From humble beginnings to conquering the world. The 600+ rural Swazi women who work hand-in-hand with this craft co-operative, can now be proud of the fact that their handiwork has made it to the high streets of London and many capitals of the world.

Traditional lutinzi grass is collected in the Swaziland mountains, dried, dyed and then plaited and woven with such incredible fine skill, that you would be easily fooled into believing that these individual artefacts were machine-made.  

Always innovative, always full of fresh new product ideas, this is a craft shop well worth visiting.  

Follow the link below to visit their website - its well worth the time.

The Manzini Market is big, bustling and always full of people. Thursday's in particular are big days for craft shopping as rural producers come to town to find markets for their products. This is one place that caters to every Swazi shoppers need - and it offers valuable insights into everyday Swazi life. Traditional clothing, muti (traditional medicine), vegetables, weapons, pots and all sorts of trinkets, find stall space alongside the large upstairs craft area. It will invigorate your senses with the colours, smells and noise of Africa going about going its daily business. Open every day except Sunday's and public holidays.

Indingilizi Art Gallery is a friendly Africa Art Gallery, exhibiting the best of African art and handicrafts. It is personally run by owners Anthony (son) and Dori Angus (mother). They first opened in 1982 and have exhibited top local, South African and other artists on an on-going basis, through exhibitions, media promotions and permanent displays. Paintings, sculptures and other artwork is regularly packed and air-freighted to international customers. Indingilizi sell framed collectible beadwork and African artefacts as well as prime baskets, antique and modern jewellery. The artefacts are carefully collected from all over Africa. The gallery has developed its own range of hand-painted candleholders and lamps. They are involved with the sale, development, export and promotion of quality crafts from Swaziland.

The brightly painted indoor and outdoor daytime courtyard restaurant is very popular amongst locals and tourists alike. The menu features foods from Africa, prepared from recipes collected from Morocco, Zanzibar, Mozambique and Cape Town.

Situated in a historical old building in the heart of Mbabane the Swaziland capital city of Mbabane on Dzeliwe Street, it is within easy walking distance of the centre of town.

Mantenga Craft Centre stocks a wide variety of traditional art, clothing, pots, toys and furnishings; the craft centre is a must-stop on all art & craft safaris. 

Check out Acan Masuku's incredible wooden carvings and off-the-wall artwork, feel the delicate finish of Rosecrafts woven mohair products, enjoy the funky feel of African Fantasy's "Two Wild African Cats" range of screen-printed products or get Mr Kashiki, a master silversmith to customise and individualise an piece of jewellery for you - right in front of your eyes.

The Ezulwini Health and Snack Bar provides a convenient place for a bite to eat within the centre.

Other attractions are the Ezulwini Tourist Office and the Swazi Trails office, both of which are found with the carft centre.

Amongst the mountains that encircle the Kingdom of Swaziland is one that resembles a basking crocodile. At its summit is the world's oldest mine, dating back 43 000 years and at its foot is the remote village of Ngwenya (Siswati name for "crocodile"). Here a small group of talented Swazi craftsmen and women - with age-old artistry - breath life into enchanting interpretations of the mammals and birds of Africa, imbuing each with its own irresistible personality. Witness 1st-hand the magical art of glassblowing from a circular  overhead balcony. Each Ngwenya Glass item is hand-made from 100 % recycled glass. Browse around the adjoining showroom which is well stocked and purchase your own little memento of a truly Swazi artefact.

Since its rebirth in 1987, Ngwenya Glass has been a legendary success story. It is really an environmentalist's dream of true. The products, which include a range of tableware, drinking glasses, vases, jugs and ornamental African animals, are all handmade from recycled glass. Most of this is from soft drink bottles, gathered from all over Swaziland . Not only are the people of Swaziland encouraged to collect the bottles, but Ngwenya Glass works with the local schools to instill in the children a sense of environmental awareness. In exchange for building materials and the sponsorship of the soccer team, the students must participate in roadside clean-up campaigns.

