Top 10 Things to See and Do in Swaziland
In the summer of 2013, I visited the African country of Swaziland, also known as the Kingdom of Eswanti, which is a tiny, landlocked principality that borders Mozambique and South Africa.
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Even though it’s small, it’s incredibly diverse. I want to take you on a tour of the top 10 things you have to see and do when you go there. Are you ready to come along with me? Let’s get started.
Mbuluzi, a private game reserve that boasts an amazing number of grazing animals like giraffes, impala, zebra, kudu and nyala. It is roughly 3,000 hectares in area and borders the Lubombo Mountains, Mlawula Nature Reserve and Hlane Royal Park. Mbuluzi doesn’t contain any predators, so it’s safe to drive, walk, or cycle through the park without the supervision of a guide, although you can reserve a game drive with a guide if you want.
Sibebe Rock, the second largest monolith in the world after Uluru in the Northern Territory of Australia, and one of Swaziland’s iconic attractions. It towers over 350 meters above the valley of the Mbuluzu River and was named after a rock climber who tragically lost his life scaling the rock.
Shewula Mountain Camp, Swaziland’s first community-owned eco-tourism attraction. This beautiful and unique camp, set in the Shewula Nature Reserve, offers village walks that allow visitors to get to know the local community and residents, witness traditional song and dance performances, visit a local healer, and enjoy the natural beauty of the reserve.
Swazi Candles Craft Market, a unique shopping center containing gift shops and boutiques that showcase the craftsmanship of local artisans, including wood carvers, basket weavers, jewelers, and mask makers. In the market’s namesake shop, Swazi Candles, you can buy colorful paraffin wax candles that have been molded and sculpted, by hand, into various animal shapes.
Swazi Trails is the only white water rafting tour operator in the country, and therefore this adventure is the only one of its kind in Swaziland. A trained Swazi Trails river guide will accompany you for either a half day or full day, depending on which package you buy, and no prior experience is needed on your part.
Hlane Royal National Park, the largest game park in Swaziland. The park covers roughly 85 square miles and features four of the Big 5 safari animals: elephants, rhinos, leopards, and my favorite, lions, like this guy I had to wake up super early to catch! It was also amazing to come across so many rhinos during my game drives.
Ngwenya Glass Factory in the town of Motshane. It is regarded as the most prestigious glass factory in Africa. Here, you can watch the professionals make beautiful and intricate glass creations, including decorative bowls, wine glasses, chess sets, and animals like whales, fish, gazelles and even the Big 5.
Mantenga Cultural Village, which features Swaziland’s top traditional song and dance show and is located in the beautiful Mantenga Falls Nature Reserve. After enjoying the traditional harmonies and energetic dances, you can tour a reconstruction of an 1850s Swazi hut village and learn about the tradition diet, customs, and family structure from local guides.
Mkhaya Game Reserve, one of Swaziland’s big game parks. Here, you can find a wide variety of wildlife, including black and white rhinos, elephants, giraffes, sable antelope, and buffalo. While the white rhino is endangered in Africa, Mkhaya is the best place in Swaziland to see one. The accommodations here are incredible.
Umhlanga Reed Dance, a fascinating, eight-day long cultural event that takes place at the Queen Mother’s Royal Residence, during which tens of thousands of the nation’s unmarried women cut reeds and carry them back to the Royal Residence, where they are used as windbreakers for the perimeter. The seventh day of the reed festival is a national holiday, and is when the king participates and thousands of spectators come out to see the women dance and celebrate the Queen Mother.
And there you have it! The top ten things you must see and do when you go to Swaziland. I hope you enjoyed this video, and that it inspired you to visit this amazing country. If you loved this video, please give it a thumbs up, leave me a comment below, and subscribe to my channel. Thanks for watching, and I will see you in the next travel adventure!
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Top10 Recommended Hotels in Mbabane, Swaziland, Africa
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Top10 Recommended Hotels in Mbabane, Swaziland, Africa: 1. Mountain Inn ***
2. Foresters Arms ***
3. Ematjeni Guesthouse
4. Silverstone Lodge
5. Vekis Village
6. Reilly's Rock Hilltop Lodge **
7. Mvubu Falls Lodge
8. Emafini Country Lodge
9. Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane ****
10. Rehoboth Mountain Suites
Address:
1. Msebe drive , H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $62 - $105
Located in Mbabane, 0.6 mi from the city center, Mountain Inn features an outdoor swimming pool with scenic views of Ezulwini Valley, a business center with conference facilities, an on-site restaurant and bar, and free Wi-Fi access.
