Lesotho travel is sure to surprise you – whether it’s your first or 100th time in Africa. Here’s my Lesotho travel guide and itinerary to help you plan a trip to this Kingdom in the Sky.
Completely landlocked and surrounded by South Africa is the small African nation of Lesotho (pronounced ‘leh-soo-too’). The small African nation is culturally rich, stunning, affordable and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg.
Yet the contrast with South Africa could not be more striking, with the Basotho people’s distinct personality and the terrain’s topographical extremes. Even a few days in Lesotho’s hospitable mountain lodges and trading posts will give you a fresh perspective on Southern Africa.
Often dubbed “the Kingdom in the Sky”, Lesotho is a largely mountainous country with lofty altitude — it has the highest lowest point of any country in the world (1400m) and is the only country to be entirely above 1000m! Despite being so easily accessible, Lesotho still remains an under-explored country, and a vastly underrated travel destination.
For those planning a trip to this intriguing mountain nation, here is a complete guide with the best things to do, where to stay and where to eat, as well as details of my four-day itinerary in Lesotho.
Where’s Lesotho?
Located in southern Africa, Lesotho is completely landlocked by South Africa. It’s one of the smallest countries in Africa. With a land area of approximately 30, 555 square kilometres, it is similar in size to Belgium.
Many travelers make a flying visit to Lesotho on their way to Kwazulu Natal, but it’s well worth lingering at least five days or a week. You can easily combine a trip to South Africa with Lesotho (and Swaziland), like what we did. We spent 16 days in total, driving from Johannesburg to Swaziland and then continue south into Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, and onto Lesotho, then back to Johannesburg.
History of Lesotho
Originally, the Basotho people lived in what is now Free State in neighbouring South Africa. They were a farming people, and when the Zulus started attacking villages and the Voortrekkers started encroaching on their land, they fled up into the Lesotho mountains. Here, continuous attacks from the Zulus forced local tribes to join together for protection.
By 1824, King Moeshoeshoe had established himself as king. Moeshoeshoe allied himself with the British Colony government in a bid to protect the Basotho from the Boers’ rapidly increasing presence in the area. Much fighting followed, forcing Moeshoeshoe to go straight to the Britisih government. In 1868, Basotholand (as it was then called) became a protectorate of the British Empire. It was granted independence from the British Empire on October 4th, 1966.
The Kingdom of Lesotho was formed through the pursuit of peace, and this peaceful nature still exists in the Basotho. They have always been calm and stable. People are especially grateful to Brits for saving them from apartheid!
How to Travel to Lesotho
Traveling to Lesotho is surprisingly easy. Unlike many other African countries, Lesotho allows citizens of most countries (US, UK, Canada and Australia) to enter visa-free. Nationals of Singapore, Japan, Israel and most African countries do not need a visa to stay in Lesotho for up to 90 days. Citizens of EU countries can enter visa-free for up to 14 days. Those who need a visa for Lesotho can apply for an e-visa here.
By Flight
The only International airport of Lesotho is the Moshoeshoe Airport, located 18km from Maseru. South African Airways and Airlink operate daily flights between Maseru and Johannesburg, typically costing around 1400 LSL (Lesotho Loti), equivalent to US$100 each way. The flight cuts down a 5-hour car journey to just 55 minutes on the plane.
You should arrange taxi pick-up in advance as often there are no taxis at the airport. The best way is to get your hotel to arrange the transfer for you. Taxis charge around 50-80 LSL (US$3-6) to Maseru each way.
Check for Flights to Lesotho
By Bus
For those without your own car, Vaal-Maseru runs a coach service between Johannesburg and Maseru. You can find the bus schedule here. Minibuses run pretty much anywhere from the Maseru Bridge border, but you must get there early in the morning (07:00) as there may be only 1 bus a day.
By Car Rental
The most popular way to travel into Lesotho from South Africa is overland via border crossings. The journey from Johannesburg to Maseru is just 5 hours by car. We booked our rental car online from Discover Car Hire. For the entire two-week trip in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, it only cost us just US$250 including a toddler car seat and all the permits we had to pay to drive the car across borders.
When taking a rented car, be sure to get permission from the rental company to take the car into Lesotho. You will need to show written permission from the rental company at border control. Be clear with your rental agency about what’s covered and what’s not in order to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Sani Pass is the most famous border post, because of the spectacular drive and unique high-altitude location. The legendary mountain road zigzags its way through the Drakensberg Mountains, and is a steep and challenging road to navigate. After crossing the pass, most travelers will stop to have a drink at Africa’s highest bar.
