Travel and Tourism

Travel and Tourism in Eswatini

Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Eswatini.

Practical Information

Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.

Travel Alert Status: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Time Difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Currency: lilangeni (SZL)
Climate: Swaziland is divided into four well-defined regions running from west to east. The mountainous highveld, where Mbabane is located, has a humid, near-temperate climate with mean annual rainfall of 40-90 inches (100-230 centimeters), rarely suffering from drought. Daytime weather is more variable in the highveld than in other regions; a foggy morning may be followed by a sunny afternoon and vice versa. Temperatures in Mbabane range from an average of 51ºF to an average of 72ºF. In some parts of Mbabane, frost develops in winter and snow occasionally occurs. The middleveld and the Lubombo Plateau (the central and extreme eastern sections) are subtropical and drier, with mean annual rainfall of 25-47 inches (65-120 centimeters). Temperatures average 78ºF to an average low of 57 degrees. The middleveld is the site of the industrial center of the country, Manzini, as well as the University of Swaziland campuses and has an average elevation of 2,500 feet. The average elevation of the Lubombo Plateau is 1,800 feet. The lowveld is subtropical and drier with a mean annual rainfall of 20-30 inches (50-90 centimeters); the majority of this rainfall is from heavy storms. Temperatures in Big Bend, the largest town in the lowveld, range from an average low of 58ºF to a high of 84ºF. The altitude ranges from 500 to 1,000 feet.
Ethnic Groups: African 97%, European 3%
National Holiday: Independence Day (Somhlolo Day), 6 September (1968)
Geographic Coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Airports: 18

Health and Safety

Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.

Medical Facilities and Care

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical facilities are limited throughout Swaziland and emergency medical response capabilities (including ambulance transport) are almost non-existent. Although the Mbabane Clinic in the capital is small, it is well-equipped and well-staffed for minor procedures, as is the Manzini Clinic in Matsapha. For advanced care, U.S. citizens often choose to go to South Africa where better facilities and specialists exist. Most prescription drugs are available locally or can be imported from South Africa, but travelers are advised to bring sufficient quantities of their own required medication. A doctor’s note describing the medication may be helpful if questioned by authorities. Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Swaziland.
Accessibility: While in Swaziland, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what is found in the United States. Swaziland currently has no formal legislation mandating access to transportation, communication, and public buildings for persons with disabilities; however Mbabane City Council has recently adopted regulations mandating special access for persons with disabilities in new public buildings.

Disease Risk

Degree of Risk: Intermediate
Food and Waterborne Diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne Diseases: malaria
Water-Contact Diseases: schistosomiasis

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