Experiences in Lesotho

Lesotho – adventure awaits in the Kingdom in the Sky
Uniformly mountainous, Lesotho is known for its breathtaking highland vistas. Golden sandstone cliffs, towering basaltic peaks and bizarre rock sculptures overlook undulating Afroalpine meadows swathed in clumped grass, tussocked heather and colourful spring wildflowers. Spectacular waterfalls plunge into gaping canyons snaked through by crystal-clear rivers. From Spring through to Autumn, days are bathed in sunshine and ideal for hiking and pony trekking, but the midwinter months of June to August often bring heavy snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures that transform the waterfalls into beautiful icy sculptures.

The mountains of Lesotho are a thrilling adventure playground for hikers, horse-riders, 4×4 enthusiasts and other outdoor lovers. For adrenaline junkies, activities include skiing, mountain biking, canoeing and the world’s highest commercial abseil. Slightly more sedately, there is excellent fly-fishing for trout in the highland streams, while birdwatchers and botanists can seek out a variety of specialised species whose range is limited to the high mountains of Lesotho and South Africa. Archaeological and historic highlights include dinosaur footprints dating back more than 200 million years, atmospheric rock overhangs adorned with mysterious centuries-old rock art, and a host of 19th-century landmarks associated with King Moshoeshoe I and various early missionaries.

Peaceful and culturally homogamous, Lesotho is home to the Basotho people, whose hereditary monarchy was established by King Moshoeshoe I in the early 19th century. It is predominantly rural, with an agricultural economy, very little industrialisation, and the freshest of fresh mountain air. Blanketed Sotho shepherds roam the countryside on foot or horseback, accompanied by flocks of sheep and Marino goats whose coats are used to produce the wool and mohair handicrafts for which Lesotho is famed. Traditional villages of stone-and-thatch huts host initiation ceremonies complete with dancing and ululating women, while elders in traditional thatched hats parade past on horseback. In Lesotho, such ancient traditions remain part of a living 21st-century culture that both enthrals and welcomes visitors.

Museums
Lesotho’s oldest and best-known museum is the Morija Museum and Archives (MMA), which stands in the historic town of Morija about an hour’s drive south of the capital Maseru. Established in 1956, the MMA hosts an impressive collection of ethnographic, geological and fossil material relating to Lesotho’s cultural and natural heritage, much of it collected by missionaries in the late 19th century. It also incorporates the kingdom’s most important historical archive. The Royal Archives, Museum and Information Resource Centre can be found in the royal capital Matsieng, only 7km from Morija.

The Masitise Cave House Museum near Quthing is converted from a three-room house built into a deep rock overhang in 1866 by the French missionary DF Ellenberger.

Food and Drink
The main culinary centre in Lesotho is the capital Maseru, which boasts a fair selection of a la carte restaurants serving one or other international cuisine, be it Italian, Portuguese, Chinese or Indians, along with several fast food franchises from neighbouring South Africa.

In most other towns and tourist hubs, the closest thing to fine dining tends to be hotel and guesthouse restaurants. Most of these include a buffet breakfast in the room price and offer guests an optional set menu or limited buffet in the evening. Some have an a la carte lunch and dinner menu.

In most towns you will also find a few a few small eateries that cater to a local market and serve a few simple but tasty and inexpensive meals, for instance beef stew or fried chicken with a staple starch, and salad or vegetables on the side.

The main staple in Lesotho, as in much of southern Africa, is a stiff heavy maize porridge known as mealiepap, papa or phuthu. It is usually accompanied by a meat, bean or vegetable-based stew, and locals tend to eat it by hand rather than using a knife or fork. Other staples commonly served in restaurants include rice, boiled potatoes and potato chips.

Borotho is a traditional type of bread cooked over a fire in a cast iron pot in rural areas. A doughnut-like treat is Makoenya, a ball of deep-fried sweetened dough sold fresh by street vendors on urban streets and in bus stations.

Beef and to a lesser extent lamb are the main types of red meat. Although it is not marketed as free range, meat in Lesotho often derives from relatively free-roaming local livestock. Chicken is also popular in Lesotho. A must-try local speciality is trout, which is farmed extensively in the highlands, and is usually served as a whole grilled fish.

