johannesburg to swaziland tour

TOUR INFORMATION

Includes / excludes.

Including in the tour price

Excluding in the safari price

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Detailed itinerary.

Gauteng-Swaziland -Kingdom of Swaziland Tours ">

                                               3 Day Swaziland

The 3 Day Swaziland (eSwatini) Tour departs early from Johannesburg/Pretoria and you  travel eastwards to Swaziland and cross the Border post (Oshoek).with Swaziland - Distance 350 km.

After the  border crossing formalities to  Swaziland you  then continue your  journey to Mbabane (Capital of Swaziland Eswatini!) .

Before you arrive at Mbabane , you will visit the glass factory at Ngwena.

Here you can see how they hand made glasses as well as bottles. You will then do a city tour of Mbabane before you arrive at your accommodation in the late afternoon.

Dinner at your accommodation Accommodation : Forresters Arms hotel/Matenga lodge/Millwane game reserve

Bed & Dinner & Breakfast basis.

Distance traveled : 450 km

Swaziland- Kingdom of Eswatini ">

Day 2 - Swaziland- Kingdom of Eswatini !

After breakfast, you will leave your accommodation and visit the following places. Ezelweni valley, Museum of  King Mswat1, flea market, Candle factory in Malkerns.

You can also choose from the following activities to do. For own account

• Horse riding
• Game drives (safaris)
• River rafting
• Golf at the Royal Swazi Golf Course
• Walking/Hiking
• Helicopter Scenic flights
• Guided tours

Accommodation : Forrester's arms hotel/Matenga lodge/Millwane game reserve

Bed & Dinner & Breakfast basis

Distance traveled : 120 km

Day 3 - End of Tour

After breakfast, we return back to Johannesburg / Pretoria. Drop off is at a hotel or guest house of your choice, or the Oliver Tambo Airport.

                                              3 Day Swaziland Tour

1 day swaziland tour (kingdom of eswatini).

The 1 day Swaziland Tour departs 06h00 from your hotel / guesthouse in Johannesburg and travel 4 hours via the country side and the eastern part of the country, when we cross the border of South Africa into the Kingdom of Swaziland (Eswatini!)

Cost per person R2000. Min of 4 people on Tour

Included in the price

• Pickup and drop off in Johannesburg / Pretoria
• Registered driver/guide
• Air-con minivan
• Light Lunch

Excluded in the price

• Items of personal nature

Tour Departs Daily

In Swaziland , we will visit the following points of interest

• Ngwenya Glass factory
• Mbabane City tour (Mbabane is the Capital of Swaziland)
• Ezelweni Valley
• Ezelweni Flea Market
• Lunch at Matenga Lodge
• Manzini City
• Manzini local Market
• Candle Factory in Malkerns

We leave Swaziland late afternoon and arrive in Johannesburg at 22h00

                                               1 Day Swaziland Tour

                           swaziland - mozambique - 4 day tour, we depart from johannesburg to swaziland (kingdom of eswatini) and overnight 1 night in swaziland and the next day continue to maputo in mozambique for 2 nights.

Cost per person sharing R7500 (Minimum of 4 people on tour)

Early departure from Johannesburg and drive in a eastern direction to the border of South Africa and Swaziland (Kingdom of Eswatini!)

Highlights during the first day is a visit to the Ngwenya Glass factory / Mbabane (Capital of Swaziland ) / Ezelweni Valley

We will also visit the Matenga Cultural show in the afternoon

Accommodation: Matenga lodge or Millwane Game Reserve in Ezelweni Valley.

Bed   Breakfast basis

After breakfast depart and visit the candle factory in Malkerns  We also visit Manzini City and continue to the border with Mozambique and arrive in Maputo late afternoon.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Maputo City, close to the beach on a bed  breakfast basis

After breakfast the day is free. You can do a city tour, go to the beach of Maputo or visit a local market or just explore the city

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Maputo City. Bed Breakfast basis

After breakfast, we depart for the border of Mozambique / Swaziland via Lebombo Border post. After crossing the border, we will enter the Kruger National Park at Crocodile Bridge and spotting the Big5 in the Kruger Park and leave the Park by noon. Arrive in Johannesburg late afternoon

• 3 x night accommodation
• 3 x breakfast
• Mini bus for transport with air-con
• Entrance fee at the Kruger National Park
• Entrance fee at Matenga Cultural Village
• Driver Guide
• Entrance fees not mentioned

You need a valid passport to enter Swaziland and Mozambique and South Africans do not need a visa to visit our neighboring countries .

                              4 day swaziland and mozambique tour.

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Best 3 Day Eswatini Tour in 2022

Eswatini Tour

The Best 3 Day eSwatini Tour formerly known as Swaziland . The 3 Day eSwatini Tour leaves from Johannesburg to eSwatini . 4 hours drive from Johannesburg . A good weekend away or just a short visit to this beautiful country, landlocked by South Africa and Mozambique.

Eswatini is the last absolute monarch in Africa. Eswatini lies across a fault which runs from the Drakensberg Mountains of Lesotho, north through the Eastern highlands of Zimbabwe, and forms the Great Rift Valley of Kenya.

A small, landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is bordered in the North, West and South by the Republic of South Africa and by Mozambique in the East. The majority of Eswatini’s population is ethnically Swazi, mixed with a small number of Zuly and White South Africans, mostly people of British and Afrikaner descent.

Traditionally Swazis have been Subsistence farmers and herders, but most now mix such activities with work in the growing urban formal economy and in government. Some Swazi work in the mines in South Africa.

Eswatini also received Portuguese settlers and African refugees from Mozambique. Christianity in Eswatini is sometimes mixed with traditional beliefs and practices. Many traditionalists believe that most Swazi ascribe a special spiritual role to the monarch

Swaziland Culture

The principal Swazi social unit is the homestead, a traditional beehive hut thatched with dry grass. In a polygamous homestead, each wife has her own hut and yard surrounded by reed fences. There are three structures for sleeping, cooking, and storage (brewing beer). Larger homesteads also have structures used as bachelors’ quarters and guest accommodation.

Central to the traditional homestead is the cattle byre, a circular area enclosed by large logs, interspersed with branches. The cattle byre has ritual as well as practical significance as a store of wealth and symbol of prestige. It contains sealed grain pits. Facing the cattle byre is the great hut which is occupied by the mother of the headman.

The headman is central to all homestead affairs and he is often polygamous. He leads through example and advises his wives on all social affairs of the home, as well as seeing to the well-being of the family. He also spends time socialising with the young boys, who are often his sons or close relatives, advising them on the expectations of growing up and manhood.

The Sangoma is a traditional diviner chosen by the ancestors of that particular family. The training of the Sangoma is called “kwetfwasa”. At the end of the training, a graduation ceremony takes place where all the local sangoma come together for feasting and dancing.

The diviner is consulted for various purposes, such as determining the cause of sickness or even death. His diagnosis is based on “kubhula”, a process of communication, through trance, with the natural superpowers. The Inyanga (a medical and pharmaceutical specialist in western terms) possesses the bone throwing skill (“kushaya ematsambo”) used to determine the cause of the sickness.

The most important cultural event in Eswatini is the Incwala ceremony. It is held on the fourth day after the full moon nearest the longest day, 21 December. Incwala is often translated in English as “first fruits ceremony”, but the King’s tasting of the new harvest is only one aspect among many in this long pageant. Incwala is best translated as “Kingship Ceremony”: when there is no king, there is no Incwala. It is high treason for any other person to hold an Incwala.

Every Swazi may take part in the public parts of the Incwala. The climax of the event is the fourth day of the Big Incwala. The key figures are the King, Queen Mother, royal wives and children, the royal governors (indunas), the chiefs, the regiments, and the “bemanti” or “water people”.

Eswatini’s most well-known cultural event is the annual Umhlanga Reed dance. In the eight-day ceremony, girls cut reeds and present them to the queen’s mother and then dance. (There is no formal competition.) It is done in late August or early September.

Only childless, unmarried girls can take part. The aims of the ceremony are to preserve girls’ chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen-mother, and encourage solidarity by working together. The royal family appoints a commoner maiden to be “induna” (captain) of the girls and she announces the dates of the annual ceremony over the radio.

The chosen induna is expected to be an expert dancer and knowledgeable on royal protocol. One of the King’s daughters acts as her counterpart during the ceremony.

The Reed Dance today is not an ancient ceremony but a development of the old “umchwasho “custom. In “umchwasho”, all young girls were placed in a female age-regiment. If any girl became pregnant outside of marriage, her family paid a fine of one cow to the local chief. After a number of years, when the girls had reached a marriageable age, they would perform labour service for the Queen Mother, ending with dancing and feasting.

The country was under the chasity rite of “umchwasho” until 19 August 2005.

Eswatini is also known for its strong presence in the handcrafts industry.

The products are unique and reflect the culture of Eswatini , ranging from housewares to artistic decorations, to complex glass, stone or wood artwork.

Mlilwane Game reserve eSwatini

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary is Eswatini’s (formerly Swaziland) pioneer conservation area, a shining example of what is possible if passion, vision and action fuse.  Once a highly profitable multi-purpose farm, and being labelled an “impossible dream”, Mlilwane was proclaimed in 1961 and is now the kingdom’s most popular eco-destination for locals and internationals alike.

The name ‘ Mlilwane’ (‘Little Fire’ in siSwati) was derived from the numerous fires started by lightning strikes on the Mlilwane Hill but now holds significance as the little fire that ignited the conservation movement in Swaziland .

Traditional Beehive Huts

The Homestead is the basic building block of Swazi society. Traditionally this comprises a number of huts, each built for a particular purpose – sleeping, food storage, brewing, etc. At the centre of a homestead is a circular enclosure, the sibaya, fenced with solid logs and branches, where the cattle are housed each night. This has symbolic importance as a store of wealth and prestige.

Opposite it is the great hut, indlukulu, occupied by the mother of the headman and used as the family shrine. The huts in such homesteads would once have been ‘beehive’ huts. Today most rural homesteads are a mixture of traditional huts and more modern, brick-built dwellings.

Either way, you can visit and enter homesteads when exploring rural Eswatini , and will receive a warm welcome, providing you show suitable respect and follow the correct protocol.

Most lodges and hotels can arrange a visit to a local homestead for their guests. There are a few places where communities are more accustomed to such visits, and where visitors will therefore be given a more comprehensive tour and explanation of traditions and daily life in rural Eswatini.

These are still very much genuine, real homesteads, not tourist creations. Shewula Mountain Camp, Myxo’s Waza Nowe Cultural Tours, and Umphakatsi Cultural Experience are probably the best places to get a genuine and comprehensive local homestead visit.

