Buckled up in the heart of South Africa, the Kingdom of Lesotho is one of the best places to visit, and it’s meant to blow your mind because of all the Lesotho attractions!
Widely known as the Switzerland of Africa, it’s a collection of rolling highlands with rugged and dramatic peaks of the Maloti Mountains. In fact, it’s the only independent state that’s over 1,000m altitude.
The mountainous range and higher altitude create an absolutely scenic backdrop that looks amazing while you go trekking, fishing, rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing, and bird watching.
All in all, Lesotho attractions are meant to be enjoyed, and with this article, we are sharing what you can do while in Lesotho to enjoy the real essence of the state!
But First: What Country Owns Lesotho?
Well, Lesotho actually doesn’t belong to any country anymore since the 4th of October 1966, when it got independent from the United Kingdom.
So now, Lesotho is a fully sovereign state and became a member of the United Nations. As it is a kingdom, it has a king, who is named Letsie III.
This is why Lesotho doesn’t belong to South Africa anymore.
Geography – Where is Lesotho Located?
Lesotho is a landlocked and mountainous country buckled up in Southern Africa.
It wouldn’t be wrong to call it an enclave as it’s surrounded by the diverse plains of South Africa.
The country is pretty small as the total length is only 909km, and some of its areas are covered by water as well (remember we talked about some waterfalls and dams in our previous blog post? That’s it!).
All in all, there are plateaus and foothills with mountains on the north and east sides.
It has a population of about 2.2 million people, and the capital is called Maseru.
Click on the picture below to see where exactly Lesotho is located on Google Maps:
What is Lesotho’s Currency?
People in the Kingdom of Lesotho use the Loti, which is the local currency. It has been subdivided into 100 sente and is pegged to rand with a 1:1 ratio.
In addition to Loti, the Rand can also be used as a legal currency, but Loti has been around since 1966.
As far as the currency’s form is concerned, it’s available in banknotes as well as coins, and you can easily get them exchanged with other international currencies.
What is Lesotho Famous For?
Lesotho is full of amazing places, and captivating sceneries, but many first-timers don’t have an idea about the right places to visit in Lesotho.
So, let’s check out the guide below, 11 places to visit in Lesotho!
1. The Capital of Lesotho is Maseru.
Unlike other African capitals of the country, this is a stable, welcoming, and small city, but still the biggest one in the country.
There was an upheaval period during the late 90s, but they are gradually reconstructing, and you will absolutely love the character and charm this place has to offer.
There is Basotho Hat, which is one of the most significant landmarks, from where you can purchase conventional Basotho crafts and art pieces.
In addition, you will find international eating places, so go with some space in the tummy!
Take a tour around Maseru with the help of this video;-)
2. Tsehlanyane National Park.
This is the ultimate jewel pressed in Lesotho’s crown, and even with the huge national park system, nothing can beat this park.
That’s because this national park has sun-baked highlands and is surrounded by the peaks of the Maloti Mountains – the peaks are rock-ribbed.
In addition, there are unique woodland habitats and this park has an altitude ranging from 1,940 to 3,112 meters (6,365 to 10,210 ft) and you can consider it mostly sub-alpine.
There is a connecting trail that connects this national park to Bokong, and the track is lined with fern, chi trees, and bamboo groves.
In addition, there are mountain animals that live there in their full glory.
Like a black-backed jackal, hare porcupine, hebok, a mountain reedbuck, a common eland, baboons, and a ton of birds.
Take a little tour through this park on an adventurous bike ride!
3. Katse Dam
The Katse Dam in Lesotho tends to block the winds from the Malibamat’so River and is known as one of the biggest dams in the country.
The dam has steel and concrete wall, which looks dramatic and truly shows the value of engineering wonders.
The dam is surrounded by rolling peaks and mountains that are covered with grass. The dam is two-thousand meters above sea level!
4. Bokong
Bokong is located between gigantic mountains and Katse Dam and a hill town that’s meant to be seen by strolling.
There are various trails, so keep your walking boots with you.
There is a Lepaqoa Waterfall, which crashes over the rock formations and defines the highlands of Lesotho with stream and mist. In addition to the hiking trails, there are well-maintained campsites, making it a great place for people who like trekking and horse riding.
5. Liphofung
Liphofung is surrounded by wiry mountains, and you will absolutely love the snow-white peaks in winter and ochre hues in the summer season.
It entails the historical sites of Moteng Valley that have the signs of human habitat from the Stone Age.
There are Liphofung Caves, which are visitor centers, so you can check how the Basotho kings lived along with other traditions of the Basotho culture.
In addition, there are walking routes, and you might find some nice campsites!
6. Leribe
This is a place for people who want to enjoy the real essence of the Basotho lifestyle and is located on the northern border of the country.
This town is known for sun-baked and wide streets that have tin homes as well as low-rise shacks.