2. PO Box 14, Mhlambanyatsi, Kingdom of Swaziland, Price range: $64 - $114
Set in stunning mountain countryside, Foresters Arms Hotel is a short, scenic drive from the capital, Mbabane, the perfect base for exploring all the attractions of this majestic Kingdom. Dating from colonial times, this country hotel is a traditional haven of comfort and a place of great character and charm. Set within extensive, beautiful gardens rich in native flowers and trees, Foresters Arms offers exceptional accommodation, excellent food and a genuine caring & friendly service.
3. Lucungwa Street, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $135 - $139
Ematjeni Guest house offers accommodations in Mbabane. The guest house has an outdoor pool and guests can enjoy a home-cooked meal in the dining room. Free private parking is available on site.
4. Pine Valley Road, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $108 - $115
Silverstone Lodge is located at the banks of the Mbuluzi River in the serene Pine Valley and 10 minutes' drive from the center of Mbabane.
5. Mountain Drive, Plot 881 , Fonteyn, Mbabane P.O.Box 5265 Mbabane, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $78 - $100
Located in Mbabane, Vekis Village features accommodations with a flat-screen TV. Complimentary WiFi is offered.
6. Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Lobamba, M204 Lobamba, Swaziland, Price range: $172 - $221
Located within the Mlilwane Reserve, Reilly's Rock Hilltop Lodge offers accommodations within 19 mi of Manzini. Set on a hilltop, this lodge features views of the valley and mountains.
7. Ezulwini Valley, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $74 - $98
Located on foot of the Malagwane Hill, Mvubu Falls Lodge features air conditioned rooms, a garden with rock outdoor pool and a restaurant.The lodge is 15 minutes drive away from Mbabane.
8. Malagwane, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $55 - $72
Emafini Country Lodge is located just 10 minutes' drive from Mbabane. The lodge is surrounded by forests and features conference facilities and an outdoor pool.
9. Plot 934 and 935 Mhlambanyatsi Road, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland, Price range: $95 - $112
Featuring an outdoor swimming pool and terrace, as well as a restaurant, Hilton Garden Inn Mbabane is located in Mbabane. Around a 5-minute walk from Swazi Plaza Shopping Centre, the property is also close to The Mall Mbabene. The property is a 6-minute walk from The Mall Mbabane.
10. Lilanga Street, Mountain View, Mbabane, H100 Mbabane, Swaziland,
Rehoboth Mountain Suites features free WiFi and views of mountain in Mbabane. Among the various facilities of this property are barbecue facilities, a garden and a terrace. The guesthouse has a shared lounge.
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Top 5 Best Hotels in Mbabane, Swaziland - sorted by Rating Guests
Royal Swazi Spa
Old Mbabane Manzini Main Road, Ezulwini Valley, Mbabane, Hhohho, M200, Swaziland
4-star hotel in Lobamba with golf course and spa
Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi and free parking
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Lugogo Sun Hotel
Old Mbabane Manzini Main Road, Mbabane, Hhohho, M200, Swaziland
Family hotel in Lobamba with 3 restaurants and golf course
Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi and free parking
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eMfuleni Lifestyle
Emvultini, Somnjalose, Mbabane, Hhohho, Swaziland
Mountain guestroom in Lobamba with outdoor pool and restaurant
Free buffet breakfast, free WiFi and free parking
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Mountain Inn
Msebe Cres, Mbabane, Hhohho, H100, Swaziland
Suburban hotel in Mbabane with outdoor pool and restaurant
Free WiFi and free parking
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Mantenga Lodge
2 Mantenga Falls Road, Ezulwini, Mbabane, Hhohho, H106, Swaziland
Mountain hotel in Lobamba with outdoor pool and restaurant
Free full breakfast, free WiFi and free parking
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Royal Swazi Spa, Mbabane, Swaziland
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Royal Swazi Spa
Old Mbabane Manzini Main Road, Ezulwini Valley, Mbabane, Hhohho, M200, Swaziland
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4-star hotel in Mbabane with golf course, spa
Free buffet breakfast and free parking
This hotel has 149 rooms
Top Safari Parks in Swaziland
Top Safari Parks in Swaziland
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The Kingdom of Swaziland is a landlocked country in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. Unlike the crowded safari parks of South Africa, Swaziland boasts an impressive variety of animals without the mass tourism to spoil the experience.
