Swaziland, locally known as eSwatini, is located in Southern africa, it has been divided into four regions: Hhohho, Manzini, Lubombo and Shiselweni. Its capital and largest city is Mbabane, its is small in area, Its busiest city is Manzini City. The official languages in Swaziland are Siswati and English. Swaziland is surrounded by land and its neighbouring countries are South Africa (North, South and west) and Mozambique.
Swaziland's international airport is located in the town of Manzini. The Royal and legislative capital is Lobamba situated half way between Mbabane and Manzini.
Swaziland tourism attraction is its scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage. The area of swaziland is 17,364 square kilometers. Swaziland offers a variety of landscapes, such as the mountains along the Mozambique border, savannas in the east and rain forests in the Northwest.
The culture and tradition in Swaziland is very unique, one can witness the Reed Dance performance, an annual event that attracts thousands of tourists. It is done by thousands of Swazi maidens in their traditional dress. These girls come from all over the country for the ceremony, the ceremony lasts for approximately 8 days. Only childless, unmarried girls can take part in the event. The aim of the Reed Dance Ceremony is to preserve the girls' virginity, the tradition is aimed at encouraging young Swazi women to abstain from sexual activities and to preserve their virginity until they are matured enough to get married. The aim is to also provide tribute labour for the Queen mother, the reeds that the girls cut are taken to the main royal household where they are used as wind breakers for the Queen mother. The aim is to also to promote a spirit of oneness and solidarity amoung the girls by working together. As well as watch parts of the sacred Ncwala ceremony where the King actively participates and there are also the energetic Sibhaca dancers. Handcraft is done by Swazilands talented men and women and this is very popular with the visitors.
The Nature Reserves in Swaziland protect vast variety of animal such as the Big Five, warthogs, antelope and reptiles as well as bird and flora. Some Game Parks/Reserves available in Swaziland's are Malolotja, Mantenga and Mlawula they provide many activities for tourists such as picnics, walk trails, hiking trails, bird watching, fishing and many more. Swaziland's most popular activities include bird watching with almost 500 species of birds found all over the country and hiking.
Tour options include self-drive sometimes with a compulsory guide, tours in the reserves own 4x4 vehicles, guided horses and walking trails.
Swaziland has many beautiful sceneries such as mountain scenary with rivers, waterfalls and gorges, it has unique ancient rock formations, fertile valleys and typical african bush.
Bird watching - Bird watching in Swaziland is one of the quieter and more relaxing outdoor activites. The best time for bird watching is early morning as this is when birding is at its busiest since many birds are at their hungriest, while they search actively for food they are easier to observe.
Game Viewing - For big Five game viewing Swaziland's game reserves and nature reserves are highly recommended. Visitors at Swaziland's game resereves and nature reserves have access to game viewing vehicles and are free to follow the marked guided or self guided trails.
Accommodation that is available in Swaziland is bush camps and traditional huts in the nature reserves as well as bed and breakfasts, hotels, lodges and back packing.
Climate in Swaziland varies according to altitude, with the higher areas being generally cloudy and cooler than the rest of Swaziland. The climate in the mountains along the Mozambique border is humid and wet, tourists are mostly attracted to this part of Swaziland. The rainy season is generally between October and May and is also humid and wet . And the cooler, drier conditions are generally between Junt and September.
Swaziland Latest News
[Swazi Media] An ill-timed outburst by King Mswati III's advisor and senior member of the royal household, Prince Mahlaba is what has delayed Swaziland's bid to secure a E2.4 billion bailout from neighbouring South Africa, the Nation Magazine in Swaziland reports.
[Swazi Media] A woman protester was shot at close range by Swazi police as she was walking from them.
[RNW Africa] Police in Swaziland fired teargas Monday on students protesting their university's failure to open for the semester, injuring several people, a student leader said.
[SAR] The R7 billion (US$879 million) Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) payout to Swaziland for the 2012-13 financial year could keep King Mswati III's tottering government afloat for much of this year.
[OSISA] It seems as if South Africa's promised 2.4 billion rand bailout for Swaziland is still on the cards despite King Mswati objecting to some of its conditions. And not just on the cards but desperately needed.
