How to Get to Eswatini: Travel Routes, Border Tips & Transportation Advice

Wondering how to get to Eswatini? Whether you're flying in or crossing by land, there are several convenient ways to reach this stunning southern African nation.

Eswatini is a small yet culturally rich country bordered by South Africa and Mozambique, making it a popular detour for regional travelers. From scenic drives to quick domestic flights, the journey can be part of the adventure.

In this guide, we’ll break down your travel options, share border crossing tips, and help you choose the best route based on your itinerary and budget.

How to Get to Eswatini: a Brief Intro

Before diving into all of the details for how to get to Eswatini, let's go over some of the basics.

Where is Eswatini?

Eswatini is a small landlocked country in Southern Africa. It's sits in the south east of the continent of Africa, hugging the east coast of South Africa, and the south west tip of Mozambique.

 Does Eswatini Have an International Airport?

Eswatini does have one international airport, King Mswati III International Airport. It is situated in the Lubombo Region, which is about an hour east of the capital city, Mbabane, and is 40 minutes east of Manzini, the second biggest city in Eswatini.

 How to Get to Eswatini

Here are the different options for how to get to Eswatini:

• Fly to Eswatini
• Take a bus from one of the nearby cities in South Africa or Mozambique
• Rent a car and drive

How to Get to Eswatini: Comparing Different Options

Now that you know the different options for how to get to Eswatini, let's look into some of the details, so you can choose which option is right for you.

How to Get to Eswatini by Flight

There are two airlines that fly into Eswatini, which are Airlink and Eswatini Air. Airlink flies direct from Johannesburg a few times daily, and Eswatini Air also has flights from Johannesburg, but also offers flights to Eswatini from Cape Town, Durban, and Harare.

*Keep in mind that not all of the cities fly daily to Eswatini. The only city that does have flights every day of the week is Johannesburg.

Search for a flight to Eswatini or a nearby country:

How to Get to Eswatini by Bus

Eswatini is connected to both South Africa and Mozambique by bus, and this is a popular option for those starting their trip in another country, without returning there after (or for those that would prefer not to drive on their own).

How to Get to Eswatini from South Africa by Bus

Getting to Eswatini from South Africa is super easy, and can be prearranged with TransMagnific. There are buses from Kruger International Airport, Nelspruit, Durban, or Johannesburg, finishing Mbabane, which is the capital of Eswatini.

Here is a breakdown of the different route options:

How to Get to Eswatini from Mozambique by Bus

Traveling from Mozambique is a bit more unorganized and not as ideal as traveling from South Africa, but also not impossible. TransMagnific has buses in the afternoon, but you'll have to reach out to them to organize one in advance.

Other buses and minibuses depart from Baixa (Maputo’s city center) each morning- you'll need to ask around and find a bus that can take you either straight to Manzini or Naamacha, which is the border town. (We'd recommend going straight there).

Another option (although not the one we recommend) is to take a bus from Baixa to Boane and then Boane to the border. From the border you can then get a taxi to wherever you need to go in Eswatini, but they only depart when they are full, so be prepared to wait a while if this is the option you choose!

How to Get to Eswatini by Car

If you're planning on also visiting South Africa on your trip, or will be flying into South Africa, then a great option for how to get to Eswatini is by renting a car (which is exactly what we did).

You can easily drive into Eswatini from one of the several borders in the country, which are along both Mozambique and South Africa.

How to Get to Eswatini from Mozambique by Car

There are two border crossings between Mozambique and Eswatini. There is the  Naamacha/Lombacha crossing in the north side of Hlane National Park and there is also the Goba crossing in the southern side of the park.

Both crossings have more or less the same distance between Eswatini’s most popular cities and Maputo. However, some people prefer the Naamacha/Lombacha crossing because of better accessibility and infrastructure. 

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How to Get to Eswatini from South Africa by Car

Eswatini shares a lot more border distance with South Africa than it does with Mozambique, so you'll find this is a much more popular option. Many people will go straight from Johannesburg to Eswatini (the drive is around 4 hours), or others will visit from Durban or Kruger National Park (which is where we drove from).

If you are coming from Kruger, you'll most likely go through the Matsamo/Jeppes Reef border. For us it was an excellent experience - roads were easy to drive, it was really scenic, and the border agents were very friendly. They even gave us a welcome newspaper with all of the basic info needed to enjoy Eswatini!

We left through the Lavumisa/Golela border crossing heading towards Durban after, and we found our exit to be equally smooth and hassle-free.

 Border Gates in Eswatini

Here is a list of all of the different border crossings to enter Eswatini, along with their hours of operation.

How to Get to Eswatini: Conclusion

There are a variety of options for how to get to Eswatini! Here are a few things you'll want to keep in mind:

• You can fly right into Eswatini from a few different towns in South Africa.
• Johannesburg is typically the cheapest airport to fly into from other continents, so driving from there or hopping on a bus is one of the most affordable options if you are traveling from outside of Africa.
• Buses are best organized in advance.
• Don't forget to check any visa requirements for Eswatini, or the country you plan on coming from.
• Keep your camera handy! The entire region is really beautiful.
• Don't forget to check border opening times if you are traveling on your own.

👀 What's Next?

Now that you know how to get to Eswatini, you'll probably want to learn more about visiting! Here are some of our top guides we suggest to help you get acquainted with this beautiful country:

 Best Things to Do in Eswatini

 Top Game Reserves in Eswatini

 How to Get Around Eswatini (coming next week!)

So are you ready to check out all of the amazing things to do in Eswatini? We're sure you are going to fall in love with this incredible country just like we did!

Looking to experience other fun things to do around Southern Africa? We have a lot of Africa travel guides coming up, so make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for all of the latest updates!

Ready to book your trip to the Kingdom of Eswatini? We're here to help! Now Scratch Your Mapa offers travel planning services to help you find the most affordable flights and some of the most unique accommodations! Not only that, but we're creating really awesome group trips to South Africa and Eswatini soon!

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