Swaziland Guide
Lobamba
Some 20km south of Mbabane (and 5km past the Mantenga turning) at the heart of the eZulwini Valley, LOBAMBA was originally built in 1830 for King Sobhuza I, and became the royal kraal of Sobhuza II. The Houses of Parliament are situated here, and must be one of the few in the world to have cattle grazing undisturbed in surrounding fields. A paved road to the left leads down to the National Museum (Mon– Fri 8am–4.30pm, Sat & Sun 10am–4pm; E20, E25 for joint ticket with Memorial Park – which provides a helpful potted history of the country, with displays of cultural artefacts and a mishmash of old photographs of Swazi people and royalty, of Manzini and Mbabane when they were one-horse towns, of sweaty British administrators in full colonial regalia attending functions of the Swazi royal house, and much more.
Across the road is King Sobhuza II Memorial Park (same hours as the National Museum), a peaceful open space dedicated to the much-loved late king. The park is encircled by three structures: to the right is the park's royal entrance, which is a no-go area for non-blue bloods; straight ahead is King Shebhuza II's mausoleum with his coffin inside and also no-go – it's guarded; and, to the left, a beautifully presented new Cultural Museum which has a host of old photos of the former king lining the wall. Nearby, Lobamba's Somhlolo stadium is the country's venue for major events and football matches, which are usually highly entertaining. Consult the local Times of Swaziland for details, or ask almost any male Swazi.