African provinces of Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal. The remaining stretch of Swaziland’s border to the east is with Mozambique. Although Swaziland has a land area roughly the size of Wales or the American State of New Jersey, it contains four separate geographical regions. These run from North to South and are determined by altitude. Swaziland also offers a wide variety of landscapes, from the mountains along the Mozambican border to savannas in the east and rain forest in the northwest. Several rivers flow through the country, such as the Great Usuthu River.

Currency

The unit of currency is the lilangeni; the plural is emalangeni. It is tied in value to the South African rand. Rands are accepted every­where and there’s no need to change them. Emalangeni are difficult to change for other currencies outside Swaziland.

Only a few ATMs accept international credit or debit cards. The most convenient are at Standard Bank in Swazi Mall, Mbabane and inside the Royal Swazi Hotel’s casino.

Nedbank and First National change cash and travellers cheques. Banking hours are generally from 8.30am to 2.30pm weekdays, and until 11am Saturday. Most banks ask to see the receipt of purchase when cashing travellers cheques.

Visas

Most people don’t need a visa to visit Swaziland. If you don’t need a visa to enter South Africa, you won’t need one for Swaziland.

Full details and requirements can be discussed when you make your travel enquiry. Please remember, travelers are solely responsible for ensuring they have all the correct travel documents in place for their trip.

Power

Swaziland plug sockets are the same as those found in South Africa with 3 round pins. You may also find some 2 round pin sockets such as those found in Europe. They operate at 220 volts running at 50Hz.