It is rather rare to meet people who have traveled to Lesotho. Only about 400,000 people go there each year. And for good reason, this country is not the most accessible. It is landlocked in the territory of South Africa and is not very big since it is approximately the size of Belgium. Moreover, it is about one of the only countries being so high since it is with more than 1400 meters of altitude. Many call it “the Kingdom of Heaven”. Find out what Lesotho has in store for its few visitors.
Summary
- A kingdom preserved from mass tourism
- An experience cut off from the rest of the world
- The discovery of incredible natural monuments
A kingdom preserved from mass tourism
Because of its geographical position and its difficult accessibility, many give up visiting Lesotho. However, this country has wonderful surprises in store for those who venture there. Indeed, its particularity is that a large part of its land is preserved from human damage and tourism. This less touristy destination is full of very varied landscapes between arid lands and mountains. If you want to go there, we advise you to go in the spring between October and November or in the fall between April and May. As for transportation, it is possible to fly from Johannesburg, South Africa to the capital Maseru. If you want to travel in a more authentic way, you can also opt for a car rental with or without a private driver.
An experience cut off from the rest of the world
Despite the fact that few tourists visit Lesotho, the local people are very open to sharing their traditions. Visitors are therefore very privileged and can discover in an intimate way the ways of life within this territory. Religion is very present in this country where the majority of people are Christians. Very old traditions persist, including healing rites and invocations during major droughts. You will therefore be asked to be very open-minded and benevolent towards these populations so as not to offend them or modify their culture in the long term with the possibility of the development of tourism in this region of the world.
As the kingdom is not very developed in terms of tourism and technology, it is best to ask permission from the village chiefs to take photos of the houses or inhabitants. In the same way, if you wish to practice wild camping near a village, prefer to request authorization beforehand. In addition to finding yourself in a totally exotic country in the middle of local populations, you will feel all the more cut off from the world, because internet connections are very difficult outside the capital of Lesotho.
The discovery of incredible natural monuments
During your visit to Lesotho, you absolutely must see some unmissable places. Among them, spectacular panoramas across the mountain, ski resorts, traditional villages, plains and even very important places for the history of mankind.
The smell
In the center of the country, this natural monument will leave you speechless. The site is simply sumptuous and seems to take us back to prehistoric times. On foot, on horseback or by abseiling, you can only get closer to nature and feel its power.
Test Dam
It is a huge dam that is the pride of an entire country. We agree that at first glance, this does not make you dream! However, this site is very impressive and the roads leading to it are even more so.
Quoting
Located about 4 hours by road from the capital, this place is likely to mark you forever. In addition to the fact that these panoramas are extraordinary, you will be able to discover real traces of dinosaurs.
Happy Night
It is a place steeped in history just 25 kilometers from the capital of Lesotho. Here you will discover the tombs of ancient kings and tribal chiefs. Prefer to go there accompanied by a guide in order to capture all the symbolism of the site.
Ts’ehlanyane National Park
It is certain that Lesotho is not a very visited country, but you can be sure to feel even more isolated in this national park than in the rest of the country. Indeed, this one is only for lovers of long hikes who are not afraid of isolation.
Shield National Park
Far from everything, this extremely well preserved natural park simply deserves a look. It is rare to observe such pure lands at the present time. This park is home to wild plains, caves, but also impressive waterfalls.
Of course, there are many other natural and cultural sites worth seeing in Lesotho. To find out about interesting places not far from your position, we advise you to seek advice from the inhabitants of the place in which you are located. They will be able to tell you about extraordinary places that you would not have imagined existed.
