Lesotho Things to Do

 
by CatherineReichardt
 
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by CatherineReichardt
 
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Conquer the knee trembling Sani Pass!

by CatherineReichardt

As ever, I have left writing the more complex tip on a destination until last because it's difficult to know where to start.Well, let me begin by saying that I have drawn much of the content for this tip from the excellent book, "The Saga of the Sani Pass on Mokhotlong" by Michael Clark, which I bought in nearby Himeville (where Peter is heavily involved with the Himeville Museum).The Drakensberg is a formidable mountain range, whose buttresses rise up almost vertically from the surrounding landscape and it was a source of immense frustration to the first white settlers that they could find no way to conquer this barrier.The route which was to become the Sani Pass (and roughly follows the course of the Mkomazana River) was undoubtedly known to the San (Bushmen) who were the original inhabitants of this area. The first recorded use of the route was by retreating AmaHlubi tribe in the...

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Excellent birding for high altitude species

by CatherineReichardt

Lesotho offers excellent bird watching andallows you relatively easy access to high altitude species that you wouldn't necessarily be able to spot elsewhere.My husband's family were stationed in Lesotho for a few years in the late 1970s, and my father-in-law (an avid twitcher and bird photographer) entertained himself on weekends by compiling a field guide to the birds of Lesotho, which includes the names of each species in seven languages. As far as we can determine, this is still the definitive work on Lesotho's bird life.Lesotho's birds have had to adapt to a high altitude environment in which there is relatively little food available, so you don't see either the abundance of species or the sheer numbers of birds that you'd encounter in a more hospitable environment. Many of the species are cryptic because Lesotho offers relatively little in the way of vegetation to provide refuge for...

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The ice rats are way cuter than they sound!

by CatherineReichardt

The prospect of meeting an ice rat probably doesn't sound particularly attractive to the average traveller, but once you've made the acquaintance of these delightful little critters, you may well wish to change your mind!African ice rats - technically known as Sloggett's ice rat - are common in the mountains of Lesotho, and live between the rocks. They are about the size of a small European rat, but are distinguished by their shaggy coats and short, short tails. Unlike other rats, their snouts are rounded rather than pointy, which make them look more like voles or gerbils, and the overall effect is rather cuddly and endearing. You may see ice rats scuttling between boulders as you drive through the mountains, but your best chance of getting a good look at them is probably at Sani Top chalets, where they live in the rocks under the main hotel building and are relatively habituated to...

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Slog your way up the breathtaking Moteng Pass

by CatherineReichardt

The Moteng pass is one of Lesotho's prettiest and most accessible mountain passes, and although there are higher, at 2,820m (about 9,250 feet) above sea level, it's not to be sneezed at!The pass snakes up into the Maluti mountains from Butha Buthe, and is on the most heavily trafficked route to Sani Top (admittedly a relative term). The road is excellently constructed with a well maintained tar surface, and is passable to ordinary vehicles as well as those with 4 wheel drive. It's not a difficult drive, but it is a slow one, as the pass is a series of switchbacks, and can be particularly time consuming if you get stuck behind one of the trucks travelling to the diamond mines.From a geological point of view, the pass is interesting, as it walks you up through the geological profile, from the honey coloured Clarens sandstone outside Butha Buthe (with its characteristic overhangs) into the...

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Is this the widest No Man's Land in the world?

by CatherineReichardt

Maybe I've lived and worked in the developing world for too long, but I don't like border posts one little bit. My experience is that they are ominous places peopled by bad tempered officials with inferiority complexes who are eager to work out their despotic tendencies on hapless tourists ... but in the case of the Sani pass border between Lesotho and South Africa, I'll make a notable exception!The Sani Pass border post is unique in so many ways that it can hardly fail to be endearing. To start with, it is staggeringly picturesque, and it's almost impossible to be negative about somewhere that's just so beautiful. And then of course there's the fear factor and the quavering knowledge that the only way to pass between the two border posts is to conquer a pass that inspires trepidation in even the most ardent offroader.And finally, there are the completely trivial considerations ... which...

