Swaziland homestay
| country: | South Africa |
| location: | SwazilandSee map here |
| price: | From R400 - R550 (approx £26 - £36) per person per night |
description
This is the story of a young man called Mxolisi Mdluli, also known as Myxos, born in Swaziland. Like so many in his country, Myxo went to school and got his certificates as a Mechanic for light vehicles and later did a certificate for heavy vehicles, but then couldn't find a job. In 1997 he came up with the idea of inviting travellers to experience his country in ways that only an insider such as himself could. He talked with a local community and everyone got together and fixed up a compound for travellers.
Visitors are invited to experience community life on the farm of Kaphunga. This farm is located at about 55 kms from the nearest town Manzini, in the hills of Swaziland. The visitors learn how the Swazi brew traditional beer, help villagers in construction of local community schools, learn the siSwati language or organise a picnic. They may also take part in local traditional dances and story-telling, go hiking or mountain biking, visit the Manzini people's market, do some lizard spotting, or visit Swazi family communities and discover their day to day life style.
The visitors stay in traditionally Swazi houses built using the local material collected within the area. There are three beehive huts, three rondavells, and a bon fire house. They sleep on the floor with traditional sleeping mats plus a mattress with sheets and pillows. Paraffin lamps and candles are used for light. 20 people can be accommodated in the houses.
A bucket shower is available between the rocks outside the fence. There is a pit latrine overlooking the valley and it offers amazing views while answering the call of nature. "The loo with a view". There is a door for those who are shy, but it should be left open to enjoy the wonderful view. The guide brings water from town but visitors can bring their own water bottles. Water is available from a nearby stream for those who trust their stomach.
Guests are given the opportunity to assist the Swazi ladies preparing the meals, on open fires. Everyone is seated around the fire, exchanging views and experiences. All products come from our own field which is planted by the visitors themselves. One of the future projects is also to create a big community garden entertained by the whole community. Traditional dances are performed by a group from the school, and local craftworks produced by the community presently getting the community together to produce more hand crafted objects.
Visitors have the opportunity to teach at the school for 30 mins, tell the kids where they come from and help them practise their English. The community have noticed kids are now better at using the English language!
Visitors are invited to experience community life on the farm of Kaphunga. This farm is located at about 55 kms from the nearest town Manzini, in the hills of Swaziland. The visitors learn how the Swazi brew traditional beer, help villagers in construction of local community schools, learn the siSwati language or organise a picnic. They may also take part in local traditional dances and story-telling, go hiking or mountain biking, visit the Manzini people's market, do some lizard spotting, or visit Swazi family communities and discover their day to day life style.
The visitors stay in traditionally Swazi houses built using the local material collected within the area. There are three beehive huts, three rondavells, and a bon fire house. They sleep on the floor with traditional sleeping mats plus a mattress with sheets and pillows. Paraffin lamps and candles are used for light. 20 people can be accommodated in the houses.
A bucket shower is available between the rocks outside the fence. There is a pit latrine overlooking the valley and it offers amazing views while answering the call of nature. "The loo with a view". There is a door for those who are shy, but it should be left open to enjoy the wonderful view. The guide brings water from town but visitors can bring their own water bottles. Water is available from a nearby stream for those who trust their stomach.
Guests are given the opportunity to assist the Swazi ladies preparing the meals, on open fires. Everyone is seated around the fire, exchanging views and experiences. All products come from our own field which is planted by the visitors themselves. One of the future projects is also to create a big community garden entertained by the whole community. Traditional dances are performed by a group from the school, and local craftworks produced by the community presently getting the community together to produce more hand crafted objects. Visitors have the opportunity to teach at the school for 30 mins, tell the kids where they come from and help them practise their English. The community have noticed kids are now better at using the English language!
special things to see and do
- Hiking
- School visits
- Working in the fields with community
- Teaching in schools
- Cattle dipping
- Cultural orientation
- Swazi family visits
rooms, food and facilities
We have dorms, 3 private rooms and 1 mixed dorm. 2 bath rooms, 2 showers, kitchen, sitting room, dinning room and laundry (hand washed).
Family friendly: We do get people who are travelling with families and the good things about the village are that there are no mosquitoes or malaria. The children can meet and play with the local kids.
Family friendly: We do get people who are travelling with families and the good things about the village are that there are no mosquitoes or malaria. The children can meet and play with the local kids.
how to find us
By car: From Joburg, drive pass Manzini along the Siteki Mozambique Road. You will go about 6km's past the Manzini clinic on your left and pass SunnySide super-market. Carry on until you see our sign on your left. Slow down and turn left there and follow the signs. From Durban, when you hit the T junction joining the main road to Manzini its about 2 kms further. You will see the big sign on your right. Turn here and then follow signs as above. how this holiday makes a difference
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We have built an elementary school for the community which had 19 kids in the first year but now in the second year of our operation we have 24 kids aged 4-5 years old. Pens, pencils and stationary have been donated to the school. Fees for the kids who can't afford to go to school are paid for for the first year while looking for the sponsors to carry on paying them. The school is in our compound where our guests stay. It is all funded by the visiting tourists.
We do not use electricity, only paraffin lamps and occasionally we use candles. We do not have running water, therefore the water we have is minimal and it is impossible not to be careful how you use it. There is not much rubbish here, really the only rubbish are papers which are dumped by the kids after school. After noticing the spread of this rubbish we then dug a big pit to stop it from spreading to burn it in one place. Any rubbish like tins and things we can't burn i take to town by car which is not much as it's all what we have used for that village visit with the tourists. Anything that is organic like cabbage pill or banana pills are thrown out and fed on by the goats and cows.  We are currently in the process of having talks about setting up a community nature reserve, as we have lots small animals in our indigenous forests. We get all our building materials from the community members whenever we want to build any structures or need any services such as building skills. We use maize as our staple food and other local produce such as pumpkins, beans, veg, etc. We employ local staff – 3 people from the community. |
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