Here are four of Swaziland’s top safari parks!
Hlane Royal National Park is the largest national park in the country and has the largest conservation of game in the kingdom. They have the 4 of the big 5 missing the buffalo. My highlights were the Rhino and Lions.
Hlane covers an area of about 85 square miles. In the dryer months the animals are easy to spot gathered around the watering holes. It was so amazing to see so many rhinos on my game drives. There were also giraffes, elephants, and of course my favorite – lions. I had to wake up extra early to spot this guy, but it was totally worth it. There are two camps to choose from in Hlane.
Next up is Mbuluzi, a private game reserve with an impressive number of grazing animals. It covers an area of 3,000 hectares and borders the Lubombo Mountains, Mlawula Nature Reserve and Hlane Royal Park.
We are going on a game drive with our own vehicle, but you can also reserve a game drive at the reception with one of the guides.
Since there are no predatory animals here visitors enjoy the privilege of driving, walking or cycling around the reserve freely, without the supervision of a guide. Here, you won’t find the Big 5 but you will spot several giraffes! The park is also home to impala, zebra, kudu and nyala.
Mkaya Game Reserve was established in the mid 1980's and at the moment we are heading on a game drive to see black rhino, white rhino and elephants. Mkaya is one of the best parks in Swaziland to see Rhino up close.
The white rhino is endangered in Africa. If you are looking to see rhino in Swaziland this is the park to visit. There are two lodges in Mkhaya to choose from, the luxurious Stone Camp and the more rustic Lituba Lodge.
And last but not least, this is Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. This was the first wildlife sanctuary to be established in the country in the year 1961. Some of the animals we can see here are wildebeest, zebra, hippo, antelope and crocodiles.
You’ll notice that the landscape here is different because the park is situated in Swaziland;s Ezulwini Valley, between Mbabane and Manzini. The park is divided into northern and southern sections.
The wide open spaces allow for great visibility and epic photo opportunities. There are four lodges here, three of which are budget friendly.
There are the top 4 safari parks in Swaziland! Which was your favorite? Leave me a question or comment below!
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SWAZILAND: EXPLORING the EXOTIC MARKET of MBABANE (AFRICA), what to see
SUBSCRIBE: - Let's go grab ourselves a bargain as you wander between the stalls of Mbabane Market in Swaziland, Africa. The bustling market features numerous traders selling many distinctive local crafts, such as soapstone figurines, woven textiles, and handmade masks. We will visit shoe repairing shops, barber shops and chicken selling shops. Oh, do not let me forget the containers filled with a strange brown concoction; these are actually natural herbs that act like medicinal remedies. You can also find a wide selection of organic fruits and vegetables of African origin in the market.
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Sibebe Rock in Mbabane, Swaziland
Sibebe Rock in Mbabane, Swaziland
Sibebe is a granite mountain in Eswatini, located 10 km from the capital city Mbabane. It is the second-largest monolith in the world and the largest exposed granite pluton, rising 350m above the valley of the Mbuluzi River. It is also known as 'Bald Rock'.
Sibebe Rock, just north of Mbabane, is one of southern Africa’s most impressive geological features. This immense three-billion-year-old volcanic slab, which rises to a height of 1,488m and covers some 16,500ha, is the world’s largest granite dome. Only Australia’s Uluru pips it to the title of ‘world’s largest rock’. Uluru is actually an eroded sandstone inselberg – in other words, formed of layers of sediment. Sibebe, by contrast, is a batholith: it welled up through the earth’s crust in one great molten bubble before cooling to form a massif of sheer granite.
It is hard to appreciate the scale of Sibebe from below. That’s partly because there is no single spot from which the whole rock is visible. The best way to see it is, of course, to climb it.
