Lesotho Travel deals with the options of traveling through the rugged and mountainous terrain and driving up the winding mountain paths. Lesotho borders with South Africa and is conveniently connected to South Africa and other African nations. Lesotho is also known as the ‘Kingdom of the Sky’ as it is located at an elevation of more than 1000 meters above sea level.
Lesotho travel guide is an important and valuable source of information about how one can reach Lesotho, flights to Lesotho, car rental agencies in Lesotho, touring the country, vacationing ideas and other important details about Lesotho.
March to October is the ideal time to visit Lesotho. The soothing temperature makes Lesotho travel more enjoyable. However, Lesotho experiences warm climatic conditions round the year round with scanty rainfall. The temperature recorded during summer ranges from 25° to 35° centigrade while the winter temperatures drop to 15° to 20° centigrade.
Several historical and natural attractions of this southern African country make the travel to Lesotho a truly fulfilling experience. Lesotho tourist attractions that deserve special mention are:
- Maseru
- Malealea
- Thaba- Bosiu
- Teyateyaneng
- Sehlabathebe National Park
Apart from the tourist attractions, Lesotho also offers many sport activities like trekking, birdwatching and horse riding.
Tourists can reach Lesotho by South African Airways operating on a daily basis from Johannesburg to Moshoeshoe International Airport. Apart from air transport, Lesotho can also be reached by bus, plying from Johannesburg to Maseru. Tourists may also avail the car rental facilities offered by the various car rental companies of Lesotho. There are a number of luxury and budget hotels in Lesotho that cater to the accommodation needs of the tourists.
Travel to Lesotho also includes shopping of the locally made conical hats. Other items on the shopping list of travelers include pottery, tapestries, jewelry made of porcupine quill and clay bead, ornaments made of silver and gold. The currency of Lesotho is Loti. However, the South African Rand is also widely accepted.
How to Reach Lesotho
How to reach Lesotho is the first question, which comes to a visitor’s mind while planning a trip to the country. Lesotho borders with South Africa, from where people can easily reach the country by a well integrated network of roadways. Lesotho may also be reached easily by air. Maseru, the capital of Lesotho is served by several flights operated from Johannesburg.
Tourists may also avail the roadways for reaching Lesotho. Lesotho is connected to the South African mainland at three international immigration points, namely Ficksburg Bridge, Caledonsport and Maseru Bridge. Of these, the Ficksburg Bridge and the Maseru Bridge operate round the clock while Caledonsport closes early by 4o’ clock in the evening. A short rail route connects Maseru with Marseilles. However, the route has not yet been opened for passenger trains. Bus and taxi services are available between Lesotho and other neighboring countries. The only railroad of the country is situated near Ladybrand, which connects the capital Maseru with the place.
Travel to Lesotho has become easier over the years. People from different parts of the world travel to this small African country round the year. The Lesotho travel guide provides answer to the question of how to reach Lesotho.
Lesotho Tours
Lesotho offers extensive touring opportunities to the travelers. Wildlife, national parks, water falls, hiking tours, excursion to rural villages are all part of Lesotho tours. This small kingdom of Southern Africa is enriched with diverse natural wealth. Surrounded by lush forest, rugged mountains and a number of rivers, Lesotho is a wonderful place to explore.
In Lesotho a number of tour operators organize conducted tours for the visitors. The rate of these packaged tours varies according to the covered locations, number of people and duration of the tour. Of various Lesotho tour operators most reputed are Parkers, Cool Toad, and Thaba Tours.
Some of the major Lesotho Tours include:
- Lesotho walking tours
- Lesotho trekking tours
- Lesotho adventure tours
- Lesotho safaris
- Eco tours in Lesotho
In Lesotho, travelers can also enjoy self-guided tours to explore the local attractions. Various Lesotho hotels offer guided tours to the guests against extra payment. Lesotho tours can be arranged to all local attractions of the country.
Destinations of Lesotho Tours
The wild coast of Lesotho has been attracting people for a long time. Vacationers derive a wonderful experience between the tranquil beaches and lush mountains of the Lesotho wild coasts. Horse riding is a major attraction of the wild coast tour in Lesotho.