Alternatively, the Mantenga Cultural Village is a re-created homestead from around 1850 that is easy to visit to learn quickly about daily life

Eswatini culture

3-Day eSwatini Tour from Johannesburg. 4-hour drive from Johannesburg. A good weekend away or just a short visit to this beautiful country

3 Day eSwatini tour formerly known as   Swaziland tour from Johannesburg . 4 hours drive from Johannesburg . Our eSwatini 3 Day Tour is a good weekend away or just a short visit to this beautiful country – SA Traveler

3 Day/2 Nights Swaziland (Eswatini) Tour

• Malalotje Nature Reserve
• Phophanyane Waterfall
• Mbabane City Tour
• Ezelweni Valley
• Mantenga Water Fall
• Mantenga Cultural village
• Candle Factory
• Ngwenya Glass Factory
• Manzini City Tour
• Manzini Local Market

Your registered tourist guide will mee you early in the morning at your hotel in Johannesburg. Proceed to Border. Approimately 4 hours drive. Crossing the border and continue to the glasss factory. Continue to Malalotje nature reserve for your hiking to Malalotje falls (optional). Before arriving at your hotel and after a scenic drive in the country side of Eswatini, stop for a photo stop at Maguga Dam. Overnight Maguga lodge

After breakfast you will continue with your guide to Phophonyane Falls Nature Reserve where you will do a short hike to the spectacular falls. Continue to Mbabane, one of the Capitals of eSwatini, Ezelweni Valley, Lobamba, Mantenga Cultural Village, Mantenga Water Falls Overnight Mlilwane Nature Reserve / Mantenga Lodge

After breakfast leave for the Candle Factory in Malkerns and do a city tour in Manzini where you leave Eswatini by noon for Johannesburg

• 1. 3 nights accommodation
• 2. Breakfast Daily
• 3. Entrance fee Mantenga Cultural Village
• 4. Pickup and drop off at your hotel in Johannesburg
• 5. Entrance fees at Phopanyane Falls
• 3. Entrance fee at Malalotje Nature Reserve
• 4. Drrinks.
• 6. Covid Test

3 Days and 2 Nights

Kingdom of Eswatini

You can send your enquiry via the form below..

• Maputo Old Train Station Cathedral Flea Market
• eSwatini Candle factory Mbabane City Tour
• Lesotho Highest Pub in Africa
• Budget travel
• Child-friendly
• Nature Walk

Destinations

• Kruger National Park Safaris
• Lesotho Tours
• Mozambique Tours
• Cycling in the Bush
• Horse Riding
• open vehicle safari
• Peak Climbing
• Scuba Diving

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• 3-Day Eswatini (Swaziland) Tour – Add to Kruger Park Safari

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Itinerary for This Tour

Depart from your lodge in or near the Kruger after your morning game drive. Enter Eswatini (Swaziland) via the “Geo Route” from Barberton through Bulembu Border post or, if time does not allow, via the closer border crossing of Jeppe’s Reef.

The Bulembu Route follows the Geo Trail or route through the world’s oldest mountains, the Greenstone Belt Mountains over 3 billion years old. The rocks in these mountains also contain the earliest traces of primitive life on earth. Plaques in lay byes along the route explain the ancient events creating these mountains and the early geological history of our planet. There are amazing views all along the route.

After entering Eswatini (Swaziland) and arriving at the forestry town of Piggs Peak we will journey to the centre of this little country and to stay at Mlilwane Game Reserve. On the way, we will descend into a deep valley and cross the impressive Maguga Dam.

Your stay here will be in the beehive-shaped thatched Swazi huts which are fully equipped with attached ensuite private bathrooms but still have the wonderful atmosphere of staying in a traditional Swazi dwelling. If you are allergic to thatch then there are standard roofed chalets available.

The reserve does not have any large predator mammals and so a range of activities are possible here. Mountain biking around the reserve and hiking is safe. There are crocodiles and hippos in the large dam but they do not pose a threat.

Meals are on a beautiful dining deck overlooking the dam.

There is usually local entertainment around the campfire after dinner. You will be accompanied around the campfire on cooler nights by the local warthogs who love the warmth of the fire on their round tummies!

Overnight Mlilwane Game Reserve, Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast 

After a morning activity at Mlilwane (Mountain biking, horseriding, hike in the reserve) and breakfast we shall set out to explore the surrounding areas of Eswatini. Our first stop will be at Mantenga Falls Cultural Village. Here we shall have traditional Swazi life explained to us and how life is lived in the village. We shall then witness one of the best tribal dancing and singing displays available in Southern Africa. We will take a short hike to the waterfall through the indigenous forest surrounding the river.

Later we will visit some local craft industries such as Ngwenya Glass (handblown glass artifacts) and the Candle Factory and craft village and have light lunch somewhere along the way.

Then back to Mlilwane for dinner by the dam.

Overnight Mlilwane Game Reserve, Dinner, Bed and Breakfast

After some other optional activity at Mlilwane and breakfast this morning we shall return via a different route to the Kruger area. This will depend on your itinerary after today. We can also return you to Johannesburg Airport (OR Tambo Airport – JNB) or your Johannesburg/Pretoria-based hotel, but as this distance is much greater, please enquire about extra cost if any, when adding this to Kruger Park Safari tour booked with us, as return to Johannesburg may already be included in that.

Breakfast at Mlilwane

End of Tour.

• Transport with an experienced guide from the Kruger area and back.
• Accommodation two nights dinner bed and breakfast Mlilwane Game Reserve,
• Mlilwane Game Reserve Conservation Fee
• Lunches on Day 1 and Day 2.
• Entrance fees
• Visa Costs at Swazi border ( if any).
• All Beverages excluded, except for tea and coffee with meals
• All meals not in the itinerary
• Travel and Medical Insurance excluded
• All Optional Activities excluded
• All cost of a personal nature, eg. laundry, telephone calls
• Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour

Accommodation Note : All the hotels and lodges are as reflected in this itinerary, but if for reasons beyond the control of Mmilo Tours this is not possible, they will be replaced with establishments of the same star grading.

Important:  Please read the itinerary carefully, noting any optional activities you or some members in your group may want to take part in. You do not have to take part in any of the optional activities if you do not wish to. It helps us in our planning to know if you are interested and number of participants. These additional optional activities are not costed into this scheduled tour, and if you choose them, you pay the extra amount involved either directly to Mmilo Tours in advance, or on arrival at the venue. You will be informed accordingly by Mmilo Tours, and they are extra to the basic cost of the tour.

All our tours and packages are subject to availability at the time of booking and payment and accommodation is in a standard double Beehive room at Mlilwane Rest Camp.

Accommodation for this Tour

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary

Simple, clean and comfortable accommodation with electricity. Bedding and towels are provided. Once a mealie-field (corn field) , the Rest Camp has become a well-established indigenous forest, thanks to a tree-planting operation in 1960’s.

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Eswatini (Swaziland) Safari Tours & Holidays

The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is a small but fabulous destination for a safari vacation. The country’s protected areas have a lot of variety, especially given the tiny size of the kingdom. This in turn means there is a diversity of wildlife, which is particularly good in the premier parks of Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve. Other protected areas encourage getting out and about on foot or bicycle, due to the absence of dangerous animals, to explore the sublime landscapes.

5-Day Swaziland Tour

$966 pp (USD)

Eswatini: Private tour Self Catering Accommodation & Bush Camp

You Visit: Mbabane (Start) , Mlilwane WS, Hlane Royal NP, Mbabane (End)

Safari With Us

5.0 /5  –  215 Reviews

1-Day Eswatini Tour

$118 pp (USD)

Eswatini: Day tour Shared tour (max 7 people per vehicle)

You Visit: Nelspruit (Start) , Mantenga Village (Highlight) , Nelspruit (End)

Kruger Flexi Tours

4.9 /5  –  48 Reviews

2-Day Eswatini (Swaziland) Cultural & Scenic Tour Add On

$468 pp (USD)

Eswatini: Private tour Bush Camp

You Visit: Mbabane (Start) , Mlilwane WS, Ngwenya Glass (Highlight) , Mbabane (End)

Mmilo Tours

5.0 /5  –  121 Reviews

14-Day Kruger and Kwa-Zulu Natal

$6,337 pp (USD)

South Africa & Eswatini: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle) Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Durban (Start) , Umdloti (Beach) , St Lucia (iSimangaliso WP) , Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR, Manyoni GR, Tembe Elephant Park, Hlane Royal NP, Southern Kruger, Central Kruger, Hoedspruit Airport (Hoedspruit) , Hoedspruit (End)

Pictus Safaris

4.3 /5  –  6 Reviews

14-Day Walking Safari in South Africa and Swaziland

$2,252 pp (USD)

South Africa & Eswatini: Shared tour (max 12 people per vehicle) Lodge & Tented Camp

You Visit: Johannesburg (Start) , Mpumalanga, Greater Kruger, Malolotja NR, Zululand (KwaZulu-Natal) , Isandlwana (KZN Battlefields) , Royal Natal (Drakensberg Mountains) , Drakensberg Mountains (Mountain Range) , Johannesburg (End)

Sunway Safaris

4.5 /5  –  30 Reviews

17-Day South Africa Rainbow Route

$2,739 pp (USD)

You Visit: Johannesburg (Start) , Greater Kruger, Kruger NP, Malolotja NR, Zululand (KwaZulu-Natal) , Royal Natal (Drakensberg Mountains) , East London (City) , Addo Elephant NP, Knysna (Garden Route) , Hermanus (Whales) , Cape Town (End)

14-Day Eswatini, Kruger Guided Self-Drive Budget Camping

$1,551 pp (USD)

Eswatini & South Africa: Self-drive Camping & Cottage

You Visit: Pretoria (Start) , Malolotja NR, Mlilwane WS, Hlane Royal NP, Bulembu (Town) , Southern Kruger, Central Kruger, Lekgalameetse NR, Pretoria (End)

Bonsai-SA 4x4 Adventures and Tours

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8-Day Bush & Beach Safari

$1,410 pp (USD)

Mozambique, South Africa & Eswatini: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle) Guest House & Chalet

You Visit: Nelspruit (Start) , Kruger NP, Bilene (Town & Beach) , Maputo (City) , Mlilwane WS, Nelspruit (End)

7-Day Hlane & Mlilwane Guided Self-Drive Mid Range Tour

$1,286 pp (USD)

Eswatini & South Africa: Guided self-drive Lodge & Cottage

You Visit: Pretoria (Start) , Mlilwane WS, Hlane Royal NP, Bulembu (Town) , Pretoria (End)

5-Day Malolotja NR Guided Self-Drive Mid Range Tour

$646 pp (USD)

Eswatini & South Africa: Guided self-drive Lodge & Chalet

You Visit: Pretoria (Start) , Malolotja NR, Bulembu (Town) , Pretoria (End)

5-Day Hlane Royal NP Guided Self-Drive Mid Range Tour

$994 pp (USD)

7-Day Hlane and Mlilwane Guided Self-Drive Camping Tour

$1,066 pp (USD)

Eswatini & South Africa: Guided self-drive Camping

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7 Questions About Eswatini Safaris

Answered by

Alan murphy.