Beer, wine, spirits and the usual brand-name soft drinks are readily available. The most popular brand of beer is Maluti, a light-tasting medium-alcohol lager that is brewed in the country and can be bought in a variety of cans and bottle. A good selection of South African beers is also sold in most bars, restaurants and liquor stores.

Adventurous drinkers might want to dry the local millet or sorghum beer. Brewed in villages throughout the country, it has an opaque appearance, a rather gritty texture and sour taste, and tends be low in alcohol compared to bottled beers. A good place to try it is Malealea Lodge, where community tours include a visit to a local brewer.

Lesotho is not a wine-producing country, but most restaurants and bars stock a good selection of well-priced bottled reds and whites imported from neighbouring South Africa.

Shopping
Lesotho boasts numerous cooperatives and other outlets where visitors can watch Basotho craftspeople at work and buy the quality basketwork, textiles and other handicrafts for which they are renowned. The national symbol of Lesotho is the mokorotlo straw hat. This tall tapering item of traditional headwear is made from moseea, an indigenous specie of robust thatching grass often seen from the roadside at higher altitudes. The distinctive shape of the mokorotlo is believed to mimic Mount Qiloane, a conical mountain whose outline is prominent from King Moshoeshoe I’s former capital at Thaba Bosiu.

The mokorotlo appears on the national flag of Lesotho, as well as on car license plates countrywide. Its iconic shape is the inspiration behind Maseru’s most famous landmark, the thatched Basotho Hat building, which happens to house the capital’s best-known craft shop, Lesotho Co-operative Handicrafts. This is a good place to buy your own mokorotlo, along with a range of other locally-made handicrafts and souvenirs.

Lesotho is famed for its hand-crafted wool and mohair products. These include blankets, scarves and ponchos – ideal for keeping out the chilly highland winter air – as well as shoulder bags, tapestries, cushion covers and the like. In Leribe, the Craft Centre is an outlet for a philanthropic Anglican Church project that provides employment to women in need and is the kingdom’s oldest and best source of products made with 100% mohair, a superior wool-like fabric made from the hair of Angora goats

Not far from Leribe, Teya-Teyaneng is the handicraft capital of Lesotho, housing as a pair of admirable women’s craft cooperatives that sell silk, wool and mohair products, including a delightfully distinctive Sotho range of cute woollen dolls.

Handicrafts aside, self-caterers will find that Maseru has a good range of supermarkets selling a varied selection of provisions. The choice is more limited outside the capital, but Shoprite, the country’s largest supermarket chain, has outlets in a few larger towns, including Hlotse, Mokhotlong, Mafeteng and Mohale’s Hoek.

Events
Throughout the year there are many unique festivals, exhibitions, challenges, races and other events held around Lesotho. So if you need an excuse to visit Lesotho, we have plenty to choose from.

Challengers and Races
With its challenging terrain and spectacular mountains, Lesotho lends itself to a wide range of physical challenges that have been drawing competitors and spectators to Lesotho for years. The Roof of Africa is considered to be one of the toughest off-road endurance events in the world, attracting the world’s best Xtreme Enduro competitors to take on the challenge on motorbikes and in cars. The Roof is considered to be the most important off-road event in southern Africa and highly capricious because of the altitude involved, throwing sun, rain and snow at the competitors.

Lesotho Sky is a mountain bike stage race over 400 kilometres in 6 days, where 100 riders in teams of two take on the altitude and mountains to make this the most spectacular mountain bike race in the southern hemisphere. Hosted by Maliba Lodge, the Lesotho Ultra Trail is the epitome of high altitude trail racing in Southern Africa. Held on the rugged mountain footpaths and ancient herder trails of the Ts’ehlanyane National Park, this 50 kilometre course has been effortlessly integrated into the surrounding landscape.

Festivals and Exhibitions
Traditional horse racing at Semonkong takes place across the year, although the main event of the year is in July to celebrate the King’s birthday. There are two categories of race, the 800m for foals and 1,600m for mature horses. Both competitors and spectators can bet on the races, adding an extra level of excitement! The Africa Beer Festival celebrates Lesotho’s great passion for beer and a love of celebrating life! A vast range of local, African and international beers are available, as well as wines, cocktails, spirits and ciders.