NOTE: You can ONLY use the Sani Pass if you have a 4×4. I’ve heard that those without a 4WD will be asked to turn back.
There are many other border crossings that do not require a 4×4, such as Ficksburg bridge, Caledonspoort (which we used on the way there), and Maseru bridge (we used on our way back). Note that most borders close around 6pm, some as early as 4pm. Only Maseru Bridge and Ficksburg Bridge are open 24 hours. Check here for details of their operating hours.
On our way into Lesotho, we were lucky enough to find the Caledonspoort border rather empty. The border crossing took only around 10 minutes in total. But on our way out of Lesotho, there was quite a long line at Maseru Bridge – the most used crossing – in the early morning. We spent around one hour waiting in line on the Lesotho side to get our passports stamped.
Rent Your Car here!
When to Travel to Lesotho
We chose to travel Swaziland, South Africa and Lesotho in June, mainly for the mild winter climate and better wildlife opportunities.
June to September is the winter dry season in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. During this period, there is less vegetation and animals are more concentrated around rivers and waterholes, making it easier to spot them. There are also fewer mosquitos.
However, it can get cold in the evenings especially since most of Lesotho is mountainous. That means you’ll need to bring a winter/down jacket. Temperatures in the lowlands range from 12 to 25 degrees Celsius, and in the mountains from 3 to 10 degrees Celsius. We mostly wore t-shirt and shorts or cargo pants during the day, plus a light jacket at night.
How to Get Around Lesotho
The best way to travel around Lesotho is by car rental. We booked our rental car online from Discover Car Hire. For the entire two-week trip in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, it only cost us just US$250 including a toddler car seat and all the permits we had to pay to drive the car across borders.
Contrary to what most websites say, you DON’T need a 4×4 to drive into Lesotho. You only need a 4×4 to drive the Sani Pass. Most roads in Lesotho are relatively good, though certain stretches may have lots of potholes. Because the country is mountainous, be prepared for steep mountain roads, especially close to the border with South Africa. Still, we were absolutely fine traveling around Lesotho in a normal car.
Petrol can also be a problem — it is best to fill the tank in Maseru or in South Africa. Outside Maseru, unleaded can be very hard to find, and even LRP and diesel can be in short supply.
If you’re not renting a car, the most common mode of transport is minibuses. In Lesotho, these vans are often driven by very young men, and most have assistants who estimate and collect fares, ask your destination, and make change.
Check for Car Rentals here!
Where to Stay in Lesotho
Unlike neighboring South Africa, Lesotho has limited tourism infrastructure and there aren’t quite as many luxury hotels to choose from. You’ll find may midrange hotels in Maseru, but beyond that, there are a handful of accommodation choices in each town or area.
Here are some of the best places to stay in Lesotho that are worth checking out:
Maliba Lodge — Staying here was the highlight of our Lesotho trip! As the first and only five-star hotel in Lesotho, Maliba Lodge is an outstanding mountain retreat for those who truly want to escape. It is located in high altitudes of the pristine Tsehlanyane National Park. There are lots of hiking trails crisscrossing the area; the hotel also organizes community tours and pony treks. The lodge also has a kids’ club for young children. Read my full review here.
Check the latest rates
AVANI Maseru Hotel — Probably the best hotel in Maseru, this upscale hotel is great for those looking for modern comforts in the country’s capital. It’s located along the Caledon River, in the centre of Maseru, with easy access to the Pioneer Shopping Mall. There’s a large outdoor swimming pool, a thatched pool bar and restaurant in the hotel itself.
Check the latest rates
Greater Heights B&B — We stayed here when we were in Maseru and found the B&B to be a really comfortable, budget option. The new B&B offers great value-for-money with spanking clean interiors and big, spacious rooms. It’s located at the base of the Parliament Hill, which is a great spot for catching sunset. For some mod cons, the hotel is a few minutes from the Maseru Shopping Mall.
Check the latest rates
Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village — Thaba Bosiu was was once the capital of Lesotho, having been King Moshoeshoe’s stronghold. These days, you can stay in the cultural village here where thatch-roofed hut have been converted into comfortable rooms. The village is a good introduction before visiting the plateau as the museum has a small but informative display on Lesotho history. You can also get a guided tour around the cultural village and visit various traditional Bosotho huts.
Check the latest rates here!
Cost of Travel in Lesotho
The currency used is the Lesotho Loti (LSL). The current exchange rate is 1 USD =13.30 LSL and 1 EUR = 15.35 LSL. Note that the African rand (ZAR) can be used almost everywhere in Lesotho, so if you’re coming from South Africa, there’s no need to exchange currency. If you still want o have some Loti with you, you can change with taxi drivers or petrol kiosk attendants at the border towns (don’t expect official exchange bureaus.)