Katse Dam: This spectacular dam of Lesotho, supplies water and electricity to the entire country as well as to South Africa. This is one of the most visited tourist destinations of the country. Night stay in Katse Dam Lodge is a unique experience for the travelers, as the lodge offers a stunning view of the lake.
Anglo Boer war sites, local art galleries, golden gate national park and the Basutho villages are some of the significant Lesotho destinations that are usually covered by all Lesotho package tour operators.
Lake Clarens, Makhaleng valley, and Bloemfontein are some of the major Lesotho-locations which are enjoyed by the travelers during Lesotho tours.
December and January are considered to be the best time to enjoy Lesotho trips. Most of the Lesotho tour operator render pick up facilities to the guests from Johannesburg International Airport, if prior booking is made.
Facilities Offered by Lesotho Tour Operators
Some of the facilities offered by various tour operators of Lesotho are:
- Pickup from Johannesburg International Airport
- Accommodation in standard Hotels, lodge or B&Bs
- Break fast and Lunch and generally included, but it also depends on the respective tour operators
- Professional guides to assist the tourists
- Transport in Toyotas
- Parking and entrance fees are adjusted from the total package amount
Lesotho Car Rental
Lesotho car rental is one of the easier and comfortable modes of transport for exploring the cities and countryside of Lesotho. The car rental directory provides detailed information about the current rates of the Lesotho car rental agencies. Lesotho car rental agencies provide the latest car models to the tourists at an affordable rate. The local agencies of Lesotho have contacts with South African companies. There is no restriction on South African car rentals plying on the Lesotho streets provided the rental company has no objection to it.
South Africa is connected to Lesotho at three crucial immigration points namely Ficksburg Bridge, Caledensport and Maseru Bridge. Ficksburg Bridge and Maseru Bridge function round the clock and therefore there is a huge flow of traffic on these routes. However Caledensport closes at 4 o’clock in the evening.
There are many car rental agencies in Lesotho. Some of them are located in the capital city of Maseru. These include:
- Rent Rite Cars
- Mudan Automative
- Fox Rent A Car
- Ace Rent A Car
- OneRez.Com
- Auto Europe
- Budget Rent-a-Car
- Southwest Car Rental
- Avis Rent-a-Car
The Lesotho car rental agencies rent out several models of cars like luxury cars, premium cars, economy cars, mini vans, sport utility vehicles, compact cars, convertibles, full size vans and sports cars.Lesotho car rental ensures a comfortable and enjoying journey to the travelers.
Lesotho travel tips
Lesotho travel tips provide vital information about Lesotho which is popularly known as The Kingdom in the Sky. This information helps the tourists immensely by giving a fair idea about the country, its geography, weather and social codes and customs.
Lesotho travel tips or Lesotho travel guide always prove to be helpful while planning a visit to Lesotho. Lesotho has a pleasant climate and March to October is the best time to visit the country. The beauty of the Lesotho countryside during these months lures the hearts of the visitors. A traveler wishing to spend a night in any one of the villages of Lesotho needs to get a permit from the village chief.
Lesotho is conveniently connected by road, rail and air routes. However, M5 should be paid by the tourists who plan to travel out of Lesotho by road. The Maseru International Airport is the principal airport in the country. Cars and buses ply from the airport to the city on a regular basis. One can always opt for a car rental service or go for minibuses. The road rules should be kept in mind while driving in Lesotho. There is restriction on the speed levels while driving on the highways. In Lesotho, it is mandatory to drive on the left hand side of the road.
The tourists must have adequate information about the medical facilities before traveling to Lesotho. In fact, it is one of the principal travel tips. Although effective medical services and experienced doctors are available throughout the country, tourists under special medication should always carry their own prescribed medicines. Medical Insurance is a must for tourists traveling to Lesotho.
It is advisable to follow Lesotho travel tips before venturing into the country to experience the plethora of natural attractions.
| Famous Cities to Visit in Lesotho |
| City Name | Population | City Name | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maseru | 118355 | Qacha’s Nek | 25573 |
| Mafeteng | 57059 | Quthing | 24130 |
| Leribe | 47675 | Butha-Buthe | 16330 |
| Maputsoe | 32117 | Mokhotlong | 8809 |
| Mohale’s Hoek | 28310 | Thaba-Tseka | 5423 |