Ngwenya Glass is found just 20minutes north of Mbabane, near the Ngwenya border.

Coral Stephens Handweaving in Swaziland produces hand-woven fabrics from mohair, silk, wool, cotton and raffia.

These high-quality fabrics are used extensively in home, corporate and hotel décor in the form of curtaining, upholstery, carpets, and smaller items such as cushion covers, blankets and throws.

The hand made nature of the fabric gives it a unique look and feel; it is highly individual and combines a modern contemporary feel with an age-old manufacturing technique.

Coral Stephens undertakes commissions and is willing to work closely with decorators to create customised colours, textures and patterns. The business specialises in carpets made from raffia, twine and cotton as well as mohair and stripped "rag" cotton, each item is made to customers' size and colour requirements.

The Coral Stephens retal shop is situated within the Peak Fine Craft Centre, on the MR1 just north of Piggs Peak.

A great place to find gifts and curios.  Items are individually sourced by owner Ingeborg Bock and are always lots of fun. Children's gifts in particular easily found.

African Fantasy has two outlets in Swaziland, one at The Mall in Mbabane and the other at Mantenga Craft Centre in Ezulwini.

African Queen provides a wide variety of local Swazi craft as well as various fashion accessories, jewellery and gifts.

Swazi Candles, Ngwenya Glass, golf-shirts, t-shirts, swimwear, hats, postcards and books are to be found.

The shop is situated on the pool deck of the Lugogo Sun Hotel in the Ezulwini Valley.

Situated within the Royal Swazi Sun Hotel in the Ezulwini Valley, this art, craft and gift shop is also home to one of the better book collection in Swaziland.

African-inspired arts, decor and gifts can be found alongside a wide selection of magazine, newspapers, Africana and New Age books.

Situated at the bottom end of the Ezulwini Valley, The Gables shopping centre is a useful venue for travellers and local alike.

The Pick 'n Pay supermarket is the ideal place to stock up on food for self-catering holidays in Swaziland and fresh breadrolls, fruit and cheeses can be sourced for picnic excursions to many of Swaziland's outdoor attractions.

Banking facilities include a Nedbank branch and autobank facilities for FNB and Standard Bank.

Restaurants include Quatermaines (steakhouse and pub grub) , Great Taipei (chinese), Kanimambo (Portugese / seafood) and Linda's Coffee Shop ( salads and light meals).

Swazi Candles, situated in the Kingdom of Swaziland's Malkerns Valley has been producing fine handmade candles since 1981.

The Swazi Candles artists and craftsmen produce superb candle designs which are reknowned throughout the world.

Such is the unique style and quality of the workmanship displayed and the relaxed setting of this rural craft centre that arguably more tourist feet cross the doorway of this outlet than any other venue in Swaziland.

The adjacent Sambane Tea Garden provides delicious light meals...from renowned local chef Mollie Roques. This is a great place to stop with children as the lawns and grounds offer space and play facilities for youngsters.

Started by Rose Roques in 1979, Rosecraft began as as part-time hobby and is now a thriving weaving and mohair business in Swaziland.  The workshop, in the Makungutjcha mountains has breathtaking views and is well worth a half-day visit. This is a 45 minute drive from Ezulwini through interesting rural scenery.

Mohair and various other natural fibres including wool, cotton, silk and bamboo are processed by hand on looms almost unchanged since Biblical times.The colours of Rosecraft fabrics are famous and the fine fabrics, garments and tableware are individually handcrafted works of art.

All designs and colours are inspired by the rich local Swazi heritage. Rosecraft is a responsible tourism operator and participates in many community projects including clean water, clinics and HIV education.

Day visitors at Rosecraft can enjoy following the beautiful sculpture trail which meanders through indigenous forests and past cascading mountain streams. Birdlife is prolific and the mountain scenery stunning. Cosy picnic spots and hiking trails dot the mountainside.