[PlusNews] Mbabane - Swaziland is still short of lab reagents needed for CD4 count testing, which is used to initiate and monitor patients on antiretroviral treatment, and HIV-positive people are growing increasingly frustrated as the country enters its fourth month without a way to establish the strength of their immune system.
[Swazi Media] Musa Ndlangamandla, who last week was sacked as editor-in-chief of King Mswati's Swazi Observer newspaper group, has said he would 'rather eat grass' than work for the King again.
[AIM] Maputo - The Mozambican electricity company, EDM, resumed power supplies to Swaziland, after repairs to the fifth turbine at the Cahora Bassa dam on the Zambezi were completed on 18 January, according to a press release from the Ministry of Energy.
[Swazi Media] King Mswati III of Swaziland is to fly in the face of international opposition and continue his ban on political parties at the national elections next year (2013).
[Biz-Community] South Africans and their Swazi counterparts are expected to enjoy various economic spin-offs from the development of a 146km rail line between the two countries.
[Business Daily] Did King Mswati III of Swaziland host the (in) famous reed dance last year? You may not be very sure.
[Swazi Media] The End of the Beginning? 2011, a year in the struggle for freedom in Swaziland by Richard Rooney is a new book published today and available free-of-charge online. You can read on screen or download it to your computer to print out.
[IRIN] Mbabane - Recently hundreds of dead fish floated to the surface of a stream which was the only water source for a rural community in Swaziland's drought-prone eastern region.
[Swazi Media] Musa Ndlangamandla, the editor-in-chief of the Swazi Observer newspaper group, has been sacked.
[IPS] Mbabane - The 146-kilometre railway line to be established between South Africa and Swaziland will help reduce the cost of doing business between the two countries.
[Swazi Media] Musa Ndlangamandla, who was sacked this week from his job as editor-in-chief of the Swazi Observer newspaper group (the paper in effect owned by King Mswati III) has responded to my blogpost of yesterday (18 January 2012).
[Swazi Media] Trade unionists in Swaziland stood their ground and refused to allow police to break up their legitimate meeting.
[BuaNews] Mbabane - South Africans and their Swazi counterparts are expected to enjoy various economic spin-offs from the development of a 146 kilometre rail line between the two countries.
[AIM] Maputo - Contrary to initial statements, the Mozambican electricity company, EDM, has interrupted the supply of power to Swaziland, but this is for technical reasons.
[AIM] Maputo - The Mozambican electricity company, EDM, has denied reports in the Swazi press that it has suspended the supply of power to Swaziland.
[SAR] Swaziland's military is showing signs of irritation at King Mswati III's increasingly desperate cost-cutting to avoid democratic transformation.
[RNW Africa] South Africa's state-owned freight transport firm Transnet plans to build a $2 billion railway through Swaziland to create a new link to Indian Ocean ports, the company said Thursday.
[SAR] Rather than hastening the apparently inevitable, slow-motion collapse of the Mswati administration, Swaziland's government-in-waiting under the People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo) continues to squabble and splinter.
[Fahamu] Southern Africa's 'democracies' do not produce citizens but subjects controlled by governments due to the hierarchical nature of the region's politics, which demands obedience. But for how long will this go on?
[SA Info] South African logistics group Transnet and Swaziland Railways have agreed to jointly develop a 146-kilometre railway line from Lothair in Mpumalanga to Sidvokodvo Junction in Swaziland, as well as upgrade the adjacent railway networks in both countries.
[iMaverick] Poor old Coca-Cola. The world's favourite drink can't do much right these days. If it's not responsible for America's obesity epidemic, then it's causing children's teeth to rot. Or using up all of India's water while stealing Nigerian jobs. But this latest accusation goes even further, claiming Coke is responsible for propping up the authoritarian regime of an entire country - and it refuses to do anything about it.
[Guardian Network] Johannesburg - The multibillion dollar beverage company owns a concentrate-manufacturing plant in Swaziland, an impoverished kingdom ruled by Africa's last absolute monarch, Mswati III.