The smallest country in the southern hemisphere is also one of the most easygoing-laid-back Swazis are more likely to celebrate for fun than demonstrate for reform. A progressive and hands-on attitude towards wildlife preservation has endowed it with a striking bunch of national parks. Black and white rhinos, elephant, and more recently lions, have been reintroduced into the collection of national park and game reserves. ln the rich and vigorous culture of the Swazi people, significant power is vested in the monarchy. The kingdom is highly conservative, and in many ways illiberal, but it works and has popular support.

June to August

Walking around the Malolotja Nature Reserve-one of Africa’s most enchanting wilderness areas Wildlife-watching in the excellent private Mkhaya Game Reserve Bunking down in a beehive hut in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary Witnessing the spectacular annual Umhlanga dance and lncwalaceremony in the Wzulwini Valley, Swaziland’s royal heartland Shooting white-water rapids, including a 10m waterfall, on the Usutu River Shopping for Swazi arts and crafts, including stuning tapestries

Read The Kingdom of Swaziland by D Hugh Gilis, a history of the kingdom

Listen to gospel singer France Dlamini

Watch anything by film pioneer Hanson Ngwenya

Eat fantastic seafood-seafood kebabs, seafood curry, grilled trout with almonds…

Drink home-produced beer, often made from sorghum or maize

Sawubona (hello in Swati; literally’l see you’)

Casinos; sugar cane; speed bumps; lions; rare black rhinos

Mkhulumnchanti is the name of the Swazis’ deity; respect for both the aged and ancestors plays a large part in the complex structure of traditional Swazi society; most Swazis rely at least partly on traditional medicine: there are two types of practitioners, the inyanga (usually a man ) and the sangoma (usually a woman)

The identity of the Swazi nation is partly maintained by a tradition of age-related royal military regiments. There regiments provided the military clout to hold off invaders during the difaqane and have helped to minimies the potentially divisive differences between clans, while emphasizing loyalty to the king and nation. Annual rituals such as the important lncwala or ‘first fruits’ ceremony and nation. annual rituals such as the important lncwala or ‘first fruits’ ceremony and Umhlanga (Reed) dance have the same effect of bolstering national identity.