South West Eswatini

Scenic Splendour

The magnificent rolling highveld uplands of South West Eswatini (Swaziland) extend west over the border into South Africa and are cut by the Great Usuthu, the country’s largest river which flows east across the region. That grand river is joined by its tributaries, the Ngwempisi and Mkondvo, along impressive valleys from the south. Today this is perhaps the least visited region in Eswatini, much of its traffic being in transit. However, this belies its historical significance. Ngwane III, founder of the Swazi nation, established his first ceremonial capital near Nhlangano, today the region’s only large town. It was via this route from the south that many early settlers arrived, including Eswatini’s first missionaries, who established the country’s first church, which can still be visited at Mahamba.

The region’s dramatic and beautiful scenery can be accessed most readily at a handful of locations. Ngwempisi is a truly stunning, wild and untouched wilderness area which can be explored with the help of community guides. Nkonyeni is a beautiful area that has been developed as a golf estate and now offers a few extra activities. And in the far south, Mahamba Gorge has trails through some impressive scenery and is a great location for birds. It also has community-run accommodation.