Rosecraft also have an outlet atMantenga Craft Centre in Ezulwini. 

Swazi Secrets produce marula oil based health and skincare products .

Swazi Secrets was the 2006 Winner of The PhytoTrade Africa Ubuntu Natural Award for outstanding achievement in Fair Trade natural products. This business is a great story of women's empowerment and an industry that brings great benefit to impoverished communities in the Swaziland lowveld.

Swazi Secrets marula oil is completely pure and natural product.  The process starts in the rural communities where rural Swazi women are trained in kernel quality and hygiene standards. When the kernels reach the factory they are pressed within one week to further ensure that only freshly cracked kernels are used.  The oil is cold pressed on manual machines with temperatures of the kernels nor the oil ever exceeding 40 deg C. Marula oil is an extremely stable oil and if produced from fresh kernels, will normally remain in good condition for two years at room temperature. Nevertheless, after pressing and settling, the oil is stored in a cold room at around 5 deg C to maximise its lifespan. 

Marula Oil -  the Swazi Secrets flagship product is a pure, cold pressed and unrefined Marula Oil. Useful for treating a range of skin conditions, its primary properties are being rich in the antioxidants, oleic acid and Vitamin E. In tests it has rated very highly in moisturising and rehydrating the skin and in reducing skin redness. It has excellent properties as a tissue oil and historically African women have used it during pregnancy to avoid stretch marks. 

Other products include Marula Soap; Marula Hand and Body Lotion; Marula Facial Scrub; Marula Lip Balm and various packaged  products such as the Swazi Secrets Gift Pack; the Swazi Secrets Hotel Pack and for those with a sweet tooth Marula Sweets from pressed marula fruit.

Swazi Secrets products can be found in many local craft shops. The factory can be visited too. It is situated near Mpaka on the MR3 road.  

Check out their great website - listed below.

Tintsaba Crafts is another of Swaziland's art and craft legends. Since 1985, Tintsaba Crafts has run a brilliant rural development project in the Northern Hhohho region of Swaziland. The project works primarily with women's groups, producing and marketing quality hand-produced crafts.

The project is a resounding success, with over 600 women producing a wide range of traditional and innovative crafts. Included in this is tableware, functional baskets, collectors' baskets, trays and natural jewellery.

Another whole range has spun off from minature woven sisal disks for a new Tintsaba range of silver jewellery. Here undoubtedly the finest quality weaving in sisal in the whole of Africa is combined with innovative and artistic silver jewellery.

It has to be seen to be appreciated. Visit Tintsaba Crafts at the Peak Fine Craft Centre, on the MR1 just north of Piggs Peak. They also have an outlet in the Orion Piggs Peak Hotel.

They have a great website - drop in a check it out for yourself.

Omnifoto is a useful for stop for photographic supplies, accessories and printing in Swaziland. Situated in the Omnicentre in Gwamile Street, Mbabane it is a one-stop shop for most electronic and digital equipment.

Film, memory cards, flash drives, Cd's and DVD's, digiral cameras, batteries, cell phones - you name it - they have it.

Widely regarded as the best manufacturing jeweller in Swaziland, Gold & Silver is the anchor of the Gauva Gallety premises in Ezulwini. Situated just down the road from Mantenga Craft Centre on the road to the Swazi Cultural Village, it is a great stop for finding unique hand-crafted items. A feature of this design business is their elephant and giraffe hair jewellery combinations, as well as exquisite diamonds, tanzanites and other gemstones. 

Open Tuesday to Sunday the premises also has a fully licensed restaurant, the Guava Cafe, which combines a stunning view with various delicious home-made dishes..

Original batiks handcrafted in every ense of the word. White fabric transformed into colourful pieces of art by applying melted wax on to cloth and repeated dying. many hours of dedicated work results in a stunning high quality product that will make a major addition to any home or business premises.

Visitors can observe the process at the Baobab Batik workshop, whilst there are 3 retail outlets to choose from n the Malkerns tour loop.