Swaziland (Eswatini) Safari Trips & Tours

Getting there
The best route to enter Swaziland (Eswatini) is via Johannesburg by air or road. Depart from OR Tambo International Airport and land at King Mswati III International Aiport, with an average duration of 45 minutes. Driving across the border is more adventurous as roads are filled with potholes and wandering livestock. However, most South African car hire companies allow you to take vehicles over the border.

Health & safety
Please consult your personal physician and/or a travel clinic preferably 6 weeks prior to your departure. Vaccine requirements vary based on your country of origin and your travel itinerary and your previous vaccination history. It is best to consult with your physician or the CDC website for guidelines.

Important vaccinations to consider and which may either be required or recommended are: Hepatitis A & B, typhoid, rabies and meningitis.

Malaria
We advise that you consult a medical practitioner at least six weeks prior to travel. Malaria is present in certain areas of Eswatinia, especially those close to Mozambique and South Africa. It is advisable to take malaria prophylactics before, during and after your visit should it be necessary. Please consult a medical professional regarding which prophylactics will be suitable for you. A number of other mosquito-borne illnesses are present in Swaziland and, in addition to the recommendations of your travel clinic or physician, you may also consider the following proactive preventative measures:

● Apply insect repellent to exposed skin. Recommended repellents contain 20-35% DEET but it is a very virulent repellent, and should be used cautiously.
● Wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants at dawn and dusk, as well as closed shoes.
● Use a mosquito net if your tent or room isn't screened or air-conditioned; and spray insecticide or burn a mosquito coil before going to bed.

If you come down with flu-like symptoms either during or within four to six weeks after your visit to a malaria area, seek a doctor's advice immediately and let him/her know that you have been in a malaria area.

You can also visit www.malaria.org.za for more information.

Communication
Country code: +268

Calling overseas from Eswatini:
From a landline dial 00 followed by the country code plus area code and number.
e.g. USA: 00 1 910 795 1048

When calling from a cell phone dial + prefix followed by the country code plus area code and number. e.g. USA: + 1 910 795 1048

Money
The local currency is the Swaziland Lilangeni. There isn’t a bureau to exchange currency but South African rands can also be used country-wide. There are ATMs in certain areas but we wouldn’t bank on drawing money wherever you go, so it’s wise to carry notes for small shops and tipping.

Gratuities
We must stress that tipping is not compulsory or expected; rather it is an extra reward for excellent service. If you are pleased with the service you receive you are more than welcome to tip your guide or the staff. Tipping is usually done at the end of your safari, and you may tip the staff individually, place a tip for all the staff in the box or do both. Tips can be made in Congolese Francs or US Dollars.

Gratuities suggestions:
Lead guide: $15 - $20 per person per day
Transfer drivers (e.g. in cities or between airport and hotel/lodge): $5 per person per transfer
Porter: $1 per bag
Ranger or any “ancillary” guides on ad-hoc basis for a specific activity: $5 - $10 per person per activity
General Camp staff (put in a central box in each camp’s main area): $10 - $15 per person per day

Insurance
It is a condition of booking that you carry the correct comprehensive travel and medical insurance to cover yourself, as well as any dependents/travelling companions for the duration of your trip. This insurance should include cover in respect of, but not limited to, the following eventualities:

Compulsory Insurance:
a. Emergency evacuation expenses
b. Medical expenses
c. Repatriation expenses

Recommended Insurance:
a. Cancellation or curtailment of trip
b. Damage/theft/loss of personal luggage, money and goods

As a general precaution, we recommend you make several copies of your travel-related documents (passport, traveller’s cheques, credit cards, itinerary, airline tickets, insurance cover, visas, etc.). Leave one set at home, and bring another set with you, and place it in a location separate from your originals.

For tourist visits, visas are NOT required by citizens of most Commonwealth countries, the USA, Japan, most European Union countries and certain other countries. Passports MUST be valid for at least six months from your departure from Swaziland to home. There must be at least TWO (we recommend four) consecutive blank VISA pages in the passport (not endorsement pages).

Please do contact the embassy or consultant in your home country to reconfirm visa requirements, as they are known to change frequently. Visa Central is also a good resource.

What to pack
Eswatini experiences a subtropical climate as a result of moist air blown from the Indian Ocean. However, apart from the west, which receives typical subtropical weather, the more mountainous areas see a different climate due to the high altitude. Happily, 80% of Swaziland’s rainfall occurs between October and March, so it is fairly easy to pack accordingly.

What to pack
Light, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers
Warmer items like a fleece or jumper, and thick socks
Hiking shoes and sandals
Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
Insect repellent
Hand sanitizer or wipes
Toiletries – most camps will provide shampoo, shower gel and soap
A small torch
Spare batteries, plug adaptors and charging equipment
A good pair of Binoculars
Books or a fully loaded Kindle / iPad for down time

Most camps and lodges will have a small medical and first aid kit, but we recommend bringing your own supply of essentials - cough medicine, plasters, vitamins, aspirin and paracetamol, and anything else you use on a regular basis.

Camera Equipment (for the enthusiasts)
• A telephoto lens (200/300mm)
• Flash and fast film (400 ASA) for night photography
• Lots of film (64,100,200,400 ASA) if using an SLR camera
• Spare memory cards for digital cameras
• Camera cleaning equipment and a good dust proof bag
• Bring spare batteries as although you may recharge your batteries at the camps, charging capacity can be limited.

Electricity
Eswatini uses type M plugs, the standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.