There is a local marketplace from where you can purchase wool and handmade fabrics, and you can also find the ancient wartime points.
Not to forget, there are British statues on the squares, and you will also see an Anglican church (it’s so pretty!). Sadly I can’t seem to find non-copyrighted pictures for this, who knows that in the future I can take one myself;-)
7. Butha-Buthe
Butha-Buthe is the ultimate path to the northern part of the country and provides access to the amazing wonders of the Moteng Valley, along with the Afriski ski resort and dramatic mountain roads.
The town itself has natural rock formations on the edge, which look pretty amazing.
Also, did you know that these edgy rock formations once supported the arrival of Basotho kinds?
Take a tour around Butha-Buthe with the help of the next video 😉
8. Thaba Bosiu
When you visit Thaba Bosiu, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that you will feel like you are in the lands of Mexico and Arizona as you step foot on the flat and wide stretch of desert-based sandstones – they surely dominate the landscape between the Caledon and Orange River.
There is also a 2sq/km elevated space that shows the historic fortress of the Basotho tribe. This stretch is the same place where the Basuto Wars once sparked.
9. Ha Kome
Known for the cave houses located in the Berea District of Lesotho, it’s safe to say that it’s a wondrous part of the country.
The cave houses have been carved from the rock faces of the mountain and are located between the valleys that are closer to Mateka.
What’s most unique is that these earthy caves are still inhabited by people whose descendants made them two centuries ago. The site has been classified as national heritage.
So if you are around, make sure to visit!
10. Mohale
Shortly said, it’s a beautiful place and is sprawled by the naturally sculpted mountains. In addition, it is swept with highland panoramas from all sides.
There are amazing trekking trails, but nothing matches the magnificence of the Mohale Dam.
This structure is over 145m in height and bridges over the Senqunyane River!
11. A small place called Semonkong
Located between the Maseru District’s dusty places and the heart of Lesotho, this village is thatched with bamboo, and there are Instagram-worthy huts.
In addition, there is Maletsunyane Falls, which is enough to provide some mist while you stroll around.
It’s an exceptional natural event, and people from all around the world come to see this place as the waterfall descends into the ice-caked pools.
Have a look at the falls in the video below!
Accommodation In Lesotho
Lesotho is a beautiful part of Africa, which means you should savor its beauty slowly and absorb everything.
So, if you are planning a trip and cannot figure out the accommodation, below are some options that you can try!
1. Makhangoa Community Camp
Makhangoa Community Camp is a community-based tourism initiative. It is located on Bokong River, where you can enjoy fly fishing while enjoying the authentic highlands experiences.
2. Joy Guesthouse Mabote
This is one of the most high-end and comfortable accommodations available in Maseru.
The best thing about this guest house is that it’s in the center and is open during Christmas and New Year.
The place is licensed for alcohol, and you can also get breakfast, evening meals, and BBQ.
3. Qhanolla Guest House
This is one of the coziest accommodations available in the Botha-Bothe district. It is located 120km away from Maseru.
The guest house caters to travelers, holidaymakers, and contract workers. It’s a five-minute drive from the Caledonspoort border.
You can get towels and bedding, but you can also enjoy some amazing coffee and tea.
4. The Clan Guesthouse
Situated in Naledi, it is 10km away from Maseru and is only a few steps away from Lancer’s Gap plateau.
The Clan guesthouse is an absolutely amazing retreat that promises the most elegant, comfortable, and luxurious experience at an affordable price.
The rooms are well-maintained, and the staff is incredibly cordial.
5. Moorosi Chalets
This hotel is located just 800m away from the Thaba Moorosi Mountain Fortress. The chalets offer lunch, evening meals, and breakfast.
In addition, they are licensed for alcohol, and you can even go there with groups. Also, there is parking available for your ease!
Moorosi fortress:
6. Fuleng Guest House
This is a hillside guesthouse that offers the most stunning views. It has a backdrop of rock features, and the local atmosphere is pretty friendly.
Fuleng guest house on Youtube, a tour:
7. Maliba Mountain Lodge, Tsehlanyane National Park.
This is definitely a place that I want to stay myself in the next year, as the 5-star chalets for 2 persons seem amazing!
So a further, into-to-depth review will be in a future blog post for sure, I am looking forward to it!
In the meantime, check out more details of this lodge in the video below!
PS: all of these places to stay in Lesotho will be reviewed further in-depth on my website, so make sure to bookmark it, please!
A Few More FAQs on Lesotho!
Sometimes the information available is not enough, so here we go for more answers to FAQs on Lesotho!
1. What Is The Best Time To Visit Lesotho?
Since Lesotho is in the southern hemisphere, the summer will be during October and March, which is the perfect time to visit.
This is because the weather is warm and pleasant. However, you need to remember that the mist and rain will be regular, so make sure you plan the activities accordingly.
