An interesting fact, Eswatini was formerly called Swaziland and is located in the Southern part of Africa! I love traveling for memories and experiences and Eswatini gave me a ton of them! I travelled all the way to climb the 2nd largest rock in the world and I was filled with excitement all through the journey (I’m sure you can tell from the title). Traveling and new adventures gag me up! I found Eswatini to be a unique country because of the things I discovered and learnt about the country throughout my stay. It’s safe to conclude that I had such a lovely stay in Mbabane.

In this blog, I will share interesting facts about the country, how to get there, accommodation, fun activities and my personal experience climbing the rock.

Everything written in the blog is solely based on my experience, which may differ from others. Additionally, as this is not a sponsored blog, all recommendations are based on satisfactory services I enjoyed.

How I got there

I flew from Cape Town to Eswatini (about 2 hours and 20 mins). There are no direct flights from Ghana to Eswatini. The easiest way is to fly from Accra to Johannesburg ( if you live in Accra) and then from Johannesburg to King Mswati III International Airport (KMIII), Eswatini. Yes! The King owns the airport. However, I personally disliked the services at O.R. Thambo International Airport (the international airport in Joburg) so I try as much as possible to avoid the airport if I can – which is why I flew from Cape Town. For such a small country with a very tiny airport, I was impressed to discover they had an airline called Eswatini Air, so I flew Eswatini Air.
It was such a seamless process to be honest. I had no troubles with the online check-in process and at the airport. They also provided some decent snacks onboard, although it was a short trip. For a round trip, it cost me approximately R7,774 (about $418 and GHS 5,527 equivalent).

Immigration

Eswatini is visa-free for Ghanaian passport holders so all you need to do is to pack your bags and zoom in! haha. Of course you’d need a valid passport which will be checked at the immigration check point. You will also be asked about the purpose of your visit. Overall, the process was seamless and swift!

Accommodation

Based on my past travel experiences, I pick accommodation based on 3 factors: safety, proximity and comfort. One thing you would want to avoid is getting stressed about accommodation as a new traveler in any country or city. You would want to enjoy your stay to the max while having good and enough rest in a safe environment. Thus, I always pay particular attention to where I stay which may be quite pricy (sometimes) for budget travels.
I stayed at Hilton Inn Garden Hotel. It’s a 4-star hotel and I enjoyed my stay there, except there was no toothpaste in my room and I had left mine at home. However, the reception was quick to provide one immediately when I asked (at a fee though). There were options to book just a room or to opt for bed and breakfast, I opted for the latter.
Hilton Inn also handled my airport pick-up and drop-off and my transportation within the city. It cost about R1,800 for a round trip to and from the airport ($97 and GHS 1,280 equivalent). Travels within the city may vary from person to person which is why I have not included those costs in this blog. You can also request a local taxi, which I did a few times. The taxis require cash payments so make sure you have some cash in addition to your card. The locals accept the South African Rand in addition to the Swazi Lilangeni. Of course you can also use any debit card for your transactions apart from purchasing street food.
The hotel breakfast was superb, so I recommend you book a bed and breakfast. All the facilities in the hotel worked perfectly. You may also check the hotel website for all other details.
Hilton Inn is in the city centre, although about 40km from the airport (almost an hour drive). The airport is a few kilometers away from the city centre and thus, most hotels are located quite a distance away. It is pretty easy to access all the tourist sites from Hilton. The hotel also had a list of all tourist attractions with their respective distances to help with decision making. Personally, i thought this was a brilliant idea especially for people like me who sometimes wake up and just want to wing it and go with the vibes.

Things to do

The country is surrounded by mountains so if you love nature, Eswatini may just be your vibe! As a nature lover, I can tell you that this small country has amazing wildlife, stunning scenery, fun adventurous activities and cultural experiences to expose you to the Swazi history and culture. There was a breeze of fresh green air everywhere and the city was neat.The skies were clear and blue, if you live in Accra you would better comprehend and appreciate this statement. The fact that we have to travel miles away to a different region to see clear blue skies, is troubling.

Anyway, it’s quite a small country so there are limited things to do, yet a lot to do. You can go hiking, rock climbing, quad biking, safari tour, kayaking, zip-lining, canopy tour, culture display and dancing or just relaxing in one of the eco-friendly resorts to unwind. Don’t forget to try the night life while there. I have listed below, a few tourist sites to include in your travel itinerary for your next trip to Swazi.

• Sibebe Resort (to climb the Sibebe Rock)
• Swazi Cultural Village
• Mlilwane Game Resort
• Mbabane Market
• Mantenga Nature Reserve
• Malolotja Nature Reserve

Now let’s get into my experience climbing the Sibebe rock. Can you already tell how excited I am about some random rock ? Haha you cannot blame me. I enjoy activities which give me that adrenaline rush. I was an excellent geography student years ago (unsolicited much? Had to sprinkle it here anyway)
The Sibebe rock is the second largest rock in the world, with the Uluru being the largest rock found in Australia. To climb the rock, you need to visit the Sibebe Resort, where you can also lodge and partake in various activities including water slides, zip-lining, swimming, hiking or just climbing the rock. I paid R100 (GHS 71 and $5.4 equivalent) as entry fee and additional R50 ($2.7 and GHS 35 equivalent) for a tour guide to climb the rock. Without a tour guide, you only pay R30 to climb. However, I would advise you opt for the tour guide for your adventure. The guides know the routes better and it’s safer to climb with them. They also give you information about the resort and the rock while on the journey.
The climb was approximately 2 hours but mind you, it can take longer if you are generally not a fit person or hiking is not your thing. Also the rocks and caves were very steep and slippery and required a lot of balance and good hiking shoes. Don’t worry, if you need to improve your balance and maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, this is a good opportunity to join our community yoga class or book a private session with me. You wouldn’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere!
The rock is magnificent! It is about 3 billion years old and covers an area of approximately 16,500 hectares. It also rises to about 1,488 meters above sea level and has breathtaking views of nature. It holds a cultural significance to the indigenous Swazi people, who consider it a sacred site. Overall, Sibebe rock stands as a symbol of Eswatini’s natural beauty and cultural heritage and if you are an adventure enthusiast, you should definitely put this on your list.

Before I end this blog (a rather long blog, sorry not sorry), let me tell you a few fun facts about Eswatini

• The king started ruling when he was a teenager and has been the king for about 40 years.
• The Swazi people practice polygamy so if you have been struggling with sticking to one partner in Ghana, please move there ( if you are monogamous, stay away from men in Accra. They run mad like men in Lagos. Read “nearly all the men in Lagos are mad”)
• About 15/20 mins away from the city centre, lands are traded with cows. You can buy land with one cow and pay the cash equivalent of the price of the cow if you do not own one.
• The Swazi people come from one tribe, making them one people.
• Crime rate is generally low because it’s a small country and the culprit can easily be found and dealt with. This makes it very safe to travel solo.

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Again, please feel free to reach me if you want help for curating your next trip, you want to join a group trip, you need a carefully and fun prepared itinerary, a guided tour or tips for a solo trip. I am excited to be your travel consultant!
Until next time, safe travels!

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