When is the best time to visit Eswatini?

“The dry winter months (May to September) are usually the best time for wildlife viewing on an Eswatini safari holiday. At that time of year there is the increased possibility of spotting some of the smaller critters in the kingdom, which are usually elusive at the best of times. During winter the vegetation dies back, and wildlife tends to be drawn to the remaining water sources. This means that staking out a waterhole can make for very productive viewing. Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve have decent wildlife viewing year-round. This is because many of the more popular (and endangered) mammals are kept in large enclosures, making them relatively easy to find. Keep in mind that most parks see an upsurge in visitor numbers during South African and Eswatini holidays.”

Why visit Eswatini? What are the major attractions?

“For some people, not being in South Africa is a major attraction of Eswatini. There is certainly a tension that can be experienced in South Africa (due to crime and the legacy of entrenched racism) that is absent in Eswatini. But the kingdom offers so much more. For a dose of culture, adventure sports and craft shopping head for the Ezulwini Valley, just outside the capital, Mbabane. If white-water rafting is your ticket to adrenaline heaven, shoot for the Great Usutu River in central Eswatini. However, it’s the patchwork quilt of protected areas that really grabs the imagination in this country and makes an Eswatini safari trip well worthwhile. Hlane Royal National Park is arguably the best protected area for wildlife in the kingdom. Apart from buffalo, the Big Five are here, and it’s a beautiful park. And if you’ve extra coin rolling around in your pockets, then Mkhaya Game Reserve is stunning, with your best chance of spotting black rhino in this part of Africa. The other protected areas make for some excellent activities such as walking and cycling (but are less about the Big Five).”

What does an Eswatini safari cost?

“Most Eswatini safaris and tours cover more than just the kingdom, i.e. Eswatini safari trips involve parks in South Africa, such as Kruger and parks in KwaZulu-Natal, and the longer trips go further afield again. Keep in mind that Eswatini is tiny, so it’s easy to ‘pop in and out’ while you explore the wider area. If you go to Mkhaya, which is a private reserve, you will pay more but the quality of the guiding, the animals you will likely see and the fantastic accommodation in gorgeous surrounds make it well worthwhile. If you go on a big, organized tour then the most popular Eswatini safari packages tend to be budget (camping) and mid-range (lodge accommodation) tours. Generally speaking, in Eswatini the prices of camping safaris will be around US$100 per person per day, while the price of a mid-range tour will be upward of US$200 per person a day and will involve staying in comfortable lodge accommodation. An Eswatini tour also travels through a good chunk of South Africa, so your holiday can cover a lot of ground. And if it’s luxury you seek then the sky is the limit! While Eswatini has some accommodation that can be considered top end, South Africa and Kruger National Park, and its surrounding network of private concessions in particular, have world-class luxury safari vacations on offer. So, it all comes down to your taste and the weight of your wallet.”

How is the wildlife viewing in Eswatini?

“The wildlife viewing in Eswatini’s premier parks – Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve – is excellent. Together they support all of the Big Five (Hlane lacks buffalo, Mkhaya lions and elephants). Mkhaya boasts the kingdom’s only buffalo, black rhino, sable antelope, eland and tsessebe populations. What makes the wildlife viewing even better is the drive-through enclosures that are used to support populations of some of the more vulnerable species. This is one of southern Africa’s best places to see black rhino. At the popular Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary there are no animals considered dangerous to people, which means activities such as guided walking, horseback riding and mountain biking are allowed. The wildlife you see includes different species of antelope, hippo, wildebeest and warthog. It’s a lot of fun spotting these species under your own steam. Mbuluzi Game Reserve is similar to Mlilwane where seeing animals on foot is the primary way to experience the reserve. Also here are nocturnal creatures such as civet, honey badger and bushpig that make for an exciting night safari.”

How safe is Eswatini for tourists?

“Eswatini is a very safe country to spend time in, and in the parks and reserves it’s very unusual to experience crime targeted at tourists. This can come as a relief after spending time in South Africa, which is well known for its high levels of crime. The only exception to this is the larger urban areas such as Mbabane and Manzini – here the same rules apply as they would in any city. That is, don’t wear or carry flashy expensive items, leave valuables in a hotel safe, don’t walk around at night (catch a taxi instead), and be on a higher level of alert regarding what is going on around you on the streets. In the parks and reserves, wildlife viewing always entails some risk – after all, wild animals are unpredictable. However, if you listen to your guide’s instructions then you’ll almost certainly be fine. Serious incidents are rare, and in Eswatini almost unheard of.”

What type of accommodation can I expect?

“In Eswatini you can expect all types of accommodation – from camping through to good, solid mid-range lodges at Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and Hlane Royal National Park, and then upwards to the relative luxury of the rustic, semi-open cottages to be found at Mkhaya Game Reserve, or the luxury tents and lodges in Mbuluzi. This type of top-end experience tends to be excellent value in Eswatini, especially when compared to neighboring countries. For super luxury, with all the facilities and the perks, you’ll need to head for one of the private concessions around Kruger National Park in South Africa. In general, the type of accommodation you end up with is directly linked to how much money you want to spend, and although there are limits to this in Eswatini, the bar is a lot higher in nearby South Africa.”

What can I expect from a safari in Eswatini?

“You can expect to see a lot of wildlife in the premier parks of Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve on an Eswatini safari vacation, including the Big Five. In particular, you may well spot rare species such as roan and sable antelope, and Mkhaya is probably the best place in southern Africa to see the highly endangered black rhino. In other protected areas you can enjoy the beautiful African landscapes by getting out on foot, horseback or bicycle. The larger, potentially dangerous animals are absent from places such as Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary or Mbuluzi Game Reserve. Lastly, given the warmth and hospitality of the Swazi people, you can expect a great time connecting with the locals while enjoying the kingdom’s wildlife. If interested you should read up on Eswatini’s history. Its conservation-minded policies are no accident: conservation is something the kingdom had to fight hard for.”

Eswatini Safari Reviews

Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.

The Unknown Kingdom

I’d wanted to visit the mysterious Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) for as long as I could remember, so I was delighted to cover a story on conservation in the country for BBC Earth magazine. Eswatini is home to many rare and...

Full Review

Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.

Home of the Big Game Parks

Pint-sized Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is unchartered safari territory for most Africa aficionados. Sandwiched between South Africa and Mozambique, just to the south of Kruger National Park, this tiny African monarchy offers an impressive...

Sensational

I spent four nights in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) in January 2020, staying in Mbabane, the small capital. The country is roughly the same size as Wales. The roads are not as good as those in neighbouring South Africa: there are many...

A really exotic experience in a country that deserves more recognition.

I was really pleased by my discover of the Swaziland. I love to walk across the Mlilwane wildlife sanctuary. It was a really implying day, during this visit i could see beautiful landscapes and admire wild animals living in half-liberty. It...

I was lucky enough to do safaris as three different places during my trip - one by bicycle and two in 4x4. My favourite was the Mkhaya Game Reserve. We did both sunset and sunrise safari drives and the wildlife, scenery and overall...

A trip to authenticity

The trip to Swaziland has been a very nice discovery. People are really nice and not polluted by European way of living. Landscapes are beautiful! Accommodations are good (compliant to European standard !!). This is really a place I’d...

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South Africa Explorer with Eswatini & Lesotho

Cultural tour & safari of south africa, eswatini (swaziland) & lesotho, guaranteed departures.

Dive into the diverse countries of South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland) and Lesotho on this 20-day overland journey from Johannesburg to Cape Town. South Africa is one of the continent’s best game-viewing destinations, and we have the opportunity to spot the Big 5 (lion, leopard, African buffalo, elephant and rhino) in legendary Kruger National Park and beyond. Couple this with the dramatic landscapes of the famous Panoramic and Garden routes, and immersive cultural experiences like pony trekking and wine blending, and there’s one memorable South African safari tour ahead!

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Day 01: Johannesburg (SOUTH AFRICA)

After arriving at Oliver Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, we are cordially welcomed and transferred to our hotel. Balance of the day is free. Contact Bestway to pre-book exciting optional activities, including an apartheid museum tour, a city tour and an exploration of Lesedi Cultural Village. This evening at 6:00 PM, we meet our guide and the rest of the group for the pre-departure briefing.

Overnight: Safari Club , Johannesburg (1 night) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool and restaurant)

Day 02: Johannesburg/Mpumalanga (Drive)

The excitement begins with an early morning departure as we head towards Mpumalanga, passing through lovely landscapes complete with towering mountains, scenic passes, rushing waterfalls and verdant forests. We spend the night in Graskop, a small village that started life as a mining town and is now known for its beautiful scenery. Graskop is found on the Drakensberg Escarpment at the start of the Panorama route and serves as the gateway to Kruger National Park.

Overnight: Graskop Hotel , Mpumalanga (1 night) (B) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)

Day 03: Mpumalanga/Kruger National Park (Drive)

This morning, enjoy a beautiful journey along the Panorama Route, one of the most stunning roads in South Africa.  The highlight of the route is Blyde River Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world. This rich, green canyon is known for its high diversity of primate and bird life. We then stop at Bourke’s Luck Potholes, unique and otherworldly potholes created by thousands of years of water erosion. In the afternoon, we head into Kruger National Park. We spend the next two nights inside the park with the opportunity to encounter the wildlife at Kruger.

Overnight: Berg en Dal Camp , Kruger (2 nights) (B) (Bungalows with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, restaurant)

Day 04: Kruger National Park

Enjoy exciting morning and afternoon game drives using our tour vehicle. Should you wish to partake in the game drive using an open game-viewer vehicle, these are available at an additional cost. Kruger National Park has nearly two million hectares of unfenced African wilderness, in which more mammal species roam free than in any other game reserve. A leader in environmental management, Kruger National Park offers visitors fantastic Big Five sightings, as well as viewing of endangered game such as the African wild dog and bird watching of over 507 bird species. (B)

Day 05: Kruger National Park/MLilwane (Drive) (eswatini)

Today we cross the border into Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland and one of Africa’s last three monarchies. Though it is one of Africa’s smallest countries, Eswatini offers a surprising variety of landscapes. We will discover the country’s lovely Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to hippo, giraffe, zebra and antelope, as well as a variety of birds. In the afternoon, we embark on a guided walk through the park in hopes of spotting some of these creatures.

Overnight: Mlilwane Rest Camp, Eswatini (2 nights) (B) (Beehive huts with en suite bathrooms and restaurant)

Day 06: Mlilwane Wilderness Sanctuary

A fascinating and interactive cultural experience today as we visit the Umphakatsi Chief’s homestead. Here, we can try our hands at grinding maize, braiding mountain grass, or joining the children in traditional Swazi song and dance. We will also have the chance to try out some Swazi cuisine. It’s recommended to try eating the Swazi way–with your hands! (B, L)

Day 07: Mlilwane/Zululand (Drive) (SOUTH AFRICA)

Today, we journey back into South Africa via the region of Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal. En route, we visit a craft market. We arrive at our lodge in the late afternoon, with the remainder of the day free.