On the other hand, April to September are the winter months, which can quite extremely cold.
2. Is Lesotho poor or rich?
It is a question that people ask on Google, although I think it is kind of weird to ask..
But anyway, I have done some research and it seems that it is classified as a lower-middle-income country.
In economic terms, Lesotho is one of the world’s least developed countries.
3. Who are The People From Lesotho?
A few further facts on the people of Lesotho are:
- the spoken languages are English and Sesotho
- the main ethnic group is 99.7% Basotho and 0.3% are “Others“
- The religions are : 92.3% Christianity —49.4% Roman Catholic —40.7% Protestant —2.2% Other Christian – 6.4% Traditional faiths – 1.0% Others – 0.3% None
My Final Conclusion.
I hope that you have found out everything there is to know about Lesotho and the Lesotho attractions?
But if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask them below in the comment section, or on any of my social media channels below (where you can also watch other pictures of my travels to Africa).
I wish you happy travels!
Kind regards,
Lizzy
I now have a YouTube channel as well!
YouTube
Hello Africa travellers!
Who am I? Well, the least you can say is that I am quite crazy about Africa, its nature, its climate, its culture, and more.
As a young woman in my twenties, I had already traveled to several African countries by traveling along in an overlander on my own and mostly camping ( or glamping ) and just fell in love with the diversity of it all.
So much, so that at the age of 26, I went back to university to study biology, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t finish because of health reasons (yes, I got sick from a tropical disease, oh cynicism). But this did not stop my dream of traveling back to Africa several times, and I still do.
My dream was back then to leave Europe and go study animal behavior, especially the elephants (sure, that’s every girl’s dream haha), but I am also very much intrigued by hyenas and other “ugly African animals“.
So, I “kind of” have a little bit of a scientific approach to my articles, when I write about African birds, for example. And most of all: the passion.
But life goes on, you move from one side of the country to the other, you get sick again and top it off with lower back problems, and before you know it, you are over 50 hahaha!
Now, I still travel to Africa, but take it a bit “easier” than the good old camping days, and stay in comfortable, yet affordable accommodations, together with my husband Wouter.
These are some of the countries I have traveled to: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tunisia, and a little bit of Lesotho LOL .
While clearly not being African territory, but Spanish, I also visited Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and location-wise, I consider them “African”, because of their climate and nature, sue me :-p
The last trip I took was to South Africa in the year 2023, and it sure got the fevers for Africa back! From the Barberton mountains to the Drakensberg and the Southcoast, one month wasn’t enough at all to see the whole country, so we’ll be back! At ease and with a little bit more luxury than in my younger days haha!
I wish you happy travels!
Kind regards
Lizzy
I have never thought of visiting Lesotho. It isn’t an African country that is spoken about a lot but after reading this I think it should be.
I personally love Switzerland so if it is anything like Switzerland I think I will enjoy it there, also I wouldn’t have to pack my thick warm coat.
This is not on my list of places to visit.
Hi Michael,
It is totally fine of course if Lesotho is not on your visit list, but I do hope that my blog post has changed your mind haha.
Anyway, happy travels!
Kind regards,
Lizzy
I have been to South Africa on multiple occasions, I have never been disappointed by the scenic views. Though, I have never been to Lesotho. I didn’t even know Lesotho is a country on its own surrounded by the country of South Africa. On a scale of 1 – 10 (10 being the highest) what would your recommendation to go there be?
I am a huge fan of Geography, so thanks for sharing this information with us.
Hello Johnny!,
It would be hard to answer that question, as it would depend on what you want to visit when you go on vacation.
I would say, if you love to see mountains, Lesotho is definitely something for you and I would give it a 10! If you like the beach, well, there is none, so that would be a zero lol!
Other than that, the culture and the people, they are amazing and have a very interesting heritage, so I would give it a 9. What’s stopping you from exploring though?
I wish you happy travels!
Kind regards,
Lizzy
Hi there,
What a beautiful place to visit. I have never been to Lesotho, but I plan to put this place on my bucket list for my upcoming trip next year. I didn’t see that, or maybe I missed it in the article. What is the best time of the year to visit Lesotho? And, most importantly, what should we wear when visiting Lesotho? Are there special dress codes to wear? Great place and lots of things to do. Thank you for sharing this beautiful post, and I’m looking forward to seeing more in the future.
Hi Daniella!
It sure is a beautiful country to visit, Lesotho.
The best time to visit Lesotho for tourists and if you like the sunlight, would be from October to March, as this is the summertime in Southern Africa. As stated in the article;-)
What to wear depends on the time of year. As it is a mountain country and when you travel during the winter, wearing warm clothes would be the best thing to do. Other than that Lesotho has a catholic religion, so no need to wear a hijab or something similar.
I wish you happy travels!
Kind regards,
Lizzy