Swaziland: When to Go

The best time to visit is between May and June or in October, especially if you want to avoid those days when you could fry eggs on a tin hat. You'll get cooler temperatures (downright cold at night) in the eastern lowlands and warmer, drier weather in the highlands. If you want to see the two most important Swazi cultural ceremonies, go in August or September for the Umhlanga (Reed) Dance, or in late December or early January for the Incwala (the 'first fruits') ceremony. But bear in mind that Swaziland is rain-soaked between December and April.

Weather

With a mild summer and winter, the climate in Swaziland is mostly pleasant all year. Rain is more frequent from October to May, but with plenty of sunshine, low humidity and temperatures around 25°C (77°F), these months are hardly a trial to endure. Winters can get quite cold at night but are relatively dry. Closer to Mozambique in the lowlands, conditions become more tropical.