Related Lesotho Favorites Tips

Favorite thing: There is no well defined 'tourist season' in Lesotho, and the time that you choose to visit should largely be dictated by what you intend to do.

Lesotho's climate is tempered by its altitude, and except in the lowlands on the western border, it never gets particularly hot, even in mid summer. Winters are extremely cold, with snow in the higher mountains. Rain occurs mostly during the (Southern Hemisphere) summer months between about October and March and usually falls as shortlived but intense thunderstorms. Follow this link for more detailed climatic information on Maseru (and enter the name of othet towns in lesotho to get an idea of the variation across the country) : http://www.myforecast.com/bin/climate.m?city=69719&metric=true

If you're planning a self drive trip, then it's probably best to avoid the winter months (May to August) when temperatures are coldest and snow is most likely: having said that, a colleague of mine did the Roof of Africa and Sani Pass to celebrate his 40th birthday in June and loved the experience, frozen waterfalls, river crossings and all!

Those planning to do any sort of extended pony trek would probably be well advised to perhaps consider visiting in spring and autumn, when the weather is relatively warm but there is less chance of rain. From personal experience I can vouch for the fact that there are few things as miserable than spending an entire day in the saddle when you've been caught in a torrential downpour which has soaked you to the skin!

Fishermen are a hardy lot, and so fishing seems to be pretty well a year round activity, except in the depths of winter.

Lesotho is keen to develop a winter sports industry - particularly with the recent demise of the Tiffendal ski resort in the Eastern Cape, which was, until now, the only ski resort in Southern Africa. In recent years, the Afriski resort has been established to the east of Buthe Buthe, which is accessed via the Moteng Pass (which should be accessible to those with 4x4 vehicles in all but the most extreme winter weather). Whilst it lays no claim to being in the same league as the premier Alpine ski resorts of Europe or North America, surely it's got to be worth considering, if only for the novelty value of being able to say that you've been skiing in Africa???

And my personal opinion on the matter? Well, my advice to you would be that the best time to visit Lesotho is as soon as possible, before too many other people discover its charms, so that you can have it pretty well to yourself!

Favorite thing: For fear of stating the obvious, Lesotho is not a mainstream tourist destination, and chances are that if you ask your travel agent to provide you with flight quotes to Maseru, their response will be, "Where?" Once they have confirmed that they indeed heard you correctly and that you really do want to go to Lesotho, you may also find that prices you are quoted seem very high, but take heart, because there are many ways to skin a cat ...

Let's start at the beginning. There are very few international flights directly into Maseru - and the only 'international' flights that do exist are South African Airways flights from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg. The number of passengers wanting to visit Lesotho is simply so small that it isn't worth the big international players servicing the route, so all international visitors will need to transit via somewhere else.

The route to O R Tambo International in Johannesburg is the busiest route into Africa, so there is heaps of competition, and as a result, it should be possible to find a relatively competitive fare with services providers such as South African Airways, Lufthansa or Emirates.

Once you make it to South Africa, the logical course of action might appear to be to catch a connecting flight to Maseru. However, these tend to be relatively expensive (the lack of competition again), and this only gets you to the capital which - with respect - is probably not the part of Lesotho you want to access unless you're picking up an organised tour from here.

Given that the majority of tourists choose to do self drive in Lesotho, the most practical, flexible and cost effective option is to pick up a hire car in Johannesburg and then drive into Lesotho. This is usually much cheaper than hiring a vehicle on arrival in Maseru, as there are many more car hire companies operating in Jo'burg, which means that you're probably able to get a much better car hire deal and a wider choice of vehicles. If you've had a long international flight, then it may be a good idea to break your journey by staying overnight at one of the many hotels at the airport (which cater for most budgets) and then picking up your hire car in the morning when you're renewed and refreshed after a good night's sleep.

The drive from Jo'burg into one of the northern Lesotho border posts is straightforward and takes about 5 hours.

Other South African destinations that you could fly into and then rent a car include Bloemfontein and Durban - but be warned that if you fly into Durban and intend entering Lesotho from the east, then your point of entry will be the formidable Sani Pass, so you'd be well advised to read up on this challenging route before you commit to this point of entry!

South Africa and Lesotho are part of a common customs union, so there is no problem in bringing a car hired in South Africa across the border into Lesotho (and vice versa). Visitors need to have valid passports and visas (where required) but do not have to show vehicle registration papers.

Favorite thing: (work in progress)
Off the top of my head, I struggle to think of any country other than Lesotho which is completely surrounded by one other single country - in this case, South Africa. Well, I suppose that places such as the Vatican City and San Marino are in similar positions, but to be realistic, these are only a few square kilometres real estate, whereas by comparison, Lesotho is quite a sizeable country.

Obviously being completely encircled by another country poses unique political and logistical challenges, and make it inadvisable for you to fall out with your bigger and much more powerful neighbour. This was a particular dilemma for Lesotho during the isolation years of apartheid.

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Favorite thing: South Africa surrounds this country completely - however Lesotho is totally independent from South Africa and hence visitors require a passport and in certain cases a visa to enter. If you do not have those documents you will not be able to leave South Africa and enter Lesotho. The border formalities are easy, but it is recommended that you take a pen with to fill in the Lesotho arrival forms.

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Favorite thing: During our trip we must have passed over ten or more mountain passes in Lesotho, most of them very special and interesting from all perspectives. The scenery in most of them is breathtaking, particularly the ones north of Katse Dam, the ones on the way to Thaba Tseka from Maseru, and the ones just before Oxbow, which are also the highest in Southern Africa. It this is your thing, you'll find the architecture and technical features worthy and interesting... one of the passes just north of Katse won a construction award. Note that all of these are tarred roads, so all are easily accessible. The dirt road passes are also in reasonable condition, just take care in wet conditions.

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Favorite thing: Lesotho is a slow place. To truly discover and appreciate it, you have to drive, walk, eat slow, but be present in the moment. Wildlife is almost non-existent... or so you may think, if you don't keep an eye open for eagles and other unique birds along the road. You may miss the splashes of colour of blankets being dried alongside the stream they've been washed, or miss a wave and a smile from someone tilling their field some distance away. Go slow, and you'll be rewarded with a memorable experience or sight.

Favorite thing: A lot of life in Lesotho revolves around the donkey. It's the default means of transport for many inhabitants, and the array of goods being transported by donkeys never fails to amaze. Watch out for trains of donkeys along the roads, either on their way to or returning from mills where their owners have had their maize turned into flour. On a trip you may spot donkeys carrying anything from flour bags to gas cylinders, meat, wood, and, of course, human beings.

Favorite thing: The Kingdom has got its own currency - the Lesotho Maluti. The currency is en-par with the South African Rand, which is also accepted everywhere in the country.
Be reminded that if you do get your hands on local currency, try and spend it in the country, since you will battle to exchange it back into anything else later; even in South Africa!!