Travel to Eswatini

more traditional and tribal

Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) is an independent country which is largely surrounded by South Africa and bordered to the east by Mozambique.

This small nation is the only remaining absolute monarchy on the continent. It is noticeably more tribal than the surrounding areas and the people are very friendly.

Most international visitors to Swaziland simply pass through when self-driving between Kruger in the north and the Elephant Coast to the south. It’s possible to do this traverse with an overnight stop in Eswatini, or you can fly through and stay in higher quality accommodation options in South Africa either side.

If you do choose to stay in Eswatini, then there are three main areas of interest …

Swaziland Northwest

The northwest of the country is an mountainous area which contains at least one reasonable property, Phophonyane Lodge, which we sometimes use as a first stop when driving south from Kruger.

Ezulwini Valley

The Ezulwini Valley is the heart of Eswatini, home of the royal capital of Lobamba. It is quite a populous area, but also features some modest wildlife reserves, with the quirky and characterful Reilly’s Rock Lodge being the stand-out option.

Mkhaya Game Reserve

Over to the east of the country the modest Mkhaya Game Reserve is home to the very simple Mkhaya Stone Camp, which offers the opportunity to get unusually up close to black rhinos.

self-drive routes from Kruger and the Elephant Coast