Eswatini, the small kingdom formerly known as Swaziland, sits between South Africa and Mozambique. Visitors arrive overland through one of its border posts or fly into King Mswati III International Airport, and spend their days between game reserves, highland trails and the towns of Mbabane, the administrative capital, and Manzini; Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital. Eswatini is not covered by Roam Like at Home, so a European SIM pays its operator's own roaming rates here, just as it does on the South African roads that lead in.
Key facts for Eswatini
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: varies by plan
- Emergency numbers: police 999; ambulance 977; fire 933
- Embassies: the US in Mbabane; the UK has a high commission there, but its consular help comes from Pretoria; most EU countries cover Eswatini from Pretoria or Maputo
Border posts and entry
Ngwenya/Oshoek, on the main road from Johannesburg, keeps the longest hours of any border post, while the small crossings in the hills shut in the late afternoon or early evening. Check the times before you plan the day. British visitors can stay up to 30 days without a visa, and other nationalities should check their own rules; they can request a 30-day extension from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and anyone staying beyond 60 days needs a temporary residence permit. Your passport must be valid for 3 months after arrival with 2 blank pages, plus 2 more if you are also visiting South Africa. Check the date on your entry stamp, because a wrong one can see you refused re-entry for up to a year, and expect health questions at the land borders and at the airport.
On the road
Plan border crossings for daylight, and avoid walking in central Mbabane and Manzini after dark. If your car is registered elsewhere, you fill in a customs declaration and pay a road fund levy at the border, which can be settled in South African rand, and must keep proof of both in the vehicle; cars may be searched. Traffic keeps left and using a mobile phone at the wheel is illegal. British drivers need the 1949 international driving permit, sold only in the UK, alongside their licence. The alcohol limit is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, against 80 in England, and police run random roadside checks. Watch for slow lorries on hills, potholes and stray animals, and keep off rural roads at night, when unlit trailers and badly lit trucks add to the danger. Urban minibuses are usually overcrowded and poorly maintained, though the airport coaches between Johannesburg and Mbabane are generally safe.
Mbabane, Manzini and protests
Most crime is opportunistic: pickpocketing, casual theft and the occasional mugging, mainly on the edges of towns and at night, while armed robbery happens but is not common. Skip the downtown areas of Mbabane and Manzini after dark, keep expensive watches and jewellery out of sight, carry little cash, and be extra careful in the run-up to Christmas, when crime usually rises. Protests and strikes over political or economic issues break out from time to time and are heavily policed, sometimes with force, so keep away from marches and follow local news. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal, and public displays of affection are likely to be frowned on.
Reserves and storm season
Hlane Royal National Park, in the north-east, is the largest protected park and home to lions and four of the Big Five; Mkhaya, in the south-east, is a fine place to see black and white rhino; Mlilwane, in the centre, offers horse riding, mountain biking and hikes; and Malolotja, in the north-west, is a highland reserve. Keep a safe distance from animals and follow the rangers' instructions. From November to April, violent thunderstorms with lightning, heavy rain and hail are common, especially in the Highveld, and can damage roads and cause flooding in places, so check the forecast before a long drive.
Healthcare and money
Basic healthcare is available, but common medicines can run short, and serious cases usually mean a transfer to South Africa, so your insurance should cover evacuation there and repatriation. The lilangeni (plural emalangeni) is fixed one-to-one to the South African rand, and rand are accepted everywhere.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM set up before you leave is ready the moment you cross at Ngwenya or land at King Mswati III airport. Eswatini has plans of its own on 4G, and an Africa plan or a World plan also covers South Africa and Mozambique, so a single eSIM can follow you across all three countries. Keep your regular SIM in the phone for bank codes, with its data roaming off.
Local SIMs: MTN and Eswatini Mobile are the two mobile networks, and their SIM cards are widely sold.
Consular protection: who to call in Eswatini
- Call 999 for the police, 977 for an ambulance and 933 for the fire service.
- The British High Commission in Mbabane has no consular section: British nationals are directed to the one in Pretoria. The US Embassy in Mbabane assists American citizens.
- Most EU countries cover Eswatini from their embassies in Pretoria or Maputo, so check which one is responsible for yours. If yours is not represented, any other EU country's mission must assist you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- Look up your country's nearest embassy or consulate in the Telcomia app, which lists addresses and phone numbers, and make sure you know which one handles Eswatini.
- siSwati and English are the official languages.
Questions travellers ask about Eswatini
Will my EU plan work in Eswatini?
Only as roaming at your operator's own rates, because Eswatini is not covered by Roam Like at Home.
Which border post should I use?
Ngwenya/Oshoek, on the road from Johannesburg, keeps the longest hours. Smaller posts close earlier, and crossing after dark is best avoided anyway.
Which network does a Telcomia eSIM use in Eswatini?
The network varies by plan; Eswatini's own plans connect on 4G where available.
Is Mbabane safe to walk around?
Take the usual care with valuables, and avoid the downtown areas of Mbabane and Manzini after dark.
The short version
Install the eSIM before you travel, check your entry stamp, cross the border by day at a post that is open, keep clear of protests and of downtown Mbabane and Manzini at night, and save 999 and 977.
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