Planning a trip
Hearing music in Eswatini
The festival is held at House on Fire in the Malkerns Valley, 23 km from Mbabane, and draws up to 20,000 people each year. The setting matters as much as the lineup. Programming moves through afro-jazz, kwaito, gospel choirs and Mozambican marrabenta, plus spoken word and theatre. Stages run from afternoon to late night, camping is on site, and the festival village wakes early.
It takes place over the last weekend of May. Friday is the soft-open day, and Saturday and Sunday carry the headline programme. The valley is at its dry-season clearest, but it is cold: it drops to single digits at night even in May. Bring warm layers, as the crowd does, in blankets and woollen hats. The suggested base is camping on site at Malandela's.
Fly to Mbabane (SHO) via Johannesburg, or drive from Johannesburg, about four hours east into Eswatini. Festival shuttles run from Manzini and Mbabane. The Malkerns Valley is 30 minutes south of Mbabane on the MR3 road. As a seasonal annual event, it is worth confirming dates and shuttle times before you travel.
FAQ
Questions people ask
When is MTN Bushfire Festival?
It is held annually over the last weekend of May in the Malkerns Valley. Friday is the soft-open day, and Saturday and Sunday carry the headline programme. Stages run from afternoon to late night, and camping is available on site.
How do you get to Bushfire Festival in Eswatini?
Fly to Mbabane (SHO) via Johannesburg, or drive from Johannesburg, about four hours east. Festival shuttles run from Manzini and Mbabane. The Malkerns Valley is 30 minutes south of Mbabane on the MR3 road.
What should you pack for Bushfire Festival?
Warm layers. The Malkerns Valley drops to single digits at night even in May, and the audience wraps up in blankets and woollen hats after dark. Camping on site at Malandela's is the suggested option, so pack for a night outdoors.