Eswatini is a country located in the southern part of Africa, landlocked with South Africa and Mozambique in its surroundings. Before bearing the name of Eswatini, this country was formerly called "Swaziland". But, did you know that despite this name change, Swaziland has always been “Eswatini”?

Eswatini is a destination with lions and elephants in “Royal Hlane National Park'', and black and white rhinos in “Hlane and Mhkaya Reserves''. The safaris are very rewarding, but there are also possibilities for safari on horseback, mountain bike or on foot, if you want to get closer to yourself. This even applies to the rhino, which can be followed on foot - one of the most thrilling safari experiences there is. When it comes to bird watching, the variety of species found in Eswatini's varied habitats matches that of the much larger Kruger Park just to the north of the country.

Eswatini is home to many African wild animal species with some 132 recorded mammal species, many of which are protected in animal parks and nature reserves across the country. Rhinos, giraffes, hippos and elephants are high on most visitors' wish lists. You can certainly see a lot of them in Eswatini, alongside a small number of predators and many antelopes and small mammals and reptiles.

Eswatini has around 17 protected areas that are home to several species. Mkhaya is one of the best places on the continent to see black and white rhinos. Black rhinos are considered endangered, which unfortunately means that there are not many left on earth. White rhinos, however, are considered near threatened. This means that there are more white rhinos than black rhinos, but they don't have many either.

But what is the difference between a white and black rhino? Well, white rhinos have bigger skulls than black rhinos. Their foreheads also blend more into their back and also have a smaller shoulder hump than black rhinos. White rhinos are the second largest land mammal, just smaller than elephants. Not only is the black rhino the smaller of the two, it's also nicknamed the “hook-lipped rhino” for its eye-catching lip. The other distinguishing feature is that the black rhino has rounded ears, while the white rhino's ears are pointed.

The Swazi nation is an amalgamation of over 70 clans. Their chiefs form the traditional hierarchy under the “ngwenyama” and “ndlovukazi”, who belong to the largest clan, the “Dlamini”.

Indeed, the merger reunited clans already living in the region that is now Eswatini, many of which were of Sotho origin, and clans of Nguni origin who entered the country with the Dlamini in the early 19th century. Traditional administration and culture are governed by uncodified Swazi law and custom, which are recognized both constitutionally and judicially. The language is SiSwati, which is akin to Zulu, although it shares official status with English, which is actually generally used for official written communication.

The Swati diet is based on grains and vegetables. Meat dishes are reserved for special occasions when dishes such as goat stew, roast goat thigh or roast free-range chicken are served. Mealies, a porridge made from corn or sorghum, is the staple food. The often bland porridge is served with spicy stews made from vegetables and leafy greens. Pumpkin, green beans, corn, spinach, beets, rice, and sweet potatoes are frequently used ingredients.

Some of the popular dishes are emasi (sour milk), a fermented milk delicacy where raw cow's milk is fermented and filtered, corn on the cob (roasted or boiled), umbcweba, and umkhunsu (dried meat spicy, similar to jerky). Typical dishes are sishwala, a thick porridge served with a meat or vegetable stew; incwancwa, a sour porridge made from fermented flour flour; umbidvo wetintsanga, squash leaves cooked with peanuts; sidvudvu, a pumpkin-based porridge mixed with flour flour, and tjwala, the traditional beer.

The two main cultural ceremonies of Eswatini are the Incwala in December and the Umhlanga in August. The Incwala is sometimes described as a ceremony of the first fruits, but, spread over six days, it is a much more complex ritual of renewal and strengthening of the kingship and the nation, with songs and dances. used only on this occasion. The Umhlanga, or dance of the reeds, brings together the girls and young unmarried women of the country to cut reeds for the annual repairs of the windbreaks in the village of the queen mother; it lasts five days. It is also the symbol of the unity of the nation and its perpetuation through the massed ranks of young women.

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