Sights of Swazilanda

Despite its small size, the country has a surprisingly wide range of ecological zones and natural complexes, from savanna in the east to the tropical forest in the North-West, with numerous "Patched" Finbosa ("Lovely shrub") – "Business card" South Africa. A huge mountainous country on the border with Mozambique – a completely different landscape – dry and pointed mountains, as if growing from a flat foam.

The best way to get acquainted with Swaziland – Trekking, as well as hiking and horse excursions, and some of the national parks offer excellent routes, which are often the arranged paths of the locals, which they used centuries. Equestrian excursions are considered to be the most suitable for local conditions and have already managed to create a country of the glory of one of the world’s equestrian centers of equestrian tourism. In many cases, this is also the only way to explore inaccessible for other land transport parts of the country and get acquainted with the living nature of the region.

Mbaban is in the north end of the Valley of the Ezulvini among the lush hills of Delning, and cannot offer travelers of some special sights. Main "Tourist" Places in the city – fairly modern central streets – Alley, New Alley and Allaist Miller, the main street, named by the name of the first European, born here. To the west of the city center lies Swazi Square – a large, modern shopping complex, which deserves attention with its moderate prices and a wide range of stores. The tourist office of Swaziland is also posted here, where you can make a trip to any corner of the country. MBABAN market, located in the southern end of Alistaire Miller Street, there is a visit for his trading rows of local artisans and its prices, cheaper than anywhere in South Africa. Several excellent restaurants from Portuguese, Italian and Indian cuisine are also concentrated in the city center area.

Lobamba – Heart of the Valley of the Ezulvini, "Royal Swaziland Valley", The location of the Residence of the King – the Palace of Embo Roal, and the place of activity of the country’s legislature. Here you can see all aspects of the life of the royal family – from the dance of the Inquala ceremony, in which the monarch and dance of Umlaga takes part, who are held in the royal crap, to the frontal courts of the yard and colorful national ceremonies. Nearby is the National Museum, offering the exposition of the cultures of the peoples of the country and the cultural village – traditional for the region "Village-hive" With all the attributes of the life of local residents, specially preserved near the museum. Considering the size of the Royal Family (King of Sobhuza II had 600 children), the monarchs of the country now live in the state residence of Lotiza, 10 km. from Lobamba. Next to the museum there is a parliament building, which is sometimes discovering to visit tourists, and through the road from the Museum – a memorial dedicated to the King of Sobuzu II. Near the capital lies a small, but very picturesque waterfall Mantenga.

Manzini, the largest city of Swaziland and its industrial center, located 30 km. southeast of Mbaban. Between 1890 and 1902, this was a combined administrative center of the constantly conflicting British and Drins, while the rosary of the Anglo-Board War did not lend him to decline. It is worth visiting the market (on Thursdays and Friday morning), but in all the rest of Manzini leaves very controversial feelings with its provinciality and negrimity.

Sitecy is located on the road to the Mountains Lebombo and is quite separately from all cities of the country, but this city offers tourists cool sings of mountains and plains, abundantly swords. First of being "Capital" Highlanders and border guards, the city received his name from Mbandzheni, the great-grandfather of the modern king, who gave his permission to the detachments of the border guards to marry only here (the name of the city means "Women in place"), and since then, its colonial name of stegi is practically not used, and the city has turned from a tiny village in a fairly large shopping and cultural center. Siteca is also known for its schools of Inianang and Sangoma – government educational institutions, educational healers and connoisseurs of traditional medicine. A charming combination of nerds, spiritualism and natural science are taught here, and visits to schools by tourists are allowed, if it is arranged in advance through the Swaziland’s tourist office in Mbabane.

Not far from Sitecy lies a unique Muti-Muti reserve, used by actively practicing doctors and healers of Inian and Sangoma schools for collecting various herbs used in their work ("Muta" You can rudely translate as "Magic" and "medicine" simultaneously).

Dancing and singing – features of the main cultural ceremonies of Swaziland, and traditional folk celebrations have long been turned into this country in brilliant ideas, with thousands of human crowds and mandatory dancing women in folk costumes in unison with exciting traditional local rhythms, many of which were created in antiquity as Means for introducing trans, and now turned into folk songs and dancing.

The traditional Culture of Swami remains very strong, and an important ceremony of the type of inqual (sometimes called just Nkvala), Umlaga and Umkvasho still have a clear religious subtext. If you want to see the most important cultural ceremonies, you must come in August or September to visit the dance ceremony of Umlaga ("cane") or at the end of December – early January to visit Inquala ("Ceremony of the first fruit") – The most important event in the Calendar of Swami. One of the most important elements of the Inquala is a peculiar pilgrimage to the sea, with mandatory ablution of the waves of the Indian Ocean, symbolizing the return to the homeland of Swazi on the Mozambique coast. Groups "Bemanthi" ("Enlightened people") Then travel throughout the country, spreading on the settlements of plants, water and indius ocean foam, be sure to visiting the Royal Kralov in Lobamba. The culmination of the holiday comes when the king stops pilgrims, blocking them the path, dances in front of people and solemnly eats a pumpkin, thereby feeding the sign that Swazi people can now eat grain crops of the new crop. In the ceremony of Umlaga, held in August or September, who have reached the marriage young women travel throughout the kingdom, in order to eventually arrive in Lobamba in the House of the Queen-Mother and to help it in ceremonial tests. This festival – "Exhibition of Potential Women" For the king and the feast of the union of the nation, serves as a reminder to people about their loyalty and obligations towards the royal house.

"Great Valley" Ezulvini – Probably the best place to meet the country’s nature. Wood Swami Usuto – 65 thousand. hectares of plantations of local and imported woody breeds, provides shelter to the ancient Bushmen tribes with unusual villages. Also here is the countless number of waterfalls and forest trails passing through the most picturesque places.

The easiest accessible to the visit to Natural Park – Melivan, is located near the capital Mbaban, on the border of the high and medium fuel truck around the picturesque gentle peak of Nyonyan. There is a sufficiently large population of hippopotum, as well as a wide variety of crocodiles (by the way – the only predator in the area), Zebras and Giraffes. More than 200 varieties of birds live here, including magnificent purple Laurie – National Swaziland emblem. Also very highly assessed by tourists and rafting in the area, on the Great Suture River.

Milawula Reserve is 18 thousand hectares of completely untouched and infrequently visited by people of the forest, although it represents a very beautiful, severe terrain. It’s rather even a small natural country in the foothills of the mountains Lebombo. Rare varieties of plant-succulents, cicada and alpine poppy growing among the forests of iron wood, hyenas and leopards are found here in abundance as well as hippopotams, samango, crocodiles, a variety of antelope, zebras and more than 350 bird species. Since the timers of the Stone Age were found here, there are many cuts and tourist archaeological trails.

Nalolotzhja Nature Reserve is located on the hilly northwest of the country, 20 km. northwest of Mbaban. It combines high and combined veld, and about 280 varieties of birds live, some of which are listed in the Red Book. The name of the reserve occurred from the highest Swaziland waterfall, besides, in the park there are 26 more waterfalls of various values. Salokotzhja protects 18 thousand hectares of ancient wilderness. Wild flowers and rare plants, such as non-launch barberton, Cycade or forest proteate around numerous crystal-pure water threads attract numerous visitors. This is a fantastic walking place on foot, with numerous incentive trails, exciting mountain peaks and conveniently placed recreation camps with modern means of service. On the territory of the small town, the oldest one from the world famous mines, which was in production, according to scientists, more than 40 thousand years ago.