Activities

Sports

There is no shortage of ways to keep fit and active in Swaziland. As well as the Outdoor Activities and Adventure Activities covered elsewhere, there are a number of sports on offer. The best places to find most sporting facilities are Swaziland’s various Country and Golf Clubs – legacies of the country’s colonial past.

Swimming

Most hotels and private clubs, and many guesthouses, have swimming pools for guests. The Cuddle Puddle at the Swaziland Health Spa also has a large pool. Swimming in the dams/reservoirs is not advised as these may have bilharzia and possibly crocodiles. Fast-flowing rivers in the highveld are safer – but caution needs to be exercised, especially when rivers rise during the rains.

Fishing

Fishing is available at a number of dams/reservoirs and rivers around the country. The Usutu Forest Fly Fishing Club manages several well-stocked trout dams within the Usutu Forest. Other top spots include Hawane Dam and Maguga Dam in the Highveld; Mbuluzi and Maluwula reserves in the lowveld; and Sand River, Simunye and Van Eck Dam on the sugar estates. Most rivers and dams contain native species, with tiger fish found in Van Eck Dam and the lower Usutu. Fishing on the sugar estates is generally for club members and guests. Many hotels organise fishing activities and packages. There are several annual competitions.

Golf

Swaziland is a popular destination for golfing holidays and has two championship-standard 18-hole courses: the Royal Swazi Spa Golf Club and the Nkonyeni Golf Estate. There are also nine-hole courses at Big Bend Golf Club, Mananga Golf Club, Manzini Golf Club, Mbabane Golf Club, Simunye Country Club, Nhlangano Golf Club and Usutu Forests Golf Club. Most are for private members and hotel guests. Some have clubs for hire.

Tennis & Squash

Good tennis facilities are available at the Royal Swazi Spa Resorts in the Ezulwini Valley, Foresters Arms Hotel in Mhlambanyatsi, Pigg’s Peak Hotel in Pigg’s Peak, and Nhlangano Hotel in Nhlangano. Many of the private clubs also have courts that non-members can use for the appropriate fee. The Royal Swazi Spa and Pigg’s Peak Hotel also have squash courts, as do Malkerns. Mananga, Manzin, Mbabane, Usutu Forest and Simunye Country Clubs.

Gym, Spa & Yoga

Most large hotels and private clubs have health and fitness centres, complete with gym and sauna; many also offer massages, aerobics, yoga and various beauty treatments. There is also the Cuddle Puddle at the Swaziland Spa Health and Beauty Studio.

Team Building

From simply having time spent together, to more challenging adventure activities, Swaziland is a great country for a team building exercise: and in Swazi Trails, has an excellent organizer of such, with a high reputation.