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Experience sunrise from the Roof of Africa!

by CatherineReichardt

When you travel, there are certain hardships that you need to impose on yourself in order to experience the iconic, and this is certainly the case when it comes to resurrecting your carcass at 04:30 to witness sunrise from the Roof of Africa!Fortunately in midsummer, the temperature was positively balmy - about 7ªC - and as there was little chance of encountering anyone else at that hour, I was able to slip on my shoes, nip out of the chalet in my pyjamas, take my photos and slip back under the covers within five minutes: in the sub zero temperatures of winter, it would be a different matter altogether, but then the trade off is that you wouldn't have to get up as early!What is the cheat's way of experiencing this? Well, the shower in our bathroom had a window looking out over the escarpment, so having sleepily asked me on my return whether it was worth seeing, my husband (anything but a...

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Exploring Lesotho's extensive bridle paths

by CatherineReichardt

Lesotho's extensive network of bridle paths are the arteries of the nation, and without these routeways, large parts of the country would be simply inaccessible. Although the bridle paths were intended to facilitate access by pony or donkey, they also make splendid walking trails.Lesotho's system of existing bridle paths was greatly extended between 1930 and 1932, when the entire region was gripped by a major drought. The British administration realised that one of the ways of alleviating the resultant famine was to open up access to additional grazing in the remote interior. This involved the establishment of hundreds of kilometres of additional bridle path in a 'make work' programme that also provided much needed temporary employment to Basotho whose subsistence agriculture had been hammered by the poor rainfall. The paths were constructed according to the British imperial norm of a...

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Celebrate with a beer in Africa's highest pub!

by CatherineReichardt

At 2874m, the bar at the Sani Top chalets lay claim to being the highest pub in Africa - or just under 9,500 feet in old money. At this altitude, you'd be entitled to expect the beer to be cold and the view to be spectacular ... and you'd be right on both counts!Many people decide to drive up the Sani Pass on a day trip to enjoy a hearty lunch and a drink or two to celebrate their achievement: if so, be sure to bring your passport, as the chalets are in Lesotho and you won't be let through the border without one. You don't need to stay in the chalets to be able to access the bar, but to do so gives you the obvious advantage of not having to drive down the Sani Pass afterwards (a sobering prospect if ever there was one)! Technically Sani Top is indeed the highest pub open to the public in Africa. However, for fear of being pedantic, the highest bar in Africa is actually located a few...

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The exceedingly remote Letšeng diamond mine

by CatherineReichardt

As a general rule of thumb, diamond mines tend to be located in the back of beyond, but when it comes to remoteness, Lesotho's diamond mines really take the biscuit!Letšeng le Terai is operated by Gem Diamonds and is Lesotho's largest diamond mine and is located just off the road between Butha Buthe and Mokhotlong. It is situated at an elevation of about 3,100m ... that's over 10,000 feet (or nearly two miles) above sea level in old money!The mine is tiny by international standards - both in terms of its physical size and production carats - but what sets Letšeng apart is the extraordinary size and quality of its gemstones.For those who aren't familiar with the economics of diamond mining, the profitability of an operation is driven not only by the volume of diamond production, but also by the quality of the diamonds recovered. For example, a massive diamond mine like Debswana's Orapa...

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Go on the piste at Afriski!

by CatherineReichardt

When in comes to word association, the concepts of 'Africa' and 'skiing' would seem to be mutually incompatible ... until you stumble over the Afriski resort in northern Lesotho.Lesotho is certainly high enough and cold enough in winter to sustain snow - the problem is that snowfall isn't reliable because the winds bringing in moist air from the Indian Ocean to the east are forced to rise up over the Drakensberg escarpment, and, in the process, tend to drop their rain on the KwaZulu Natal side. Thus, there is a 'rain shadow' effect further to the west in Lesotho.The Afriski resort is located at 3,000m altitude on the Mahlasela Pass. It has insured against a shortage of snowfall by installing snow machines (which use water from the ponds in the base of the valley). Nobody is claiming that this is a skiing experience to compete with the famous alpine resorts of Europe or North America, but...

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Q:  I am finalising my travel trip on South Africa -Lesotho -Swaziland. I have applied for a Visa for Lesotho and South Africa, but... 

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A: Pretoria is a city about 50 or so north-east of Jo'burg. I can't make any comments on local transport as we got there by car, and this was quite a few years ago now. If... 

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