Overnight: Ezulwini Game Lodge , Hluhluwe (2 nights) (B) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & dining area)

Day 08: Zululand

Another day of activity as we take a game drive and explore the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve in our tour vehicle. Established in 1895, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi is the oldest game reserve in Africa. It is home to both the endangered black and white rhino. In the afternoon, we make our way to iSimangaliso Wetland Park*, which was listed by UNESCO as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site. Here, we enjoy a boat cruise on the St Lucia estuary, getting close-up views of the hippos and crocodiles that make the lake their home. (B)

Day 09: Zululand/Drakensberg (Drive)

Moving further inland, we spend the next two nights in Northern Drakensberg. This area is known for its jaw dropping scenery of epic mountains, green forests and ice-cold streams. At 3,482 meters, the Drakensberg, known in Zulu as uKhahlamba or the “Barrier of Spears”, is South Africa’s highest mountain range, stretching its rugged form roughly 1,000 kilometers from southwest to northeast. The range is part of another World Heritage Site, namely the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park*.

Overnight: The Cavern , Drakensberg (2 nights) (B, D) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, bar & restaurant)

Day 10: Drakensberg

The Royal Natal National Park, known for its prime location along the Drakensberg, offers some of the most scenic views in South Africa. Its main features are the Drakensberg Amphitheatre, a rock wall five kilometers long by up to 1,200 meters high, the peak where the Orange and Tugela rivers have their source, and the 947-meter-high Tugela Falls, the world's second highest waterfall.  Time will be spent exploring this beautiful area on guided walks. (B, L, D)

Day 11: Drakensberg/Malealea (Drive) (LESOTHO)

A new country to discover today as we journey across the border into the Kingdom of Lesotho, the southernmost landlocked country in the world. Lesotho has rich cultural heritage, as well as breathtaking scenery. Our destination is Malealea, located in a remote region of Western Lesotho. Here, we will have the chance to experience the traditions of the local Basotho people and learn about their beliefs and customs.

Overnight: Malealea Lodge , Malealea (2 nights) (B, L) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, bar & dining area)

Day 12: Malealea

A unique activity as we sample the method of transportation used by the majority of Basotho people–the pony! Our four-legged mounts will handle the narrow trails better than any 4x4 vehicle on our trek today. (B)

Day 13: Malealea/Cradock (Drive) (SOUTH AFRICA)

Leave Lesotho behind as we journey on to the historical Karoo town of Cradock. Founded in 1814 as a frontier stronghold, the town is an important agricultural centre best known for its traditional Karoo hospitality, natural sulfur spring and spectacular starry nights. Cradock is a place of literary legends and the old part of the town is graced with some of the finest buildings.

Overnight: Die Tuishuise , Cradock (1 night) (B) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, bar & restaurant)

Day 14: Cradock/Addo Elephant National Park (Drive)

Our destination today is Addo Elephant National Park, home to a population of more than 600 of its namesake animal. Here, we can also find Cape buffalo, endangered black rhinos, and the recently introduced king of all predators, the lion. In the afternoon, we enjoy a game drive in our touring vehicle. Optional game drives in open game-viewer vehicles are also available. Contact Bestway for exact costs, and to pre-book. Our evening is spent near the lit up watering hole with the unique opportunity to observe nocturnal wildlife.

Overnight: Addo Elephant Rest Camp, Addo (1 night) (B) (Bungalows with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool & restaurant)

Day 15: Addo Elephant National Park/Tsitsikamma (Drive)

This morning after breakfast, we continue on to one of South Africa’s most scenic and famous regions, the Garden Route, found along the country’s southern coastline. Our next two nights will be spent in Tsitsikamma Forest, a beautiful location where trees and ocean meet.

Overnight: Tsitsikamma Village Inn , Tsitsikamma (2 nights) (B) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool & restaurant)

Day 16: Tristskamma

We take a leisurely hike along one of the short trails, discovering the coastal bush and rocky shoreline. Option available to plunge off the world’s highest bungee jump at the Bloukrans River (at additional cost). (B)

Day 17: Tsitsikamma/Oudtshoorn (Drive)

Today, we first visit the Knysna Heads, offering a quaint town with a picturesque lagoon and rock formations. Here, we savour an interactive and educational oyster tasting. We then continue over the Outeniqua Mountains into the Little Karoo region, arriving in the town of Oudtshoorn. Take a trip to the famous Cango Caves, a 20 million-year-old cave system frequently described as one of the natural wonders of the world, before participating in an interpretive and interactive nature walk diving into the issues of biodiversity, interdependence and the need for conservation.

Overnight: Mooiplaas Guest House , Oudtshoorn (1 night) (B) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, bar & restaurant)

Day 18: Oudtshoorn/Cape Town (Drive)

Today, we make our way to the vibrant city of Cape Town. On the way, we stop in the town of Robertson and enjoy an opportunity to blend our own wine at Excelsior Manor Guesthouse. During the process, we will first blend red varietals, then bottle, cork and label our own wine as a special souvenir to take home with us. Upon arrival in Cape Town, we have the afternoon free. You may want to enjoy sundowners at one of the city’s lovely beaches, or do some last minute souvenir shopping at the V&A Waterfront.

Overnight: Radisson Blu Hotel , Cape Town (2 nights) (B) (Rooms with en-suite bathrooms and restaurant)

Day 19: Cape Town

Our day is spent on a Cape Peninsula tour. We will first travel along the Atlantic seaboard via Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay. We will then pause at Maiden Cove look-out point before making our way to Hout Bay. Option here to take a boat trip to Seal Island (seasonal, at additional cost). We journey on to Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point and the Good Hope Nature Reserve. Later in the afternoon, we visit Simon’s Town, a charming Victorian town with a naval base and a famous penguin colony at Boulders Beach (entrance is at additional cost). (B)

Day 20: Depart Cape Town

Spend the final day at leisure. Weather dependent there is the chance to take the cable car up Table Mountain (own expense) and enjoy one last view of the Cape of Good Hope before your transfer to the airport. Other optional activities are also available for pre-booking, including a full-day tour of the Cape Winelands by car or bicycle, a tour of the Whale Route and a cultural field trip arranged to help tourists give back. Please contact Bestway Tours & Safaris for a full list of optional excursions. (B)

B =Breakfast, L =Lunch, D =Dinner

Departure Dates & Prices

We accept payments in US$, CA$ as well as in other convertible currencies like EUR, AUD and GBP. Tour prices have been costed in US$. CA$ price shown below is an indicative amount reached at by using the conversion rate at the time of web posting and will be applicable if there is no change in the conversion rate. Should the currency conversion rate change, the US$ pricing will prevail. Bestway Tours & Safaris offers a conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please click here

Guaranteed Departures 2024

• Accommodation as mentioned or similar, including hotel taxes
• 24 Meals as mentioned ( B =Breakfast, L =Lunch, D =Dinner)
• All sightseeing and transfers by private transportation
• Services of local English speaking guides cum drivers
• Entrance fees to museums, sites & game parks included in the itinerary
• Any airfares
• Insurance/visas
• Tips/gratuities

Estimated International Airfare (International airfare is NOT included in this tour)

CANADA (West Coast) US$ 1800

USA (West Coast) US$ 1600

CANADA (East Coast) US$ 1700

USA (East Coast) US$ 1500

Participants

This tour operates on a minimum of 04 and a maximum of 12 participants Guaranteed Departures (specific tour departure dates marked by a checkmark) operate on a minimum of only 2 participants.

Customised Itinerary

If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you.

Contact Info You may e-mail us at [email protected] or call 1-604-264-7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1-800-663-0844.

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Kruger National Park, Panorama Route & Eswatini Tour

• Fully Guided
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• Introduction
• Day 1 Panorama Route
• Day 2 Blyde River Canyon Dam Boat Ride, game drive through Kruger Park
• Day 3 Game drives
• Day 4 Eswatini cultural trip
• Day 5 Eswatini, UNESCO world heritage site Barberton Makhonjwa Geotrail

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Operated by Amatungulu Tour

Amatungulu Tours provide packaged tours to explore the breath-taking beauty and fascinating history of South Africa. We are a tour operator with a difference as attention to detail and care is given from booking until you arrive back home. We can be fully trusted, and only provides the best in travel, accommodation and food. We regard our social responsibility with importance and always strive to conserve nature. Only professional tour Guides are conducting your tour in order to give our valued guests a memorable experience. Our packages include the best and most convenient accommodation and vary between 3-star and 5-star ratings. We ensure that your holiday will be comfortable and relaxed. A variety of good food, including local dishes with the best local beers and wines, are always provided. The vehicles we travel in are the safest and most comfortable, which will ensure a relaxed trip.

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Customer Reviews

• Overall Rating Excellent 5.0
• Tour Operator Amatungulu Tour 5.0

Dates & Availability

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• Upcoming departures
• August 2024
• September 2024
• October 2024
• November 2024
• January 2025
• February 2025
• August 2025
• September 2025
• October 2025
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• December 2025
• Tuesday 16 Apr, 2024 Saturday 20 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Wednesday 17 Apr, 2024 Sunday 21 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Thursday 18 Apr, 2024 Monday 22 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Friday 19 Apr, 2024 Tuesday 23 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Saturday 20 Apr, 2024 Wednesday 24 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Sunday 21 Apr, 2024 Thursday 25 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Monday 22 Apr, 2024 Friday 26 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Tuesday 23 Apr, 2024 Saturday 27 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Wednesday 24 Apr, 2024 Sunday 28 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates
• Thursday 25 Apr, 2024 Monday 29 Apr, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €1,107 Confirm Dates

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• Currencies L Lilangeni Swaziland R Rand South Africa

As a traveller from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types D, M.

• These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
• Typhoid - Recommended for South Africa and Swaziland. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Hepatitis A - Recommended for South Africa and Swaziland. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Cholera - Recommended for South Africa and Swaziland. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
• Tuberculosis - Recommended for South Africa and Swaziland. Ideally 3 months before travel.
• Hepatitis B - Recommended for South Africa and Swaziland. Ideally 2 months before travel.
• Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for South Africa and Swaziland. Ideally 10 days before travel.
• Rabies - Recommended for Swaziland. Ideally 1 month before travel.
• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before 12th June 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after 12th June 2024, a minimum payment of 20% is required to confirm your booking with Amatungulu Tour. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
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• Insurance Unless otherwise mentioned, TourRadar does not provide travel insurance. We do however recommend purchasing it through our tried and trusted partner, World Travel Nomads .
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8 Days of Kruger and Swaziland Overland Tour

From r 15950.

JOHANNESBURG

Overland Tour

This short African budget safari takes you through the best game parks that South Africa and Swaziland have to offer.

Starting in Johannesburg and making your way through the world renowned Kruger National park in search of the big 5, before making your way into Swaziland. From Swaziland you will go down south back in to South African and make your way to St Lucia and the Hluhluwe and Imfolozi National Parks before finally ending your tour in Durban.