On top, you will find a wonderland of huge sculpted boulders and gleaming slopes of exfoliating granite. Trails radiate in all directions, leading to caves, waterfalls and hidden pockets of indigenous forest. There is even a large meadow where – amazingly – a small population of wild horses roams the lush grazing. The flora is impressive, with orchids and other wild flowers carpeting the grasslands from October to December, and wild bananas (Strelitzia nicolai) fluttering their tattered, flag-like leaves in the forested clefts. You might also spot highveld birds, such as jackal buzzard, buff-streaked chat, ground woodpecker and – if you’re lucky – even a Verreaux’s eagle or blue swallow. But remember that this is Swazi Nation Land, not a nature reserve. You will also meet wandering cattle and their herdboys, and on the eastern slopes you’ll spy the small homesteads of those who live up here.
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Mbabane is the capital of the Kingdom of eSwatini, Mdzimba Mountains, Mbabane River, Polinjane River
Mbabane is the capital of the Kingdom of eSwatini, Mdzimba Mountains, Mbabane River, Polinjane River
Mbabane (/ˌʌmbɑːˈbɑːneɪ/;[1] Swazi: ÉMbábáne) is the capital and largest city in Swaziland. With an estimated population of 94,874 (2010), it is located on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdzimba Mountains. It is located in the Hhohho Region, of which it is also the capital. The average elevation of the city is 1243 meter
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Mbabane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mbabane
A street in downtown Mbabane
A street in downtown Mbabane
Mbabane is located in SwazilandMbabaneMbabane
Location of Mbabane in Swaziland.
Coordinates: 26°19′S 31°08′E
Country Swaziland
District Hhohho
Founded 1902
Area
• Total 81.76 km2 (31.57 sq mi)
Elevation 1,243 m (4,078 ft)
Population (2010)
• Total 94,874
• Density 1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Postal code H100
Climate Cwb
Website mbabane.org.sz
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Mbabane (/ˌʌmbɑːˈbɑːneɪ/;[1] Swazi: ÉMbábáne) is the capital and largest city in Swaziland. With an estimated population of 94,874 (2010), it is located on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdzimba Mountains. It is located in the Hhohho Region, of which it is also the capital. The average elevation of the city is 1243 meters. It lies on the MR3 road.
Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Economy
3 Education and culture
4 Geography and climate
5 International relations
5.1 Twin towns – Sister cities
6 References
7 Bibliography
8 External links
History[edit]
The town grew after the nation's administrative centre moved from Bremersdorp (now called Manzini) in 1902. It derives its name from a Chief, Mbabane Kunene, who lived in the area when British settlers arrived.
Economy[edit]
Mbabane's closest border crossing to South Africa is Ngwenya-Oshoek, and though Swazi is the primary language, English is widespread. Mbabane, and Swaziland itself, depend on tourism and sugar exports. It is also a commercial hub for the surrounding region, while tin and iron were mined nearby. The city has two sites for light industries.
Education and culture[edit]
Mbabane is the home of the Waterford-Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa, as well as one of the three campuses of the University of Swaziland. Limkokwing University of Creative Technology is a private international university that lies by the South African-Swaziland border with several university candidates from Swaziland. Indingilizi Gallery is an art gallery in Mbabane, established in 1982 and showcases a range of Swazi art, including sculptures, paintings, batiks, mohair, ethnic jewellery and pottery.[2]
Geography and climate[edit]
Mbabane is located in the district of Hhohho, of which it is also the capital, and lies on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdimba Mountains. The average elevation of the city is 1243 metres. Neighbourhoods and suburbs include Mbangweni, Sidwashini, Kent Rock, Sandla, Westridge Park, Malunge, New Checkers, Msunduza and Vukutentele.
Due to its altitude, Mbabane features a moderate subtropical highland climate (Cwb). The city has a mild climate and snow is a rare event, which has occurred only three times since 1900[3]. The city averages only four days of frost a year. The average temperature is 11 °C (52 °F) in July and 22 °C (72 °F) in January.[4]s. It lies on the MR3 road.
Swaziland Scenery
Swaziland is a stunningly beautiful country with a remarkable variety of landscapes - rolling mountains, lush bush and open plains. Find out more:
The Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) - Official Tourism Video
Created by Backpacker Films.
The Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) has an amazing variety of rich culture, thrilling safaris and stunning scenery. ‘Africa-in-a-Nutshell’, it’s small, safe, welcoming and easy to travel around, offering a genuine experience of real Africa. The range of activities is vast, from rhino-tracking to tree top canopy tours, via white-water rafting and endless hiking possibilities.