Project Orientation
Following your arrival, you will receive a detailed orientation to introduce you to Swaziland and the project that you will be taking part in. The orientation will include a presentation that will introduce you to the country, the project, health and safety and the extra activities available to you.
You will then be sent on an orientation of the area that you will be living and working in. The orientation will take you via public transport into the capital to visit useful places, such as Internet café’s, banks and restaurants.
Accommodation and meals
You will be staying at a backpacker lodge in the Ezulwini valley, within 5km of most of the project site. The lodge provides dorms with bunk beds and communal bathrooms. All rooms offer access to your own veranda where you can spend your evenings relaxing. The lodge also benefits from a TV lounge with board games, a pool table and dartboard.
There is a spacious garden surrounding the lodge, which has a barbecue (braai) area. The lodge is conveniently located just 2km from Ezulwini’s main facilities including a shopping centre, restaurants and craft markets. Public transport runs from just outside the lodge to all major centres in Swaziland and there are also ‘humba’ bikes so you can ride down to visit the craft market.
You also have the opportunity to spend some of your time at the project staying with a Swazi family. We can help arrange this prior to your departure, or you can decide to take up this option once you are there and it can be arranged for you for a period of a week or so. This will be an eye opening experience with some of the houses being just basic mud and tin structures with no running water, and others being fairly modern homes. Please advise your travel advisor if you would like to stay with a host family during your project. You may also go on community outreach excursions into rural areas (depending on the needs of your placement), which may on occasion include an overnight stay in a rural homestead.
All meals will be provided throughout the project and participants will share the cooking duties on a relaxed rotational basis. Cooking facilities will be communal and quite basic, with food being purchased during a weekly food shop. Generally breakfast will consist of cereals and toast, for lunch you will have sandwiches and for dinner you will have a cooked meal.
Free Time
You will have the weekends to travel and explore as you choose. There are various optional activities available including cultural quad biking, white water rafting, paragliding, horse riding, mountain biking, visiting local craft markets, taking part in cultural festivities or just simply relaxing in the sun.
When it is possible your coordinator will arrange long weekends and expeditions to places such as Kruger National Park, Mozambique, St.Lucia and the Natal Drakensberg. These activities are available to you at a special reduced rate and are rated as very exciting African expeditions. Please talk to your programme coordinator if you would like further information.
Support
Throughout your stay in Swaziland you will have the support and guidance of your local project coordinator and team. You will be provided with competent assistance and help with any questions or advice you may need during your stay. In addition you will have access to a 24 hour emergency contact number so you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.
Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants health.