This short overland adventure includes top game viewing opportunities across beautiful landscapes.

* Trip Also available in reverse order if you want to start in Durban and finish in Johannesburg.

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Departure dates, countries visited, tour highlights, includes / excludes, enquire now, day 1 – greater kruger national park.

Leaving the city of Johannesburg behind us we make our way east through the coalfields of Mpumalanga. Our journey today follows in the footsteps of the old trade-routes to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park. This afternoon there will be an opportunity to join an optional Sundowner drive. Booking is essential and your guide can assist on departure this morning.

Accommodation Nkambeni Reserve http://www.nkambeni.com Accommodated: Two per Permanent Tent with En-suite Bathroom Camping: Campsite with Shared Ablutions

Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered.

Route: Johannesburg to Nkambeni Reserve Meals: Lunch, Dinner Optional Activity: Sundowner Drive (Subject to Availability)

Day 2 – Kruger National Park

Rising early this morning we enter the Kruger National Park to enjoy a full day of game viewing. The abundance of wildlife presents us with opportunities for excellent sightings and the Kruger is also home to the famed members of Africa’s Big-5. Truly the flagship of the South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Our Game drive through the park is in an open-sided 4×4 vehicle.

Accommodation Nkambeni Reserve http://www.nkambeni.com Accommodated: Two per Permanent tent with En-suite Bathroom Camping: Campsite with Shared Ablutions

Route: Kruger National Park Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included Highlight: Kruger National Park 4×4 game drive

Day 3 – Kruger National Park

While those who elect to do the optional morning walk will have an earlier start, we set out a little later today and travel the short distance to the Panorama Route. Strung along the escarpment that divides the central plateau and low-lying bushveld of the Kruger, the sights of the Panorama route offer us a day of scenic delights. We will visit the highlights of Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels and God’s Window before returning to camp in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included Highlight: Panorama Route – Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window

Day 4 – Kruger to Eswatini

We start the day early with some coffee and traditional rusks before setting off through Kruger on our way to Eswatini. Our truck offers an excellent platform for game viewing as we make our way south. We exit the southern end of the park and travel the short distance to Eswatini border, our route this afternoon winds through the mountains and forests of this landlocked kingdom. Our destination for today is the Ezulwini Valley just south of the capital Mbabane.

Accommodation Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary http://www.biggameparks.org/mlilwane/ OR Hlane Royal National Park https://biggameparks.org/properties/hlane-royal-national-park-1 Accommodated: Two per Room with En-suite Bathroom Camping: Campsite with Shared Ablutions

Route: Kruger to Mlilwane Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included Activity: Game Drive in Kruger National Park (in the Truck)

Day 5 – Mlilwane – Wildlife Sanctuary

Endless hours of self-guided exploration within the small 4560ha Mlilwane sanctuary are possible due to the relative absence of dangerous game. This morning our guide will lead us out on a nature walk to explore the “ Nature Trail “ which provides interpretation of historical and environmental information of the area.

Accommodation: Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary; www.biggameparks.org/mlilwane/ or Hlane Royal National Park; biggameparks.org/properties/hlane-royal-national-park-1 Accommodated: Two per Beehive hut with En-suite Bathroom Camping: Campsite with Shared Ablutions

Please visit the website of the accommodation provider for a full list of the facilities offered

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included Activity: Nature Walk with guide Optional Activity: Game Drives, Mountain Biking and Hiking

Day 6 – Eswatini – St Lucia

We bid farewell to Eswatini and re-enter South Africa, continuing south into the reaches of Zululand, once the realm of the mighty King Shaka who united the Nguni clans.

Accommodation: Shonalanga http://www.shonalanga.net Accommodated: Two per Room with En-suite Bathroom Camping: Two per Room with En-suite Bathroom

Route: Mlilwane to St. Lucia Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 – Hluhluwe – Umfolozi Game Reserve / iSimangaliso Wetland Park

We set out early this morning for a game drive in the nearby Hluhulwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, one of the last strongholds of the endangered rhinoceros. While rhinoceros are the most famous of the park’s inhabitants, the park also provides a home to many other species, including the Big-5 that we all hope to see.

Returning to our lodging for a siesta, we freshen up for an afternoon boat cruise on St Lucia estuary.

Accommodation Shonalanga http://www.shonalanga.net Accommodated: Two per Room with En-suite Bathroom Camping: Two per Room with En-suite Bathroom

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included Highlights: Game Drive in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, St. Lucia Boat Cruise

Day 8 – Kwa Zulu Natal Coast – Durban

This morning we will depart St Lucia and make our way to the city of Durban, where your tour will come to an end upon arrival.

Accommodation: Own Arrangements / Post tour accommodation can be booked through us.

Route: St. Lucia to Durban Meals: Breakfast

Camping – R15950 Camping Single Supplement – R250 Accommodated – R24950 Accommodated Single Supplement – R1100

Please note that maps shown are a rough guide. Exact locations and routes might differ slightly to what is shown. Please refer to the tour itinerary for a more precise route.

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What travellers are saying.

1 Night 2 Days eSwatini ( Swaziland Tour)

• All Fees and Taxes
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Entry/Admission - Malolotja Nature Reserve
• Entry/Admission - Swazi Cultural Village
• signature luxury hotel sandton, Radisson blue, Airbnb, hotel in Johannesburg , hotels in Pretoria , Airbnb in Johannesburg
• Wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Infants must sit on laps
• Infant seats available
• Transportation is wheelchair accessible
• Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• Swazi Cultural Village

