 | Lesotho Warnings or Dangers 
 
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Lesotho Travel Guide
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 | Lesotho Warnings or Dangers | Tips 1 - 10 of 21 |  | ||
Popular Warnings or Dangers | Other Warnings or Dangers Tips | All Tips (21)
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 | DAGGA SMUGGLING AND CATTLE RUSTLING    |  | |
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 |  on April 13, 2007 |
Dagga (aka marijuana) is a big cash crop throughout southern Africa - KZN, the Eastern Cape, Lesotho and Swaziland. The drug is exported to Europe and North America as well as used domestically inside of South Africa. Dagga was outlawed as early as 1928, but its cultivation and usage continues. Economic opportunity in the Kingdom of the Sky (as well as in rural KZN, Eastern Cape and Swaziland) is sorely lacking. Not everyone can be a diamond miner. Dagga is easy to grow and gives a high enough cash return to make up for the risks involved in bringing the crop to the market. If you see a donkey train in the distance while hiking along the Drakensberg Escarpment you can be sure that they are carrying dagga to town - if heading into South Africa - or going to pick up more product - if heading back into Lesotho. Environmental damage due to track erosion, garbage , etc is self-evident as you look upon the tracks. The same passes used by the dagga smugglers are highways for cattle importation into Lesotho. The cattle have been rustled by the Basutos from their neighbors, the Zulus, with whom they share a long-standing antipathy. It is best to give both the cattle and the donkeys a wide berth. |
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| TENTSITE CHOICE | | |
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| on June 9, 2008 |
When you camp in the upper Drakensberg it is advisable to bring all of your equipment inside your tent at night, leaving nothing outside or even in under the tent vestibule. Such practice should be employed even if you are not camping in the immediate vicinity of local herdsmen. Nothing like having your boots stolen at the midpoint of a week-long Drakensberg Traverse! You should also not choose a campsite underneath or near to rock cliffs. South African Defense Forces (SADF) have been tasked with trying to stamp out (or at least gain a better control over) the smuggling of drugs and cattle over the mountains. The SADF men have ventured into the hills out of uniform, looking more like the simple adventurer that you are. As a result of the SADF’s efforts, some Basutos are in the habit of rolling rocks into tents - both the tents of SADF soldiers and simple adventurers, since the Basutos cannot discriminate between the two - in an effort to show their displeasure with South African infringement upon Lesotho sovereignty. |
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| AIDS! | | |
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 |  on October 22, 2006 |
Lesotho has got one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world, with estimation that one in three black Basutos have the virus today. Hence use prevention; else you probably play Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun. |
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| NO PHOTO | | |
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 |  on May 19, 2003 |
You are not allowed to take photographs of Government buildings, the Palace, the airport and sensitive buildings. (unless you are not seen doing it… of course). |
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| Extreme weather changes | | |
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 |  on November 20, 2002 |
It might be 30 degrees celsius in Himeville (South Africa) and -5 degress on top of Sani. Take some warm clothes as well as water proof clothes as well. Warning valid for ANY time of the year ! |
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| When driving through the... | | |
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 |  on June 7, 2004 |
When driving through the country, please take care and watch for large crowds, especially children, crossing the roads. You also have to look out for rush hour traffic in the countryside, which consists of slow moving carts pulled by donkeys! DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY! |
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| Why they do it I don't know,... | | |
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 |  on August 24, 2002 |
Why they do it I don't know, but beware of youths next to the roadside, for they can all of a sudden throw some stones at you. Do not feed them by throwing sweets at them. Be on the lookout for stray animals when traveling on the roads. |
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| When I was there, there was a... | | |
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 |  on August 24, 2002 |
When I was there, there was a lot of talk about rape from some of the female volunteers, and while such incidents did happen, they were infrequent and far between. What was of greater concern, at least to me, was occasional 'instabilities'. By that I mean that sometimes certain groups, be it the police or teachers, would stike, sometimes threatening to throw the country into periods of instability. Robbery was sometimes a problem for some, though I was there for two years and didn't have any problem. As far as such things are concerned, I am of the view that if you were looking for trouble, it tended to find you. |
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| Do not travel alone at night. | | |
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 on August 24, 2002 |
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| FALLING ROCKS | | |
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 |  on December 28, 2007 |
Most people usually ignore falling rock signs because they have never seen GIANT car sized rocks falling onto or rolling into moving vehicles. I have in America, but this place has some serious rock issues! Just look at the picture of the rock that fell into the road that is actually larger than my car. Physics dictates that you have to go slow around bends here, but be prepared to stop at EVERY bend. I had to on several occasions. Leave early and plan to take extra time to get there. Just to let you know, the previous king died in a road accident in 1996
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More Lesotho Tips
| Overview | General Tips Tips: 26 - Photos: 19 |
| Restaurants Tips: 4 - Photos: 3 | Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 33 - Photos: 25 |
| Things To Do Tips: 64 - Photos: 60 | Nightlife Tips: 4 - Photos: 3 |
| Off the Beaten Path Tips: 21 - Photos: 19 | Tourist Traps Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 |
| Warnings or Dangers Tips: 21 - Photos: 11 | Transportation Tips: 19 - Photos: 13 |
| Local Customs Tips: 8 - Photos: 7 | Packing Lists Tips: 4 - Photos: 2 |
| Shopping Tips: 6 - Photos: 4 | Sports Travel Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 |
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