According to top-mba-universities, Swaziland (eSwatini) is a country in Africa bordering South Africa and Mozambique. Swaziland has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1968. The capital of Swaziland is Mbabane. Some of the major cities in Swaziland are: Manzini, Big Bend, Malkerns, Mhlume and Hluti. Since April 19, 2018, the country is officially called eSwatini.

Swaziland is a country that was already inhabited 100,000 years ago. The landscape is known for the many nature reserves where you will encounter animals such as rhinoceroses, zebras, hippos, giraffes and crocodiles. You will also find waterfalls, rock formations and swamps. The country is also known for somewhat strange traditions. For example, the monarch of Swaziland is allowed to choose a new virgin every year from thousands of virgin women with a bare upper body during the traditional fertility dance.

Where is Swaziland located?

Travel information of Swaziland

Official name: Kingdom of eSwatini
Continent: Africa
Area: 17,364 km²
Capital: Mbabane
Country code: SZ, SWZ
Population: 1,093,238 inhabitants (2017)
Form of government: Monarchy
Highest point: 1,862 m (Emlembe)
Distance (Amsterdam – Mbabane): 9,081 km
Flight time: approximately 11 hours and 45 minutes

Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.

Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place in Swaziland that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Swaziland, please visit Countryaah.

Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete tours and holidays to Swaziland. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.

Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Swaziland?

Weather and climate
Swaziland has a subtropical climate. Temperatures are around 15 to 25 degrees all year round. In the mountains, temperatures can drop to freezing.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Swaziland can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Swaziland can be found at Climate info.

Best time
June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Swaziland. This avoids the months with a lot of precipitation.

Language
SiSwati (Swazi) and English are both an official language in Swaziland.

Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 3 months upon arrival in Swaziland.
A visa is required. You can purchase this for free at the border of Swaziland (valid for 3 months).

Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in South Africa (also for Swaziland): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Swaziland in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): eswatini-embassy.eu.
Consulate of Swaziland in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.

Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Swaziland it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).

Malaria
Malaria occurs in Swaziland. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.

Money and Currency
In Swaziland people pay with the Swaziland lilangeni (SZL).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Swaziland can be found on our ATMs page.

Price level
Prices in Swaziland are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -47% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (66% cheaper), food (46% cheaper), imported beer in catering (66% cheaper), cigarettes (62% cheaper) and public transport (86% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.

Tipping
In Swaziland it is customary to tip. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.

Time difference
During our summer time there is no time difference.
During our winter time it is 1 hour later in Swaziland.
Swaziland has no difference in winter time and summer time.
Check the local time, date and time zone for Swaziland on our time difference page.

Traffic and route
In Swaziland you must drive on the left.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Swaziland you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Swaziland.

Electricity
In Swaziland you need a plug adapter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Swaziland can be found on our electricity page.

Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 999
– Fire: 999
– Ambulance: 999

Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap outside the big cities.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.

News and newspapers
The latest news related to Swaziland can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Swaziland can be found on Abyznewslinks.

Internet
Websites from Swaziland end in.sz.
Swaziland official website: thekingdomofeswatini.com.

Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Swaziland is 00268 or +268.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Swaziland? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Swaziland Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Swaziland.

Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Swaziland.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Swaziland.

Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Swaziland can be found on Beleven.org.

Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Swaziland, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.

Travel reports
Are you looking for a travel report about Swaziland?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Eswatini. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.

Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Swaziland can be found on Protected Planet.
Eswatini is not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Swaziland? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.

Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Eswatini.
– Alcohol: Buy from the age of 18, drink at all ages.
– Alcohol and traffic: Maximum allowed alcohol content is 0.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence up to 10 years.

Did you know that…
…Swaziland has two capitals?
…Swaziland is also called ‘Ngwane’?
…There are many wild animal species in Swaziland (including elephants, lions and leopards)?
…Swaziland has the highest HIV rate in the world?