.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg?width=800)
SZ · Curated travel guide
Eswatini: 10 places worth the journey
Emlembe, Ngwenya Mine, Waterford Kamhlaba and 7 more — what each one is, and why it is worth the detour.
- Places
- 10
- Language
- Swati, English
- Currency
- SZL
What to see in Eswatini
Chosen from everything Wikidata knows about Eswatini and ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions describe them, which is about as close to "famous" as open data gets.
Ngwenya Mine
Ancient mine in Eswatini
A mine on Bomvu Ridge, northwest of Mbabane, near Eswatini's (Swaziland's) northwestern border, thought to be the oldest mine on Earth.
Photo: Heather Dowd, CC BY-SA 2.0
Waterford Kamhlaba
School in Eswatini
Properly Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa (WKUWCSA), a private secondary school near Mbabane, Eswatini, and one of the 18 international schools and colleges of the United World Colleges movement.
Photo: Hansbe at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Malolotja National Park
A park protecting 180 km² (69 sq mi) of wild mountain country along Eswatini's border with South Africa, in the northwest. It includes Ngwenya Mountain, the country's second-highest, and Malolotja Falls, Eswatini's highest, with a drop of 89 metres (292 ft).
Photo: René C. Nielsen, CC BY-SA 2.0
Maguga Dam
Dam in Hhohho, Eswatini
Standing 115 metres (377 ft) high on Eswatini's Komati River, a dam about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Piggs Peak, to the town's south.
Photo: FreddieA, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mkhaya Game Reserve
Lying along the MR8 road: a game reserve protecting part of Eswatini.
Photo: Justinjerez, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary
The oldest protected area in Eswatini, a wildlife sanctuary that a non-profit trust owns and runs.
Photo: Vaiz Ha, CC BY 2.0
Hawane Nature Reserve
Nature reserve in Eswatini
A nature reserve set up in 1978 to protect marshland along Eswatini's Mbuluzi River, the natural habitat of Kniphofia umbrina, a rare red hot poker found only in Eswatini.
Photo: Franz Xaver, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mlawula Nature Reserve
Nature reserve in Eswatini
A nature reserve in north-eastern Eswatini, covering approximately 165 km² (64 sq mi), next to Hlane Royal National Park and the Simunye and Mbuluzi reserves.
Photo: K. Braun, Public domain
Phophonyane Falls Nature Reserve
Nature reserve in Eswatini
A scenic nature reserve and tourist spot of 600 ha near Piggs Peak, Eswatini.
Photo: Steven Belcher, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Eswatini
Formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, and formerly officially Swaziland or the Kingdom of Swaziland, a landlocked Southern African country. South Africa surrounds it on every side but the east, where it borders Mozambique. It measures at most 200 km (120 mi) from north to south and 130 km (81 mi) from east to west, making it continental Africa's second-smallest country.
Officially The Kingdom of Eswatini.
Based on the Wikipedia article, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0: the facts are Wikipedia's, the wording is this site's.
Questions travellers ask
What is worth seeing in Eswatini?
This guide lists 10: Emlembe, Ngwenya Mine, Waterford Kamhlaba and Malolotja National Park and others.
How were these places chosen?
By machine, from open data, with no human ranking them and nobody able to pay for a place on the list. Everything Wikidata records in Eswatini that is a building, a landform, a protected area or a tourist attraction, has coordinates, a photograph and an English Wikipedia article, is ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions wrote about it. Provinces, cities, airports, stations and stretches of sea shared with the neighbours are filtered out.
What language is spoken in Eswatini, and what currency?
Swati, English. The currency is SZL.
How do I get mobile data in Eswatini?
A travel eSIM is usually the cheapest way, and avoids a roaming bill. The plans suggested at the foot of this guide start at $14.52 for 1GB per day. The eSIM is data-only and sits alongside your normal SIM, so calls, texts and WhatsApp keep working on your own number.
Which networks would my phone use in Eswatini?
Swazi MTN. Your phone picks whichever has the best signal where you are, the same way a local phone does.
One practical note: staying online
Maps, tickets and translation all want data, and roaming is the expensive way to get it. A Computatus eSIM eSIM connects to Swazi MTN once you land, and installs by QR code before you leave.
See 13 Computatus eSIM plans for Eswatini from $14.52
| Plan | Data | Valid | Price | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB per day Cheapest | 1 GB | 1 day | $14.52 | Get it → |
| 1GB for 7 days | 1 GB | 7 days | $15.04 | Get it → |
| 1GB per day | 1 GB | 1 day | $16.86 | Get it → |
| 2GB per day | 2 GB | 1 day | $25.40 | Get it → |
| 2GB per day | 2 GB | 1 day | $32.04 | Get it → |
| 3GB for 15 days | 3 GB | 15 days | $40.22 | Get it → |
No app needed. Install by QR code before you fly, keep your own number for calls, and it connects the moment you land.
Swazi MTN 4G
A commission on plans bought through these links is what pays for this guide. Nothing above depends on it: the places are chosen before any price is looked up.