• dennisg35 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Couple from India We are a couple from India and had been to South Africa for our honeymoon. Pieter had arranged for his brother to pick us up from the airport and take us to Ukutula and then back to our hotel in Johannesburg. Next day, he picked us from the hotel and dropped us to Sabi Sands in Kruger. It was all very professional and punctual. We had a great time on the way with very scenic routes and amazing stories. Pieter and his brother are both very fun. Read more Written October 21, 2023
• deannita 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great trip with Pieter Booked a last minute trip to Eswatini and Lesotho and it was fabulous! Great communication from the beginning Pieter was an excellent guide and there would’ve been no way to see/do as much on my own The hotels we stayed at were great and I loved my Safari time in Eswatini Highly recommend Big Six! Read more Written July 13, 2023
• 2018Adventure 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing experience!! Eswatini with Pieter! Hi Pieter and all the best greetings from Canada! It has been a few months and we apologies for not getting in touch sooner. We wanted to thank you again for such a wonderful and memorable experience with you on our superb journey to Eswatini from Pretoria that we had together. You were truly an absolute pleasure to have spent that time with, the journey, your knowledge and your patience as we changed schedules as we went along to our destination. More so, we loved it at our lodge so much that we asked you for another day and you went out of your way to make it happen!! We can’t thank you enough for this as we both needed that beautiful environment so much and we were so increadiby grateful for this request. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Take care and travel safe. Read more Written June 12, 2023
• lineofsight 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Ghosted 2 weeks prior and then no show for activity Coordinated Walk With The Lions Tour from Johannesburg. After initial no response through their website contact form I emailed directly. Pieter from BigSixToursSafari.com emailed to confirm the reservation. Two weeks prior I emailed to add an extra person...no response, I emailed again, no response, I emailed again...no response. Arrived in Africa. Tried calling and went to voicemail. Morning of activity at 6am pickup time, called to confirm if they were showing up. Went to voicemail...no response. Concierge at hotel helped coordinate the excursion within a few minutes with another tour company. Three hours later I got an email from Pieter with BigSixToursSafari.com that he was having vehicle trouble and could pick us up 8 hours later. Horrible that they did not reply to numerous emails. I am sure the "vehicle trouble" was just an excuse that they had forgotten the tour. This is the last thing you want to have happen when trying a once in a lifetime event. I consider this company to be unreliable and extremely bad at communicating. Read more Written March 7, 2023
• Kate K 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful six day Southern Africa trip with Pieter! We just finished Pieter's fabulous six day/four country Southern Africa trip with our amazing guide Pieter. He is so kind and knowledgeable and just really nice guy and we loved spending the week with him. He put together an amazing itinerary and knows the region SO well that he was able to show us a lot in a little time. And even though our days were packed and long sometimes, he never seemed out of sorts or stressed - he's just a really wonderful person with lots of great stories to share from his years of working in tourism. We would love to go on another trip with him in the future. Read more Written December 27, 2022
• O7753JWelenaa 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles One day in Swaziland from Johannesburg We went to Swaziland for a One day tour. We really appreciated the professional and very interesting Pieter! Thank you! Read more Written August 1, 2022
• Rune M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Round trip: South Africa - Botswana - Namibia - Zimbabwe I went on a trip together with a friend with Big Six Tour Safari (guide Pieter) the summer of 2022 from Johannesburg to Sun City, Gaborone, Kasane, Namibia, Victoria Falls and Harare. Pieter didn't offer the trip on his homepage so we sent him a suggestion and he made a plan for the trip, including hotels and everything. Something were changed during the trip, and Pieter was always positive and helping. A trip like this is of course not the cheapest, since we were only two people on a customized trip staying at nice hotels. But it was our choices that pulled the prizes up. Pieter is also a steady driver. He likes to take small coffee stops, which we liked. It's no problem to ask him for changes. The car was comfortable, too. Pieter has also a lot of stories from this part of Africa and is able to talk about a lot more than touristy things. Read more Written July 22, 2022
• Sarah B 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Dishonest and potentially dangerous tour operator Let me begin with what I think is one of the worst issues of the trip. I paid for this trip with my credit card. Pieter ran it and the payment was approved when the tour began on Saturday morning. When Pieter checked his account Monday morning the payment had not yet gone through. Because of the 7 hour time difference my home bank had not yet opened for business. Pieter's response was to angrily confront me and tell me that I had not payed him, and that he knew where I was staying in Johannesburg and if that money didn't show up in his account he would be coming for me with the police. I told him he would get it and contacted my bank as soon as I got to the hotel that afternoon. I thought that international transactions would take time to go through, especially on the weekend, but had to be absolutely sure. I had just been threatened with arrest and didn't want to take any chances. I knew I had payed, but also didn't want to have to be detained over a false accuasation and have to navigate the legal system of an unfamiliar country. The charge was listed on my account as pending. The bank assured me that it was perfectly normal for a transaction not to have been completed over the weekend and that everything was in order. What I can't get past is, if I was able to figure out that it was normal for a payment to take that amount of time to go through, why couldn't a tour operator that takes payments from foreign tourists on a regular basis? Even if he did think there was a problem the way he handled it, jumping straight to the conclusion that I was up to something even after his machine had accepted my card and approved the payment, and threaten me the way he did. While visiting South Africa I booked the 3 day Lesotho tour. The first day was spent driving to Lesotho, which included a stop on the way at a waterfall and at a historical site. We spent the night at a guesthouse in South Africa. The next day was what I had paid for, the visit to Lesotho. After entering the country at 11:00 am I was surprised when the driver Pieter had sent me with announced 90 minutes later that the tour was over and drove me back across the border into South Africa. When we got back I showed Pieter the itinerary and pointed out that even with the 7 hour drive from Johannesburg factored in, an hour and a half in a country is not what a person would reasonably expect for a tour that was advertised as being a "3 Day Lesotho Tour." I also pointed out that we had not done all of the activities he had advertised on the itinerary. Pieter's response to that was to get angry and start yelling at me that he could not "schedule everything down to the minute" (even though the difference between three days and an hour and a half hardly require scheduling to the minute to show the difference) and said that I had done plenty in Lesotho. His words were "Why would you need more time in Lesotho? Just more mountains and roads! There's nothing there!" This is from the man that had advertised this tours to this country. When we were in Johannesburg he demanded to have the conversation right then and there to resolve the issue. I did not at all feel safe talking with him while I was alone with him in a car that he was driving. At this point he had already shown that his response to being contradicted was to get angry. We both knew that he was in a position of power at that point, and I was genuinely afraid of what he would do if I did not quietly agree to whatever he wanted me to say. I told him that I did not feel like this was the time of the place to have that conversation, but he tried to continue anyway. When I did not respond after that point, that was when he threatened to put me out of the car right there on the side of the road. I quickly texted the hotel and told them what was going on. They said if that happened they would come and pick me up. At that point he backed down. I'm sure that was just an empty threat to frighten me into cooperating with him. It does reinforce why I did not feel safe in the car with him. Now that we are at a safe distance I have tried to reach out by email. I can only speculate, but it seems as if his refusal to have a conversation with me at this point is his way of punishing me for not having the conversation on his terms. I've come across other negative reviews of this company. For each one Pieter has responded that the other person is lying. I expect that he will do the same for this one, as well as continue with his claim that even though we did not spend the agreed upon time in Lesotho, the fact that he took his time and drove me anywhere at all should be plenty. If you do decided to go on a tour with him, please take some precautions. I do not have anything to gain, and therefore no reason to make any of this up. Pieter however has plenty of reason to deny everything since he wants your money. If there is any issue whatsoever, more than once he has threatened to leave clients stranded away from the city. I have seen this reported by others as well as myself. This might be an empty threat to scare people, but just in case make sure you are able to arrange alternate transportation if needed. Also, this company consists of one person. If there is any problem you will not have anybody in management to go through to solve any issues when and if Pieter refuses to work with you. Read more Written January 23, 2022
• yys575 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Worth to recommend! In 6 days, Peiter takes us visiting Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria, Eswatini(Swaziland), Maputo, Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon. We left wonderful memories! He also helped us a lot for Mozambique VISA. Worth to recommend! Read more Written August 1, 2019
• David P 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Dishonest and greedy company My wife and I booked a private tour (4 nights) with Pieter but we were not provided with anything. We are still trying to get the deposit (R 8000) back and Pieter is using swear words while messaging my wife's phone. He also threatened us saying we we're lucky he let us leave the country. In more detail this is what happened .... When booking the tour, we confirmed it was a private tour and Pieter asked us to pay extra for a private tour. We agreed and paid the deposit. Pieter said in the email : "This will be a private tour". I would attach a copy of this email - however it appears that I'm not allowed. Had it been a public tour we wouldn't have agreed to pay anything extra. Just before the tour was supposed to start - we got a message from Peter who was telling us that one other person had been added to our tour. We replied to the message as soon as we got it. The few days prior we were on safari without any mobile reception. We told Pieter that we didn't accept this and we wanted the private tour that we had booked. Peiter offered an insignificant discount which we rejected. We wanted a private tour (on our honeymoon) - which we explained several times to him. Unfortuantely Pieter continued to refuse giving us a private tour and refused to return our deposit. We decided to book a private tour with a different company and we are happy that we did. Since this fiasco it's become clear that Peiter is very rude and not someone we would be comfortable travelling with. Pieter is is very unprofessional. We strongly recommend that you book your tour elsewhere. We had to get our credit card company to chase Pieter for the deposit (R 8000) and we are still waiting. Read more Written November 28, 2018
• tiagokxuera 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Pilanesberg tour Excellent tour, excellent guide. Pieter is that kind of person that is nice to know. We talked a lot about everything. He is very pleasing guy. He knows every detail of the tour. He explained clearly, good english. This make difference. He leaves us free to enjoy it in our manner, in our time. If you ask him to stop many times, he stops. His car is comfortable and he is a trustfull guy. I really recommend. Observation: The first impression is that this tour is expensive, but, sure, it is not. It is not expansive. Read more Written October 13, 2018
• Ashley F 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles Kruger Safari and Trip to Mozambique Myself and two friends booked a safari to Kruger park and a side trip to Mozambique with Pieter and had a great time! We had an unforeseen detour on the way to Kruger (which was out of anyone's control) but caused us to miss our sunset drive. However, Pieter was accommodating and flexible with our itinerary for the rest of the trip and it was apparent his primary goal was ensuring we were happy with our experience. He was very knowledgeable and easy going-- we enjoyed our excursion! Read more Written June 18, 2018
• Dave S 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Pilanesberg Park and Soweto Pieter is an excellent guide. He picked us up at Johannesburg airport and gave us a tour of downtown before shuttling us up to Pilanesberg Park for two days at the Kwa Mitane Lodge. Pieter made sure everything was set up perfectly for our trip and was an excellent guide both to and from the lodge. We liked it so much that we scheduled a tour of Soweto later in the week and learned a ton during that tour. Pieter is personable and has a fun sense of humor. We felt safe throughout our trip and really enjoyed the entire experience with Big Six Tours! Read more Written February 17, 2018
• Jennypochee 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles 3 day Swaziland Trip We booked for two at short notice, a 3 day trip to Swaziland. Pieter picked us up on time from our accommodation in Benoni and drove us to Swaziland. Along the way he was very informative and arranged for us to stay in the beehives at the Mlilwani Game Sanctuary. The following day he took us on a site-seeing tour of Swaziland ,travelling southwards and negotiating the sometimes badly pot-holed roads skillfully! Our return to Benoni on the 3rd day was via a northwards trip so we felt we had really done it justice. We could have chosen from a number of activities so we were not restricted to sightseeing. All in all we had a very enjoyable experience and Pieter was very helpful, and amusing. Read more Written March 19, 2017
• Bigoldbird2 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent last minute experience Booked within a week of going. Pieter picked us up from the train station. No trouble with the train running 2hours late. Black Rhino lodge fantastic. Highly recommended Read more Written April 26, 2016

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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1 Night 2 Days eSwatini ( Swaziland Tour) provided by Big Six Tour Safaris

Eswatini (Swaziland) Tours & Holidays

This small but immensely beautiful country is home to one of Africa’s last remaining monarchs.

Tradition is important here and Swazis celebrate their country and their customs with pride. Match that with some outstanding wildlife spotting and Swaziland is an absolute winner.

Our Eswatini (Swaziland) trips

Let's create an exclusive trip for your group.

Eswatini (Swaziland) at a glance

Capital city.

Mbabane (administrative, population 100,000); Lobamba (royal, population 10,00)

1.16 million

Swati, English

(GMT+02:00) Windhoek

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type M (see D)

Learn more about Eswatini (Swaziland)

Best time to visit eswatini (swaziland).

While the Highveld remains cool and rain is common all year round, the lowlands are warmer and drier. Winter (from June to August) is the best time to visit. Rain is most prevalent from October to May but this can still be a pleasant time to visit as temperatures are mild and there’s plenty of sunshine.

Top 5 Swazi experiences

1. walking safari.

Take wildlife spotting to a whole new level with a walking safari through Hlane Royal National Park. Spot rhinos, giraffes and vultures. You may even encounter lions… from a safe distance of course.

2. Umhlanga

Once a year, tens of thousands of young Swazi girls travel to the Queen Mother’s royal village. There they cut reeds to present to her before performing traditional dances.

3. Village life

Get a taste of all things traditional at a Swazi cultural village. Explore domed grass houses, learn Swazi songs, try out some dance moves and help celebrate a culture that is being kept alive by passionate locals.

4. Incwala ceremony

Catch a glimpse of the king at the annual Incwala ceremony. Celebrating the first fruits of the season, the ceremony includes a dance by the king and his regiments in their spectacular warrior dress.

5. Eat street

Take your tastebuds on a tour of Swaziland’s street food. Mingle with locals over stewed or grilled meat, stamped mealies and corn roasted on the cob.

Geography and environment

Swaziland is blessed with four major rivers, making it one of Africa’s most fertile countries. The Lubombo plateau is the main farming area, while rolling hills and pine forests cover much of the Highveld, Middleveld and Lowveld. Swaziland shares borders with  South Africa  and  Mozambique .

Further reading

Eswatini (swaziland) travel faqs, do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Do I need a visa to travel to Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Eswatini (Swaziland):

Australia: No visa required

Belgium: No visa required

Canada: No visa required

Germany: No visa required

Ireland: No visa required

Netherlands: No visa required

New Zealand: No visa required

South Africa: No visa required

Switzerland: No visa required

United Kingdom: No visa required

USA: No visa required

Citizens of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand don't currently require a visa for Swaziland for a stay of up to 2 months. For all other nationalities, please check the requirements with the closest consulate or embassy.

Is tipping customary in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Service charges usually aren’t included in bills but it’s customary to tip 10% in restaurants and to guides.

What is the internet access like in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Internet cafes can be found in Mbabane but can be difficult to find elsewhere.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone while in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Mobile phone reception is good in urban areas, but can be patchy elsewhere. Ensure you have global roaming activated with your carrier if you wish to use your phone.

What are the toilets like in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Eswatini (Swaziland) has a combination of modern flushable toilets and squat/pit toilets, depending on where you are travelling and staying. Generally large hotels, modern restaurants and city cafes have flushable toilets, while remote areas have squat toilets.

What will it cost for a…?

• Bottle of soft drink = 8 SZL
• Beer in a bar or restaurant = 10 SZL
• Simple meal = 100 SZL
• Three-course meal = 140 SZL
• Short taxi ride = 40 SZL

Can I drink the water in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Tap water is considered safe to drink, however outside main towns it’s advised to sterilize or filter the water. For environmental reasons, try to avoid bottled water. Ask your leader where filtered water can be found.

Are credit cards accepted widely in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

Credit cards are accepted in hotels and upmarket shops.

What is ATM access like in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

While ATMs are available, only a few accept international cards.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before travelling?

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilise school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

What public holidays are celebrated in Eswatini (Swaziland)?

• 1 Jan New Year's Day
• 2 Jan New Year Holiday
• 15 Apr Good Friday
• 18 Apr Easter Monday
• 19 Apr King's Birthday
• 25 Apr National Flag Day
• 1 May Workers' Day
• 26 May Ascension Day
• 22 Jul King Father's Birthday
• 6 Sep Somholo Day
• 25 Dec Christmas Day
• 26 Dec Boxing Day

Please note these dates are for 2022. For a current list of public holidays in Swaziland go to: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/swaziland/public-holidays

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Kruger, Eswatini & Lesotho Tour

South africa , eswatini ....

