By Alan Murphy
Alan is a renowned Africa expert and has authored many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the Swaziland section of their 'South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland' guide.
Swaziland is almost completely surrounded by South Africa, with Mozambique on its eastern border. Most people visiting Swaziland are on a larger tour of South Africa. In fact, Swaziland is perfectly located between Kruger National Park and the parks in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. Border crossings are straightforward and, from a logistics point of view, Swaziland can almost be considered an extra province of South Africa.
Therefore, most people visiting Swaziland fly into O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) near Johannesburg to start their South Africa-Swaziland tour.
O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is the air transport hub of southern Africa and is linked to the rest of the world by many major airlines. This competition makes flights to South Africa relatively cheap and it is always worth looking for specials. Onwards travel is mostly by car. Excellent roads and facilities in South Africa and Swaziland mean that some people choose the self-drive option. In most other cases, your local tour operator will arrange pick-up from the airport and further transportation as part of your tour package.
If you want to visit just Swaziland, you could fly from Johannesburg to King Mswati III International Airport (SHO) in Manzini, and hire a car here as well.
Domestic Flights
Scheduled flights from Johannesburg to Manzini in Swaziland can be booked with SA Airlink.
Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements
Entry requirements can change, so please contact your local Swaziland embassy to verify the information below is current.
- A passport is required for all foreign visitors and has to be valid for at least six months.
- Citizens from most countries do not require a visa and will get a 30-day entry permit on arrival. This includes nationals of the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, South Africa, British Commonwealth countries, EU countries and all other countries not included in the link below.
- Citizens from some countries require a visa and need to apply in advance at their Swaziland (Eswatini) Embassy or Consulate.
If coming through South Africa, also check the South African visa and entry requirements.
