CENTRAL SWAZILAND

The country's tourist hub, central Swaziland is a heady mix of culture, nature and epicurean indulgences, and has plenty to keep you occupied for a few days. There are wildlife reserves to explore, museums to visit, great restaurants to sample and quality handicrafts to bring home.

Swaziland's tourism centre, the Ezulwini Valley, begins just outside Mbabane but feels a world away from the hullabaloo of the capital. With an excellent selection of places to stay and wonderful craft shopping, it's a convenient base for many visitors.

• The tranquil, thickly forested Mantenga Cultural Village & Nature Reserve offers a guided tour of the Swazi Cultural Village, a ‘living’ cultural village with authentic beehive huts and cultural displays, plus a sibhaca dance (performed daily at 11.30am and 3.15pm) and a visit to the impressive Mantenga Falls - all included in the entrance fee . The reserve is also great for hiking; day hikers pay only E50. Although it's not a big wildlife park, it offers a chance to see vervet monkeys, baboons, warthogs, nyalas and duikers.
• Lobamba is an area that has played host to Swaziland’s monarchy for over two centuries. It’s home to some of the most notable buildings in the country. Despite its importance, Lobamba feels surprisingly quiet – except during the spectacular Incwala and Umhlanga ceremonies, when the nation gathers on the surrounding plains for several days of intense revelry.

MALOLOTJA NATURE RESERVE

One of Swaziland’s premier natural attractions, the beautiful Malolotja Nature Reserve is a true wilderness area that’s rugged and, for the most part, unspoilt. The reserve is laced by streams and cut by three rivers, including the Komati, which flows east through a gorge in a series of falls and rapids until it meets the lowveld. No prizes for guessing that this spectacular area is a fantastic playground for nature-lovers and ornithologists, with more than 280 species of bird. Don’t expect to see plenty of large mammals, though. It’s the scenery that’s the pull here, rather than the wildlife.

Malolotja offers some of the most inspirational hiking trails in Swaziland, so pack your sturdy shoes. Walking options range from short walks to multiday hikes. Well-known and much enjoyed walks include the 11.5km Malolotja Falls Trail, with superb views of the Malolotja Valley, and the 8km Komati River Trail.

NORTHEASTERN SWAZILAND

Within an easy drive of the Mozambique border, this remote corner is the country's top wildlife-watching region: you'll find a duo of excellent wildlife parks – Hlane Royal National Park and Mkhaya Game Reserve – as well as lesser-known Mlawula Rature Reserve that also begs exploration. If it's action you're after, the superb rapids of the Great Usutu River (Lusutfu River) provide an incredible playground.

The country’s largest protected area, well-organised Hlane Royal National Park is home to elephants, lions, leopards, white rhinos and many antelope species, and offers wonderfully low-key wildlife and bird-life watching. There's plenty to keep you occupied, including bush walking, wildlife drives, mountain biking and cultural tours.

The low-key Mlawula Nature Reserve, where the lowveld plains meet the Lubombo Mountains, boasts antelope species and a few spotted hyenas, among others, plus rewarding birdwatching. Keep your expectations in check, though; wildlife is more elusive here than anywhere else in the country and visitor infrastructure is fairly limited. The park's real highlight is its network of walking trails amid beautifully scenic landscapes.

The crowning glory of Swaziland's parks, the top-notch and stunning Mkhaya Game Reserve is famous for its black and white rhino populations. Its other animals include roan and sable antelope, giraffes, tsessebe, buffaloes and elephants, along with a rich diversity of birds. If you’re lucky, you might spot the elusive narina trogon and other rare bird species. Note that children under 10 are not allowed in the park.