Full Itinerary

Inclusions:.

Trip Summary

Group Size: Maximum 12 passengers Departs: Scheduled small group departures throughout the year .................................................. You will begin your journey with a visit to the Kruger National Park where you will have the opportunity to tick off viewing Africa’s ‘Big Five’ (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo). Experience the thrill of being on safari in one of Africa’s largest game reserves. A visit to the Panorama Route offer you a day of scenic delights. You will visit the highlights of Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels, God’s Window and Blyde River Canyon (the third largest canyon in the world). Cross the border into the landlocked Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) and make your way to Bulembu and visit the town’s mining museum. Crossing back into South Africa visit the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, St Lucia Wetland Park and the colourful, spicy city of Durban. Durban is known for its African, Indian and colonial influences. Furthermore you will discover the highlands of Lesotho. You will end the tour with a visit to Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape, famed for the Elephants after which the park was named, recent expansion has seen Addo grow to become the third largest of South Africa’s National Parks.

Day 1 - Kruger National Park

Route: Johannesburg to Nkambeni Reserve (Greater Kruger) – 400km Leaving the city of Johannesburg behind you will make your way east through the coalfields of Mpumalanga. Your journey today follows in the footsteps of the old trade routes to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park. This afternoon there will be an opportunity to join an optional sundowner drive (at own expense), booking is essential and your guide can assist on departure this morning. (LD) Optional Activity: Sundowner drive (subject to availability).

Day 2 - Kruger National Park

Rising early this morning you will enter the Kruger National Park to enjoy a full day of game viewing. The abundance of wildlife presents you with opportunities for excellent sightings and Kruger is also home to the famed members of Africa’s ‘Big Five’. Truly the flagship of the South African national parks, Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Your Game drive through the park is in an open-sided 4X4 vehicle. (BLD) Included Highlight: Kruger National Park 4X4 game drive.

Day 3 - Kruger National Park

While those who elect to do the optional morning walk will have an earlier start, you will set out a little later today and travel the short distance to the Panorama Route. Strung along the escarpment that divides the central plateau and low-lying bushveld of the Kruger, the sights of the Panorama route offer you a day of scenic delights. You will visit the highlights of Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels and God’s Window before returning to camp in the late afternoon. (BLD) Included Highlight: Panorama Route – Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon and God’s Window. Optional Activity: Morning bush walk (subject to availability).

Day 4 - Eswatini (Swaziland)

Route: Nkambeni to Mlilwane – 270km You will start the day early with some traditional coffee and rusks before setting off through Kruger on your way to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). The truck offers an excellent platform for game viewing as you make your way south. Exit the southern end of the park and travel the short distance to Eswatini (Swaziland) border, your route this afternoon winds through the mountains and forests of this landlocked kingdom. Your destination for today is the Ezulwini Valley just south of the capital Mbabane. (BLD) Included Activity: Game drive as you exit Kruger National Park (in your Nomad vehicle).

Day 5 – Eswatini (Swaziland)

Endless hours of self-guided exploration within the small 4560ha Mlilwane Sanctuary are possible due to the relative absence of dangerous game. This morning your guide will lead you out on a nature walk to explore the “Nature Trail“ which provides interpretation of historical and environmental information of the area. Later this morning, you embark on a 2-hour guided walk through the Esijeni community, allowing you a glimpse of life on a day-to-day basis. This interactive experience could involve grinding maize, carrying water, building a wall or washing clothes in the stream. (BLD) Included Activity: Nature walk with Nomad guide. Optional Activity: Games drives, Cultural Experience, Mountain Biking and Hiking and Esijeni cultural tour.

Day 6 - St Lucia

Route: Mlilwane to St Lucia – 340km You bid farewell to Eswatini (Swaziland) and return to South Africa, making your way to the town of St Lucia and continue south into the reaches of Zululand, once the realm of the mighty King Shaka who united the Zulu clans. (BLD)

Day 7 - Hluhulwe – Umfolozi Game Reserve

You set out early this morning for a game drive in the nearby Hluhulwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, one of the last strongholds of the endangered rhinoceros. While rhinoceros are the most famous of the parks inhabitants, the park also provides a home to many other species, including the ‘Big Five’ that everyone hopes to see. Returning to your lodging for a siesta, you freshen up for an afternoon boat cruise on St Lucia estuary. (BLD) Included Highlights: Game drive in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park and St. Lucia boat cruise.

Day 8 - UKhahlamba Drakensberg Park

Route: St Lucia to Drakensberg – 460km Running the length of the Kwazulu-Natal province, the Ukuhlamba Drakensberg Park is a UNESCO recognised world heritage site. Whether you go by the Zulu name uKhahlamba, meaning ‘barrier of spears’, or the Afrikaans name Drakensberg, meaning ‘dragon mountains’, these towering mountains will be your backdrop for the next two nights. On your way you make a short stop in Durban to stretch your legs before continuing to view the scenic Howick Falls and a visit to the nearby site that marked the capture of South Africa’s most famous man, Nelson Mandela. (BLD) Included Highlight: Visit to the Mandela Capture Site and a visit to Howick Falls.

Day 9 - UKhahlamba Drakensberg Park

You will set out this morning for a day of hiking to explore the mountains of the Drakensberg, along your way you will have the opportunity to view examples of San rock art with a local guide. While you’re encouraged to make the most of the day in mountains, there may be separate options offered depending on the activity level of the group. With a number of trails available every need is catered for, the most important aim is to ensure everyone enjoys this mountain paradise at their own pace. (BLD) Included Highlight: Hike with your guide in Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park.

Day 10 - Malealea

Route: Drakensburg to Malealea – 450km Your journey today begins with a mountain pass and an opportunity to visit a Vulture restaurant where you can hope to view these fascinating birds. Your route winds its way through the magnificent cliffs off the Golden Gate National Park before you enter Lesotho in the afternoon, you will pass the capital city of Maseru as continue the climb to your base high amongst the mountain peaks. (BLD) Included Highlight: Drive through Golden Gate.

Day 11 - Malealea

The clean air of the mountains accompanies you this morning as you explore the mountains on foot, your hike concludes with a village visit and the opportunity to gain insight into the community that calls these mountains home. The Basotho are famous for their traditional hats, blankets and their sturdy ponies. Basotho ponies are renowned for their surefootedness in the mountains and you have the opportunity of an optional pony trek (at own expense) this afternoon to experience this first-hand. (BLD) Included Highlight: Morning hike and Lesotho Village visit. Optional Activity: Pony Trekking.

Day 12 - Graaff-Reinet

Route: Malealea to Graaff Reinet – 510km Returning to South Africa, you will descend the mountains and take aim across the Great Karoo. The semi-arid Karoo represents the heartland of rural South Africa and presents a stark contrast to the mountains you will leave behind. Your overnight stop is set in the historic town of Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest town in the country. You will cross the mighty Orange (Gariep) River today as you journey through the vast countryside of the Karoo. This afternoon, as part of your activity package you have the opportunity to join a sundowner excursion to the Valley of Desolation, this unique valley offers a panoramic view over the town and the wide open plains stretching out below. (BLD) Included Highlight: Valley of Desolation sundowner tour (during winter months this is a sunrise excursion the following day).

Day 13 - Greater Addo Elephant National Park area

Route: Graaff Reinet to Addo Elephant National Park – 270km Setting course for the coast once again, you pass through the open plains of the Karoo and the wildlife charms of the Addo National Park. On arrival in the greater Addo region, you set up camp and head to the National Park to enjoy an afternoon game drive in your Nomad truck, in search of the famous elephants that call Addo home. (BLD) Included Highlight: Afternoon game drive in Addo National Park (Nomad truck).

Day 14 - End of Kruger, Swaziland & Lesotho Tour

Route – Greater Addo Area to Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth) – 55km This morning after breakfast, you will be transferred to Gqeberha previously Port Elizabeth) where your tour comes to an end (B)

Dates and Pricing

Prices shown are per person based on twin share. Seasonal supplements and minimum night requirement may apply. Solo traveller and extra night prices available on request. Luggage restrictions may apply. International flights not included.

Nkambeni Safari Camp can be considered as a “hidden gem” within the heart of the ‘Big Five’ Country, the Kruger National Park.

The next stop is in the Nation of Eswatini.

Remain on the coast you spend two nights in the St Lucia area with a Zulu Cultural Experience.

Your destination today is the mountains of the Drakensberg. Running the length of the Kwazulu-Natal province, the Ukuhlamba Drakensberg Park is a UNESCO recognised world heritage site.

The next two nights are staying in a country within a country and also the highest country in the world.

Your overnight stop is set in the historic town of Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest town in the country.

Famed for the elephants after which the park was named, recent expansion has seen Addo grow to become the third largest of South Africa’s National Parks.

End your journey in Port Elizabeth

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Kingdom of eSwatini Safari Packages & Tours

24 Tours to Kingdom of eSwatini, ordered shortest to longest trip. Prices are from R13509 $718 £576 €673 A$1106 C$989 NZ$1208 to R145400 $7726 £6203 €7249 A$11908 C$10643 NZ$13000 per person. Use our Tour Search → to filter by price, duration, start point, travel style and more.

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Why Travel to Kingdom of eSwatini ? by Luke Hardiman

The mountainous Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland) offers visitors a rich mix of spectacular scenery, authentic cultural encounters, traditional craft markets, and beautiful wildlife parks.  

This landlocked country, also called Ngwane, is one of three monarchies in Africa and is the smallest African country in the southern hemisphere. The friendly Swazi people are proud of their traditional lifestyle and indigenous cultures welcoming visitors to experience their heritage and ceremonies.  Eswatini is a relaxing and fascinating tourist destination with a laid-back atmosphere and plenty to see and do.

Hlane Royal National Park – Game Walk in eSwatini's Biggest Reserve

The Hlane Royal National Park is eSwatini's largest game reserve, covering some 30 000 hectares of wilderness in eastern Swaziland.  Hlane is known for its game walks tracking white rhinos and elephants. This beautiful reserve is also home to lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as giraffe, zebras and some antelopes. Hlane Royal National park is also inhabited by a rich variety of birds.

There are plenty of optional activities available in the nature reserve, including hiking, mountain biking, lion tours, and game drives. On our eSwatini safaris that visit Hlane, we camp in the game reserve, surrounded by unspoiled African bushveld.  We take a game walk with a local ranger in search of rhino, elephant and diverse birdlife on our Hlane Park safaris.

Mlilwane Nature Reserve - Relax in eSwatini's Oldest Game Park

Mlilwane Nature Reserve is eSwatini's oldest and most popular protected area, covering 4 560 hectares of grassland and African wilderness. Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary is a predator-free reserve, which makes it ideal for safe game walks and family safaris. It is ideally situated in the “Valley of Heaven” or Ezulwini Valley, easily accessible from Ezulwini and Malkerns tourism hubs. Visitors have 24-hour access to the Mlilwane Nature Reserve, making it an even more convenient stop over.