Lesotho is an inexpensive country to travel in, especially when compared to South Africa. Midrange hotels usually cost around US$30-100 per night for a double room, and meals are around US$3-10 per person depending on where you eat.
There aren’t as many restaurants in Lesotho, so expect to eat at more local eateries and diners. ATMs are common in Lesotho, but international cards are rarely accepted outside the capital.
Lesotho Travel: Our Four-Day Itinerary
As mentioned, Lesotho is relatively small, but distances are still long as it’s mountainous. You can get a taste of it in a few days, but it’s advisable to take at least a week to see more of Lesotho. We spent four days in Lesotho and only saw the northern part of the country. If you also have just have a few days in Lesotho, check out our detailed itinerary and feel free to use it on your trip!
Day 1: Drive into the Maloti Mountains
To enter Lesotho, we chose to cross the Calendenspoort border from South Africa. This was the most spectacular drive of our whole trip through South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. The mountainscapes were mindblowing and we found ourselves woo-ing and ahh-ing at the bend of every turn.
The border crossing into Lesotho was quick and easy: we didn’t even need to pay any road tax and show any permit. The customs officers only checked Alberto’s drivers license and not the car. (That said, I recommend not taking the risk and getting your Lesotho permit from your rental company in advance.)
After crossing into Lesotho, it was just an hour’s drive to our destination, Maliba Lodge in T’sehlanyane National Park. The road into the national park was absolutely stunning, flanked by steep mountain slopes dotted with thatch-roofed mud huts and grazing cattle. We were surrounded by the famous Maloti Mountains that extend for about 100 km into the Free State.
Stay: Maliba Lodge
We absolutely loved our time at Maliba Lodge, a luxurious eco-lodge poised on the top of the Maloti Mountains within a protected national park. The hotel is specially designed to celebrate the Lesotho tradition, sharing many architectural features with the traditional houses that dot the landscapes. On the outside, the huts at Maliba Lodge look very simple, with grass thatched-roofs and brown walls; but on the side, they’re equipped with five-star features and modern comforts. Read my full review here.
Check the latest rates
Day 2: Explore T’sehlanyane National Park
The next day, we signed up for a community tour with Maliba Lodge. Most of the lodge staff are from the surrounding Basotho villages and they know the area inside out, so we were definitely in good hands. Our guide brought us to three villages that were just a few kilometres from the lodge and the experience gave us incredible insights to how the Basotho live.
The first stop was the traditional beer-brewing hut, where the villagers prepared local beer together. We chanced upon a group of men singing, hitting the hops, and preparing them for the fermentation process. Then we got to try the traditional beer ourselves — which tasted much better than I expected.
Next, we went to visit a series of traditional mud huts where the villagers lived. Most of the huts had electricity as well as kitchen and beds. We also got to meet a sangoma, or traditional healer, who happened to be a lady in her sixties. She showed us all her tools and even demonstrated how she made certain medication.
In the afternoon, Alberto and I went on a pony trek in the national park, while Kaleya stayed at the kids club at Maliba Lodge (huge thanks to the kind staff who offered to take care of her!).
The Basotho pony is a unique species of small horses that have evolved over the years. We rode up the horses up the mountain ridges to the Blackpool, one of the many natural pools in the area. Along the way, we spotted an eland (second largest antelope in Africa) as well as eagles in the distance. The national park is also home to mountain baboons, bearded vultures, and falcon.
Day 3: Drive to Maseru, Capital of Lesotho
Leaving T’sehlanyane National Park behind us, we started our drive south to explore more of Lesotho. We were truly impressed by what we’d seen so far — the landscapes of northern Lesotho reminded me of Bhutan and Ethiopia, with sandy-brown mountains in the backdrop and dry millet fields carved into terraces on the lowlands.
With our expectations rather high, we were disappointed to find there weren’t quite much to see enroute to Maseru, in terms of natural attractions or cultural sights. We wanted to stop over at Sebung River to see some dinosaur footprints but were warned against it by our lodge. We were told that permission was needed from the local chief to visit.
Then we made a special stop at Teyateyaneng, known as the craft centre of Lesotho. We had a hard time finding Sesoto Design Gallery that was highly recommended in our guidebook, but eventually found that the weaving workshop was closed and the tiny store was just stocked with expensive handwoven runs. A place worth stopping is the Lesotho Mountain Craft Gallery that’s a few kilometers outside of town. Prices are high but there’s a bigger selection and the lady who runs it is more than willing to chat and show you how the weaving is done. Click to see its Google Maps location.
