Two impalas among bushes, one looking towards the camera

Between Kruger and the coast

Self-drive safaris in Eswatini

Eswatini is small, sits between South Africa and Mozambique, and is the country most people drive past. It stands in my enquiry form because it genuinely fits into a route through the region.

Parks I have driven myself

Two days on the way, not two weeks

The country is roughly the size of a large national park. That is exactly what makes it work as a leg between Kruger and the coast, a day or two, not a fortnight, and a noticeably different pace from the big parks.

Reserves you can drive yourself

Distances are short and the roads are manageable, which makes it one of the easier places in the region to drive without a 4×4. Border formalities need planning, though, that is the part people underestimate.

Worth knowing

Straight answer: I have not written Eswatini up on this site yet. If it is part of what you have in mind, say so in your enquiry and I will tell you what is realistic.

Entry

German passport holders: no visa for tourism, up to 30 days

Driving

On the left. Short distances — the whole country fits in a day's drive

Money

Lilangeni, tied 1:1 to the Rand; Rand is accepted

Malaria

Lowveld: low seasonal risk. Highveld: practically none

Best months

May to September — dry and mild

As of August 2026. Entry rules change — check with your own foreign ministry before you travel.

Where that is