Mlilwane is home to zebra, giraffe, various antelope species, crocodile, hippo, and diverse birdlife. You can explore the beautiful scenery and interact with the flora and fauna of the area on foot, getting up close to nature and all its wonders. In addition to the wildlife and scenery Mlilwane Reserve also offers visitors the unique cultural experience of watching traditional Swazi dancers perform.

Optional activities at the tranquil Mlilwane Reserve include hiking, mountain biking and horse riding as well as game viewing drives. On our eSwatini Safaris to Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, we stay in Beehive Huts in the reserve.

Malolotja Nature Reserve - Explore eSwatini's Unspoiled Mountain Wilderness 

Traveling through lush fruit farming country in northwestern eSwatini, you reach the secluded Malalotja Nature Reserve famous for its spectacular mountain scenery and rich variety of flora and fauna. Malalotja covers around 18 000 hectares of scenic mountain terrain and is considered the last unspoilt mountain wilderness in eSwatini (Swaziland). The reserve is known for its wide variety of habitats, from grassland to riverine scrub and bushveld to lush forests. In Malalotja you can spend a full day walking through seldom-explored mountains and taking in the stunning views.

The reserve is home to wildlife such as wildebeest, leopard, serval, aardwolf, jackal, zebra and bushpig. Various antelopes also inhabit the park, including reedbuck, blesbok, red hartebeest, and oribi. Malalotja Reserve also boasts frog species endemic to eSwatini, Lesotho and South Africa, as well as abundant birdlife, including some rare bird species. Birds found in the wilderness area include louries, sugarbirds, sunbirds, blue cranes, and swallows, as well as a colony of bald ibis at Malolotja Falls. 

Ngwenya Mountain, eSwatini's second-highest mountain at 1829 metres lies within Malalotja Nature Reserve. The reserve also encompasses the deep Nkomati River Valley and the highest waterfall in Swaziland, Malolotja Falls, which plummets 95 metres. On our safaris to Malolotja we stay in log cabins with fantastic panoramic views under starry Swaziland night skies.

Shewula Community-Based Natural Resources Programme (CBNRP) - Volunteer in eSwatini

One of our Swaziland tour choices is a Volunteer Safari that visits Shewula community in the scenic Lubombo conservancy. On this eSwatini Safari, you spend time with the local Swazi women engaged in crafts and perma-culture projects, assisting them and learning how these women support the community. On this meaningful cultural experience in rural eSwatini you gain insight into these friendly people’s culture and traditional lifestyles. 

African Budget Safaris' Swaziland Safaris

African Budget Safaris offers a number of tours that travel to eSwatini as part of longer safari itineraries throughout Southern Africa, ranging from 7 to 42 days in length. Combine eSwatini/Swaziland with the Kruger National Park in South Africa, or several other highlights of South Africa, such as Cape Town, Durban, the Drakensberg, or Isimangaliso Wetlands among others. Or you could choose to visit Mozambique, Lesotho or other Southern African countries such as Namibia, Botswana or Zimbabwe, in addition to eSwatini.

We have different types of safaris to eSwatini, including Exclusive, Accommodated, and Camping Overland Tours, self-drive safaris, volunteer programs, and hiking tours. For those in search of more comfort, there are also Budget Lodge Safaris and Exclusive Budget Safaris to eSwatini. 

Find out more with our Kingdom of eSwatini safari travel guide page.

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Eswatini (Swaziland) is dwarfed by its giant neighbour, South Africa, but with Mbabane being only a few hours from Johannesburg, it does benefit from the good access into that international hub. Access into Eswatini from Johannesburg can be by road or air.

After some periods of restricted travel during the pandemic, as of November 2022, ALL COVID-related restrictions and requirements for entry in to Eswatini have been removed. Eswatini is full open to all visitors once again. Click here for the November 2022 notice on Cross-border travel from the Eswatini Acting Prime Minister.

International Rules & Regulations on travelling to Eswatini

The following table lists the most common countries of origin for international visitors to Eswatini. The table includes a link to their official government website detailing the current rules & regulations on travelling to Eswatini, with particular reference to COVID-19. Some countries have dedicated pages with guidance for Eswatini itself. Other countries have a general guidance for departing citizens along with rules & regulations for when they return home. Also in the table are links to a list of tour operators in each country that sell Eswatini, pre-filtered from our International Tour Operators & Travel Agents selling Eswatini page. For the countries that may not have an Eswatini-specialist tour operator, you can navigate to the full international list to find a tour operator you wish to contact.

If you believe any of the links to be incorrect, please  contact us  and we will update them.

Flights to Eswatini

Reaching Eswatini by air at present is only possible from Johannesburg, flying to King Mswati III International airport on Airlink. This much larger Airport has now replaced Matsapha airport. Pre-COVID, flights to Eswatini from Johannesburg were provided solely by Airlink , taking around 45 minutes. Flights departed four times per day and cost from US$175 one-way and US$350 return. An airport tax of E50 is payable when departing from King Mswati III International Airport.

Airlink schedules as at April 2021 (downloadable file): click here.

Airlink schedules (live online system):  click here.

There is also an airport shuttle bus service available from King Mswati III International airport to many places around Eswatini. You can see the full bus schedule  here .

For an insight into what it’s like travelling with Eswatini Air from King Mswati III International Airport, please take a look at this blog .

Intercontinental Flights to Johannesburg

Johannesburg is very well served by airlines from around the world with a number of European, African, Middle Eastern and American airlines all flying direct. The latest details of routes into Johannesburg can be found on this link.  For London, British Airways, South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic all operate two or three daily non-stop flights. Flight prices are dependent on the time of year, with flights to Johannesburg getting more expensive around the Christmas period. Non-direct flights in most cases will be cheaper, but shop around to make sure you get the best deal.

Entering Eswatini by Road

Driving into Eswatini is relatively easy, provided you drive sensibly and avoid the pot holes, ramshackle settlements, pedestrians and wandering livestock found on many of the roads leading into the country.

There is no Bureau to change currency, however the gate does accept South African rand. Most South African car hire companies will allow you to bring vehicles over the border. Find out more information here . Certain documentation is required to enter Eswatini from South Africa, depending on the ownership of the vehicle, as follows:

• Valid Passport
• Driver licence
• Letter from the company that you are given the access to drive the vehicle
• Blue book (Registration Document)
• Letter from the Car Hire
• Valid driver licence
• Valid passport

Own vehicle but still paying for it.

• Letter from the bank
• I.D  copy of the owner of the vehicle
• Valid driver’s licence.

Road Toll Fees

Eswatini Revenue Authority road toll fees for vehicles entering Eswatini are as follows as from 1st November 2019:

For further information, please see official documentation here .

Border Opening Times

In attempts to limit the spread of Coronavirus, a few of Eswatini’s smaller border posts were temporarily closed as from March 2020. However, as of 1 August 2022, all border posts are now operational during the following opening times:

Bulembu/ Josefdal : 08.00 – 16.00 Gege/ Bothashoop : 08.00 – 16.00 Lavumiso/ Golela : 0700 – 22.00 Lomahasha/Namaacha : 07.00 – 00.00 Lundzi/Waverley : 08.00 – 16.00 Mahamba : 07.00 – 22.00 Mananga : 07.00 – 18.00 Matsamo/Jeppe’s Reef : 07.00 – 20.00 Mhlumeni/Goba : 06:00 – 00:00 Ngwenya/Oshoek :24 Hours Nsalitshe /Onverwacht : 08.00 – 18.00 Sandlane/ Nerston : 08.00 – 18.00 Sicunusa/Houdkop : 08.00 – 18.00

By Bus from South Africa & Mozambique

A number of companies, including  TransMagnific  and   Melula Travel , run luxury minibus services between Mbabane and Johannesburg (OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton). Depending on the company, there are 1-3 services a day in each direction with journey times around 5 hours. Fares are from R450 one-way and R950 return. TransMagnific also now offer regular services to and from Durban, Nelspruit and Maputo on certain days of the week. Melula Travel can also provide transport for those routes on request. Local buses and mini-buses can also be used to get from South Africa or Mozambique into Eswatini but any such journey may need to be made in stages.

Most operators who organise tours to southern Africa will offer Eswatini itineraries, or provide a tailor-made service. Information about companies can be found on our International Tour Operators page.

Imports & Exports

International travellers over the age of 18 may import the following Duty Free:

• New or used goods, of a total value not exceeding E5000 per person
• 2 litres of wine
• 1 litre of spirituous and other alcoholic beverages
• 200 cigarettes and 20 cigars
• 250g of cigarette or pipe tobacco
• 50ml of perfumery and 250ml of toilet water

For VAT, all travellers (whether arriving from SACU or elsewhere) are entitled to import new or used goods duty free for their own personal use or consumption (i.e. not for resale) of up to E1 000 per person.

For further details of the Imports & Exports Rules applied by the Eswatini Revenue Service, click here .

Travelling With Children

Entry requirements, visas & foreign missions.

For information about entry requirements, Visas, and Eswatini’s Diplomatic Missions around the world, see our Visa Guide.

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Johannesburg to Swaziland drive

Johannesburg to swaziland road trip planner.

Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Johannesburg to Swaziland. If you're planning a road trip to Swaziland, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make sure you check road conditions to double check the weather. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members.

10:00 am  start in Johannesburg drive for about 56 minutes

10:56 am   Delmas stay for about 1 hour and leave at 11:56 am drive for about 56 minutes

12:52 pm   Witbank stay for about 1 hour and leave at 1:52 pm drive for about 1.5 hours

3:19 pm   Carolina (South Africa) stay for about 1 hour and leave at 4:19 pm drive for about 1.5 hours

5:48 pm   Mbabane stay for about 1 hour and leave at 6:48 pm drive for about 36 minutes

7:23 pm  arrive at Swaziland

driving ≈ 5.5 hours

Where should I stop along the way?

Delmas Witbank Carolina (South Africa) Mbabane

What are some things to do in Swaziland?

This section could be endless, so rather than trying to suggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave it open-ended.

Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions because there's an entire community of travelers talking to each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is where you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, trip dates & more!

Click the button below to explore more questions and answers related to Swaziland.

Do I really have to go back home?

Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation who wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning your next trip!

Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for a Swaziland to Johannesburg drive , or go to the main page to plan a new road trip .

Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of Johannesburg? Try searching for places within 4.5 hours of Johannesburg .

You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Johannesburg to Swaziland . Or get a full Johannesburg to Swaziland flight plan .

Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend.

And if you know Johannesburg well, please help your fellow travelers and answer their questions about Johannesburg!

More info on this route:

road conditions from Johannesburg to Swaziland

places to eat

alternate routes

Google driving directions