AllWays Traveller Features
Swaziland : The Safari Collection
The Safari Collection, one of the leading experts in East African tailor-made safaris, is offering explorers the opportunity to visit Lake Turkana's National Park in 2016.
This a destination well known by leading archaeologists but almost unknown to tourists.
It will now be possible for intrepid travellers to visit the world's largest permanent desert lake and the fourth largest saline lake in the world.
Guests will be able to see ancient stone tools, hominid fossils and visit live fossil digs on the Eastern side of the lake to discover how collections are managed and prepared by trained people from the local communities.
The tour will continue with a visit to the El Molo tribe on the upper reaches of the shores of Lake Turkana, whose houses are built on stilts in the Omo Delta.
The return flight will take in some of the region's most stunning sights including Von Hohnels Cone, one million flamingos on Lake Logipe and the sand dunes in Kerrio Valley.
The tour will finish with a picnic lunch on the Maralal escarpment, with spectacular views over the rugged and dramatic landscape of Northern Kenya.
Images : www.thekingdomofswaziland.com
Swaziland
While being the smallest country in Southern Africa, The Kingdom of Swaziland offers opportunities for adrenaline seekers, from the tree top canopy tour in Malolotaja Nature Reserve to caving the only major granite cave system known in Southern Africa.
The Malolotja zip wire is located in a gorge deep in the Malolotja Nature Reserve in northern Swaziland.
It offers 11 elevated forest platforms with lines that begin slow and short to provide a slight taste of what is to come then gradually become more intense.
These range from fast to high (almost 80m off the ground!) to a shaky (but secure) suspension bridge over the Majolamba River.
Baboon Rock is a favourite for tourists to see the baboons that frequently use it as their sunning spot.
An 800m course of subterranean passages 90m below ground provide a unique cave system formed by the Kophola River that flows underground between Msunduza and Kophola mountains.
This is the only major granite cave system known in Southern Africa, and comprises of a series of water-eroded chambers with names such as'Key Hole', 'French Connection' and for the Harry Potter Fans, 'Platform Nine and Three Quarters'. Progress through the caves is slow and strenuous with belly crawls, body jams and fluttering bats!
Swaziland's highlands, mountains and gorges offer opportunities to both climb and descend a number of rock faces.
Swaziland also offers :
The facts
Generally speaking, rain falls mostly during the summer months, often in the form of thunderstorms. Winter is the dry season. Annual rainfall is highest on the High Veld in the west, between 1000 and 2000mm depending on the year.
The further east, the less rain, with the Low Veld recording 500 to 900mm per annum. Variations in temperature are also related to the altitude of the different regions.
The Highveld temperature is temperate and, seldom, uncomfortably hot while the Low Veld may record temperatures around 40 degrees in summer.
Swaziland, one of the last absolute monarchies (Umbuso weSwatini) in the world, is one of the smallest countries in Africa and has a well-earned reputation for friendliness in Southern Africa. It also contains several large game parks and reserves, which are sponsored by the government and are popular tourist destinations.
Compared to other countries in the region, Swaziland is known for its civility and peacefulness, despite similar problems with poverty and the AIDS crises.
As of November 2008 the total reported percentage of those with HIV was listed as 30%; this, of course, does not include those who have not yet been tested.
The AIDS epidemic has broken up the traditional extended family unit, leaving many young children orphaned and fighting for survival.
Swaziland is divided into four administrative districts: Hhohho (northwest), Lubombo (east), Manzini (central-west), and Shiselweni (south).
www.wikitravel.org/en/Swaziland
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The only International airport of Swaziland is the new King Mswati III International. http://www.swacaa.co.sz/airports/kingmswatiIII.
Transfers to Mbabane, Matsapha/Manzini and the Ezulwini Valley area are made by dedicated bus.
The Commonwealth version of English is the official language of business. It is advisable that travellers learn a little of the local language, SiSwati (also known as Swazi) which, in rural areas, is spoken almost exclusively.
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The currency of Swaziland, the lilangeni (plural: "emalangeni"), is tied to the South African rand.
Shops in Swaziland often accept and make change for both currencies indiscriminately. This is not the case in South Africa, however, so if you are planning to visit South Africa also, you may prefer to request rand in exchange for emalangeni at banks in Mbabane or Manzini: proof of identity is required. It is impossible to exchange your emalangeni at Johannesburg Airport, as well as in the UK. All Swazi vendors will take Rand, but no South African vendors will take emalangeni.
Note that when travelling on the kombis in Swaziland, the operators will NOT take Rand coins.
Entry requirements
Foreign nationals of the following countries/territories do not need a visa for a stay of 30 days or less: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Island, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Citizens of Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal and holders of British passports can obtain a visa free of charge on arrival.
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