Alan is a renowned Africa expert and has authored many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the Swaziland section of their 'South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland' guide.
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is easily incorporated in a South African holiday. It offers some outstanding wildlife viewing in low-key parks, stunning scenery and traditional cultures. Mkhaya Game Reserve and Hlane Royal National Park are excellent places to see many flagship animals.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Eswatini has a good variety of wildlife with all of the Big Five present. The parks are quite small but well managed. Some animals are kept in large drive-through enclosures which makes viewing easy. Lion, white rhino and elephant are all easily seen in Hlane. A good variety of antelope species can be seen in different environments, including tsessebe, eland and sable.
Weather & Climate
Eswatini has a distinct summer and winter but at opposite times as in Europe and North America. Summer, from October to April, corresponds with the Wet season and winter, from May to September, corresponds with the Dry season. The summer rains usually manifest in the form of afternoon storms and rarely interfere with daily activities. Summer tends to be quite hot with temperatures up to 32°C/90°F and high humidity.
Best Time To Visit
Eswatini can be visited throughout the year. Wildlife viewing tends to be a bit better during the Dry winter months when vegetation is thin and animals come to drink at predictable sources. However, the parks are quite small and many animals are kept in large enclosures which makes viewing easy at any time. April to May and September to October are transition months and offer lovely weather conditions with mild temperatures but little rain.
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