Swaziland is a geographically small country of just above one million inhabitants. It is located in the southern hemisphere in what is known in geopolitical terms as southern Africa. The Kingdom of Swaziland, as it is officially known, is one of the last four remaining monarchies in Africa. Its only neighbors are south Africa and Mozambique. It is a country of relative political stability. In recent years, Swaziland has increasingly faced economic challenges which have often resulted in political tensions.
In terms of tourism, the country is a relatively popular tourist destination. International travelers from as far as Switzerland, United States, Australia and the UK visit the country every year. This small nation has been immortalized by the famous annual reed dance, a cultural activity involving thousands of young women. This event has over the years attracted a lot of travelers to Swaziland.
Perhaps the first things to be aware of is how does one gate to Swaziland. International travelers to Swaziland often travel by air. Currently, there are no direct commercial flights to this Kingdom nation. It is usually the case that tourists travel first to Johannesburg, South Africa by air and then connect for the last leg to Swaziland. There is only one airport in the country called Matsapha International Airport. This is a small airport which only caters for very small jets. Plans are afoot but seem delayed to complete a new airport to handle bigger aircraft such as the Boeing 747.
Most countries particularly those with a history of sending many tourists such as the ones mentioned above do not require a visa to enter Swaziland. This applies for stays not exceeding 30 days. This is often long enough for many tourists to explore this small Kingdom with no difficulties. Once in Swaziland, many tourists find accommodation in the Ezwilini Valley. This is found near the capital Mbabane and is somewhat located at the center of the country. The Ezwilini Valley is also special because of its often unique weather, great views of mountains and the lush valley itself and affordable accommodation.
Once in the Valley, there are many activities to do. Some of the things to do include visiting the cultural village, the candle making factory, the glass making factory and historical shrines. Some attractions involve travel distance away from the Valley. All in all, with determination it is easy to explore the entire country in a few days. This is in light of the fact that the maximum breath of the country is some 200kms.
Apart from traveling to the country by air, it is also possible to come in by road. This happens frequently with tour buses that originate in Johannesburg. A visit to Swaziland can even be a short two day or three day visit. It takes about 3 hours to travel from Johannesburg to Mbabane by road.In many cases driving to Swaziland can prove advantageous as it will be much easier to explore the country. However, it is still not a difficult task to rent a car or to find taxes to move around once one gets on the ground. The hotels and lodges are also more than willing to help with internal travel arrangements.
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