Authentic escape to the heart of Eswatini

Nestled in the heart of Southern Africa, this destination offers a captivating blend of vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes. The majestic mountains, lush green hills, and golden savannas create a perfect backdrop for adventure. A journey here is an immersion into age-old customs, where traditional dances and ancestral rituals captivate the senses. The colorful markets are brimming with unique handcrafted products, carefully created by skilled hands. The warm and welcoming locals will proudly guide you through their rich heritage. Enjoy the national parks to observe a diverse wildlife and be charmed by the wild beauty of these preserved lands. An authentic experience awaits you, where every moment is filled with discoveries and enchantment.

Swaziland is a tiered country from west to east, extending from the heights of the Drakensberg to the Lowveld. In the west, the Highveld peaks at 1,300 m. It is a mountainous and well-watered region. An escarpment separates it from the Middleveld, located at about 700 m above sea level, where green hills and plateaus favor agriculture. In the east, near the Mozambican border, Mount Lebombo reaches 600 m, opening onto the hot and dry savannas of the Lowveld. The Komati, Umbuluzi, and Great Usutu rivers flow through the country from west to east before joining the Indian Ocean via Mozambique. The climate is temperate in the Highveld with rainfall exceeding 1,500 mm per year. The rainy season extends from October to March. In the Lowveld, summer temperatures can reach 40 °C and are cooler in winter, from June to August. We advise visiting Swaziland between March and August, a period when the climate is pleasant.

The population of Swaziland is made up of 90% Swazis. Due to its natural landlocked nature, the country remains predominantly rural. Its inhabitants raise livestock and cultivate fields, living in circular huts. The kitchen, located in the center, is where people discuss, make decisions, and warm up in winter. Women stand on the left, men on the right. Many community housing options allow visitors to meet the locals. Despite the poverty, Swazis exude a joy for life and are very friendly. Cities like Mbabane and Manzini are small, colorful, and lively. Markets are full of delicious fruits and crafts. Swazis live according to their tribal traditions. Although mostly Christian, they remain attached to their animist beliefs. Initiation rituals lead to large ceremonies organized in honor of the king, such as the Umhlanga where over 40,000 young women dance to celebrate fertility. Each year, the king chooses a new wife according to the polygamous tradition, which sparks much debate. In Swaziland, one is officially married after paying the dowry, often a certain number of cows to the bride's family. Saturday is wedding day, and on Friday evening, the bride leaves her family to prepare herself. The Incwala, a ritual for unmarried men, lasts six days and celebrates the first harvests and renewal. Traditions permeate daily life, where one switches from shirt to traditional costume. On the street, don't be surprised to see passersby in traditional attire: a cloth tied over one shoulder and a knob stick for men during major occasions.

Birth. Inhabited for over 100,000 years, this fertile land was first settled by the Khoisan, whose rock paintings, dating back more than 25,000 years before Christ, can still be seen today. At the beginning of the 6th century, during the great Bantu migrations, the first Swatis of Nguni culture arrived in the region. Other clans such as the Bushmen and the Thsonga also settled there. The Nguni founded the Dlamini dynasty and gradually drove out the Bushmen who refused to assimilate into their clan. They primarily developed agricultural and farming activities in the western territory of present-day Mozambique, towards Maputo. In the 18th century, facing pressure from the Zulus, the clan under the influence of Nkhosi-Dlamini invested in the lands of present-day southern Swaziland. Thus, the first part of Swaziland was born and Nkhosi-Dlamini was recognized as King Ngwane III. The kingdom of Swaziland had just been born... The British protectorate. During their reign, Ngwane III's successors, Sobhuza I and Msawti II, defended their territory against Zulu assaults and later by the Boers (Dutch settlers). They initially allied with these settlers to protect themselves from invaders. This is why Swaziland remained independent longer than its neighbors, Lesotho and Bechuanaland (now Botswana), under British protectorate since 1868. Facing Zulu attacks, Mswati II strengthened the kingdom of Swaziland by expanding its territory (he acquired lands further north, now Hhohhoe). The king fought fiercely until his death in 1868 and gave his name to Swaziland. At the end of the 19th century, this region attracted many Europeans interested in gold mines and fertile lands (at that time, gold deposits were discovered in Transvaal). The territory was quickly seized by the Boers who appropriated the lands with the complicity of King Mbandzeni, son of Mswati II. In 1894, the independent Boer state of the Transvaal Republic took absolute control of Swaziland hoping to gain access to maritime outlets, but this annexation did not last long! Facing this threat, the kingdom turned to the British in 1902. They sought to detach Swaziland from Transvaal in order to maintain peace while awaiting an annexation to the South African Union that never occurred. After two bloody battles, the Boers' defeat was swift and Swaziland was placed under British protectorate for over 66 years. Under the authority of a British high commissioner, an indirect administration was established but still left power to the traditional chief and monarchy throughout the protectorate.