Swazi Trails
Swazi Trails is Swaziland's leading tour and adventure operator. The company is a fully licensed and insured tour operator established in 1987. Swazi Trails offer a wide selection of half and full day tours and activities, which encompass cultural, scenic, adventure and wildlife highlights in Swaziland. Services are available 365 days a year, with guaranteed departures for minimum of two persons on most Swazi Trails operated tours and activities. Prior reservation is required, however capacity generally exists to accommodate most short notice departures.
As a ground handler in Swaziland, Swazi Trails have extensive experience in transport, reservations facilitation and itinerary management. Swazi Trails have experience in location management in Swaziland and the company's indepth experience of the Swaziland destination is an invaluable asset to film productions.
For conference and incentive groups in Swaziland, Swazi Trails is a one-stop shop for either specific ground-handling or support services, or alternatively full itinerary management. Swazi Trails are also dynamic team-building specialists and have a long list of satisfied clients in Swaziland.
Fulfilling the role of an incoming tour operator for Swaziland, Swazi Trails offer multi-day itineraries, both within the Kingdom as well as linked to Mozambique, Kruger National Park and other neighbouring areas such as Mpumalanga and Kwazula-Natal, otherwise known as Zululand.
Swazi Trails tours and adventure activities are guided in English by informative local Swazi guides. With prior notice and at an additional cost, other foreign language-speaking guides can be sourced. Swazi Trails specifically supply indigenous Swazi nationals as guides and takes pride in the quality and professionalism of its staff.
Swazi Trails use a variety of tour vehicles for transport and tour purposes. The standard tour vehicle is a 9-seater air-conditioned Hyundai H1. On occasions we make use of smaller sedan vehicles for individual departures. Our drivers have a minimum of 3 years driving experience and are in possession of Professional Driving Permits (PDP's) which are reviewed on an annual basis. Swazi Trails carry extensive passenger liability cover on all its vehicles.
This online booking site carries many of the most popular Swazi Trails tours and adventure activities, however if you do not find what you are looking for please contact Swazi Trails directly at tours@swazitrails.co.sz
For an video overview of Swazi Trails activities take a look at our video pages .
Caring for destination
Main area of focus in Caring for the Destination:
Swazi Trails is committed to local skills development and the creation of employment opportunities for rural residents in the Mphaphati area alongside the Great Usutu River.
Detailed description of the Caring for the Destination Initiative:
Today the Swazi Trails objective of being 100% staffed by local community residents has been achieved, as all Swazi Trails rafting guides hail from the rural Mphaphati area. This 10 year development process started in the late 1990s and after intensive skills transfer from rafting guides from all over the world, a highly capable local guide team has taken over.
Swazi Trails is also very conscious of the huge development needs in the Mphaphati area which has for many years been one of the most remote and impoverished areas of the country. For each participant on a rafting trip, Swazi Trails donates ZAR 10.00 to the surrounding community. The initial disbursement of this voluntary fund in 2003, saw a sum of ZAR 45 000.00 utlised for the purchase of school study books, scholarships involving needy pupils and for the construction of a school administration block.
This fund has subsequently been allowed to slowly accummulate again and as at the end of 2008 the total was well over ZAR 65 000.00. The funds were again utilised for a significant community development during the course of 2009.
Swazi Trails is researching ways in which to leverage extra donor funds so as to optimise the value of this development for the community. At present there are no large businesses or extensive commercial farming projects at Mphaphati and many adults are migrant workers in the big cities. Swazi Trails in consultation with the community is hoping to identify a suitable revenue-earning activity at Mphaphati, such that young community members are encouraged to remain and invest time and effort within the community itself.
Trips depart Swazi Trails office at 08h30. Swazi Trails are situated within the Mantenga Craft Centre in the Ezulwini Valley. There is safe parking for vehicles. A hotel or lodge pick-up in the Ezulwini, Mbabane and Manzini areas can be arranged at an additional charge.
Free pick-ups are often provided when logistically possible, especially for larger groups or for participants accommodated in the direction of the tour departure. If unsure just ask as a special request when booking.
Participants on half day or combo trips who are exiting Swaziland to the south (Lavumisa/Golela) or west (Mahamba) may follow in their own vehicle to the river, so as to save time and distance later in the afternoon.
| Activities | From |
| Quad Biking Devil's Cauldron 1-hour trail | ZAR 395 |
| Canopy Tour Swaziland | ZAR 450 |
| Mountain Biking Culture Safari Combo | ZAR 625 |
| Mountain Biking Culture Trail | ZAR 490 |
| Quad Biking Devil's Cauldron 2-hour trail | ZAR 595 |
| Adventure Caving - Evening with dinner | ZAR 795 |
| Adventure Caving - day trip | ZAR 650 |
| White Water Rafting (half day) | ZAR 820 |
| Maguga Dam Houseboat- Day Rental | ZAR 600 |
| White Water Rafting (full day) | ZAR 950 |
| [more activities] | |
