This entry was posted on Sunday, January 24th, 2010 at 11:57 pm and is filed under General Travel Advice, Swaziland. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Welcome to the amazingly picturesque Kingdom of Swaziland! As you travel through this beautiful country, you’ll discover, as many others already have, that Swaziland has a quaint offering of diverse vegetation at every turn, something one would expect from a larger country. Borne out of an ancient dynasty of royal leadership, in this present-day, it is reflected in the status according to the King and Queen Mother, a unique dual monarchy. It may be among the smallest countries on the continent and one of Africa’s remaining monarchies – but there’s far more novelty value on offer here.
Crossing the border, you are almost able to feel the undercurrent of tension from South Africa fade away as you enter this friendly, easy-going little country. This makes it a relaxing stopover on the trip between Mozambique and South Africa. It’s also surprising as to how much there is to do in Swaziland. Think of the royal ceremonies, the excellent wildlife reserves, the superb scenery, this should all be more than enough reason.
Hlane Royal National Park, an eyeful of white rhinos, lions and antelopes – and you have plenty of camping options available. Situated in the northeast near the former royal hunting grounds, this park offers wonderfully low-key wildlife watching. With white rhinos and antelope, you won’t regret it. Elephants and lions have also been welcomed again. Enjoy yourself with either a guided walk, a two-hours wildlife day drive, a cultural village tour which includes dance performances, or with mountain-bike trails.
Choose between Ndlovu Camp, a pleasant and rustic fenced off camp, a communal area and a restaurant, but beware, there’s no electricity at this camp, so it’s back to basics; or choose from Bhubesi Camp which are self-contained huts with electricity.
Pass through Mbanane on your way to Ezulwini and Malkerns Valleys, re-known for its picturesque scenery and for its handicrafts. Starting near Mbanane and going all the way down past Lobamba Village, 18km’s away, you’ll find the homeland of the Swazi Royalty. Lobamba Valley is lush with greenery, however it’s becoming less picturesque with all the hotels and other developments.
With the majority of the population being ethnic Swazi, mixed with a small number of Zulus and non-Africans, you’re in for an experience of a lifetime. Traditionally, the history of the Swazis has been of farmers and herders, but now, some work in the growing urban formal economy and in government, with some Swazis working in the mines in South Africa. When it comes to religion, Christianity in Swaziland is sometimes mixed with traditional beliefs. You’ll find that the official languages spoken in Swaziland are SiSwati, which is a language related to Zulu, and English. Everyday business and governmental business, is mainly completed in English.
A major festival that is celebrated is the Reed Dance performed every August at Ludzidzini – which is the home of the Royal Swaziland household. The purpose of the Reed Dance festival is to give King Mswati III the opportunity to add to his ever-growing number of wives. The maidens dance before the queen, and the king chooses his next wife, an honour a girl cannot refuse although it’s by free choice the maidens attend the dance.
August 20th, 2010 at 8:15 am
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