We did end up having a few hours to explore Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. There aren’t a lot of attractions in Maseru per se, but it’s worthwhile to spend a day getting to know the city. Start with the Lesotho National Museum, which holds the best of sculptures and ethnic relics in Lesotho.
I also recommend heading up to the parliament hill for sunset — that was quite a pleasant surprise for us. From the vantage point, Maseru looked surprisingly sparse, with only clusters of houses scattered over the dry grassy plains.
Stay: Greater Heights B&B
We found the B&B to be a really comfortable, budget option. The new B&B offers great value-for-money with spanking clean interiors and big, spacious rooms. It’s located at the base of the Parliament Hill, which is a great spot for catching sunset. For some mod cons, the hotel is a few minutes from the Maseru Shopping Mall.
Check the latest rates
Day 4: Head Back to Johannesburg
On our last day, we woke up early and drove just 10 minutes to the Maseru bridge border post. It was pretty crowded and we had to spend one hour waiting in line on the Lesotho side to get our passports stamped. Luckily it was fast on the South African side and we managed to go on our way by 10am. From there, it was a five-hour drive back to Johannesburg, where our journey began.
Technically, we only had three days in Lesotho; but having that third night in Lesotho definitely gave us some extra time to explore Maseru and get to know Lesotho a bit better. If you do have some time to spare, I recommend spending your fourth day exploring the Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village, about 30 minutes from the city. It provides the best historical gateway in Lesotho and is such an amazing place to have a hike. It holds a great natural significant portraying the historical Basotho fighting the Boers at that particular hill.
What Did We Miss?
As we only had a few days in Lesotho, we only saw the northern part of the country. There are lots more to experience in the rest of the country, including:
- Afriski — Ski and Mountain Resort for skiing in winter (June – September)
- Bokong Nature Reserve — hiking paradise great for those who love the outdoors (the Lepaquoa waterfall freezes in winter into a solid column of ice)
- Sehlabathebe National Park — remote mountain reserve great for hiking with rare wildlife, impressive waterfalls, and ancient rock paintings and stone shelters
- Katse — the impressive Katse Dam
- Morija — dinosaur footprints
- Semonkong — Maletsunyane Falls
- Thaba Bosiu — The mountain stronghold where King Moeshoeshoe the Great established the Kingdom of Lesotho
What to Pack for Lesotho
If you’re traveling Lesotho in winter (June to September) like we did, you should pack for cold weather, but there’s no need for a thick coat, gloves and winter hat (unless you’re going skiing). 3 layers should do: a lightweight bottom, a fleece, and a thin waterproof outer layer. When we traveled there in June, it was mainly sunny and warm during the day (t-shirts and long pants were enough) and only chilly at night. For those traveling in summer, spring or fall, one layer is enough, but don’t forget to bring a thin jacket for chilly nights.
I’m a strong believer in ‘less is more’. The less you travel with, the more convenient it will be to move around. If you can’t see yourself using something daily, you probably don’t need it.
Here are some of the essentials to pack for a trip to Lesotho:
1. Long Sleeve Moisture Wicking Tees: The key to staying warm in Lesotho is layering. Bring some long sleeve t-shirts that are great for hiking, that you can easily remove throughout the day and night.
2. Fleece Base: This is my favorite gear for cold climates. It’s thick but lightweight, and keeps me warm even in sub-zero temperatures. Plus most fleece are cheap and easy to find everywhere. I usually get one that can be zipped all the way down, so I can easily remove layers when I’m warm.
3. Soft Shell Jacket: Pack a thin waterproof, soft shell jacket regardless of the weather you’re traveling. It’s particularly useful for the rain. This also acts as an extra layer between your shirt and down jacket or parka. I used this almost everyday on my trip.
4. Quick-Dry Pants: These are something I wear on almost every trip. They’re lightweight, thin, comfortable and waterproof. I can wear them in winter and summer, without feeling too warm or cold.
5. Hiking Boots: A pair of sturdy hiking boots that are waterproof and protective for hiking in the mountains of Lesotho. I’ve used mine for around 2 years now and they’ve been to many countries and different types of terrain with me. Instead of getting those high boots that are ridiculously heavy and thick, I think it’s better to travel with hiking boots like these.
Inspired? Pin it!
More from WildJunket
The post Lesotho Travel: My Detailed Guide and Itinerary appeared first on Wild Junket Adventure Travel Blog.
