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Étaperia

Lesotho itineraries, day by day

The kingdom in the sky: enclosed within South Africa, Lesotho is the only country in the world lying entirely above 1,400 m. You climb in by the Sani Pass and its mythical hairpins to find green high plateaus as far as the eye can see, the Maletsunyane falls plunging 192 m, Basotho villages where people travel on horseback, traditional blanket over their shoulders, and an end-of-the-world silence. Southern Africa in alpine-pasture form, rough and magnificent.

Capital
Maseru
Currency
Loti (LSL), rand accepted
Language
Sesotho, English
Direct flight
No direct flight, via Johannesburg
Time difference
+1 hr in winter, none in summer
A hiker with a red pack descending towards a lake on the green high plateaus of Lesotho

Itineraries

Our trip ideas in Lesotho

The right season

When to go in Lesotho?

The southern summer (November-March) greens the plateaus, with spectacular, brief afternoon storms; March-April, dry and golden, are perfect for hiking. Winter (June-August) is freezing at night but permanently blue, with snow on the summits and skiing at Afriski. Spring (September-October) combines swollen waterfalls and passable trails.

  • January : Pleasant
  • February : Pleasant
  • March : Ideal
  • April : Ideal
  • May : Pleasant
  • June : In-between
  • July : In-between
  • August : In-between
  • September : Ideal
  • October : Ideal
  • November : Pleasant
  • December : Pleasant
  • Ideal
  • Pleasant
  • In-between
  • Avoid

Quick guide

Understanding Lesotho

Getting around

A 4x4 is essential for the passes, tracks and fords, including the famous Sani Pass from South Africa. The local minibuses link the towns, slowly. Many come on a loop from the Drakensberg.

Money

The loti (LSL), at parity with the South African rand which circulates everywhere. Cash is essential outside Maseru, the ATMs thin out fast in the mountains.

Language

Sesotho and English, both official: conversation is easy everywhere. The greeting "lumela" opens the smiles.

Useful apps

Offline maps compulsory (Maps.me covers the tracks well), mountain weather to watch, and a Vodacom Lesotho SIM picked up at the border.

Accommodation

Mountain lodges, traditional rondavels and the "highest pub in Africa" at the top of the Sani. In Semonkong, the lodge at the edge of the falls is worth the trip on its own.

Etiquette

Greet every person you pass on the trails, ask before photographing herders and villages, and a small useful gift replaces money given to children.

Must-sees

The iconic places

  • Maletsunyane Falls

    Semonkong

    192 m in a single drop into a basalt canyon: one of the highest free-falling waterfalls in Africa, and the longest commercial abseil in the world.

  • Sani Pass

    Drakensberg

    The hairpin track that climbs to 2,876 m from South Africa, crowned by the highest pub in Africa. Vertiginous panorama guaranteed.

  • Thaba Bosiu

    Maseru

    The fortress mountain of king Moshoeshoe I, cradle of the Basotho nation, a sacred plateau where the royal family rests.

  • Katse Dam

    Highlands

    A turquoise lake snaking at 2,000 m between the mountains: the flagship structure of the great Highlands water project.

  • Sehlabathebe Park

    South-East

    The park on the roof of the Drakensberg, UNESCO: sandstone arches, alpine meadows and San rock art, in total solitude.

  • Villages on horseback

    Malealea

    The Basotho pony remains the true transport of the mountains: set off on a trek from village to village, homestay night included.

Pick a point on the map, or browse the list below.

Also on the map

  • Sehlabathebe : Sandstone arches and San art, UNESCO
  • Malealea : Pony treks from village to village
  • Afriski : Skiing in Africa, at 3,222 m
  • Ts'ehlanyane : High-altitude forests and natural pools

Ready to go in Lesotho?

See the complete itinerary Compare the itineraries