Places to Visit
Lesotho offers a wide variety of natural and historic attractions to visitors.
Hiker-friendly Bokong Nature Reserve is a high-altitude sanctuary best-known for the 60m-high Lepaqoa Falls, which often freeze in winter to form a column of ice.
Ha Baroana is a 2,000-year-old rock art site dominated by polychrome depictions of elands and hunters.
The unique Ha Kome Cave Dwelling consists of five inhabited adobe huts built in a deep natural overhang back in the 1820s.
An engineering marvel, Katse Dam, the centerpiece of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, is overlooked by a lovely botanical garden that houses 500 plant species.
Lesotho’s largest natural freshwater body, the remote Lake Letsie is a scenic Alpine wetland that offers great birdwatching.
The historic small town of Leribe is home to the highly regarded Leribe Craft Centre and the 200-million-year-old Subeng Dinosaur Footprints.
Liphofung is a dramatic rock overhang known for its prehistoric rock art and historical association with King Moshoeshoe I.
Chilled out Malealea is a popular base for pony trekking, mountain biking and community-based tourist activities.
The spectacular 192-metre Maletsunyane Waterfall is one of Africa’s tallest waterfalls and the site of the world’s longest commercial abseil.
Mount Moorosi is the site of an important 19th century battlefield overlooking the Senqu (Orange) River.
Quthing is known for its Dinosaur Footprints and the Masitise Cave House, a unique dwelling built by a French missionary in 1866.
An excellent base for exploring western Lesotho, the capital Maseru is a low-rise city graced by the country’s best selection of hotels, restaurants and other such amenities.
An important component in the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, Mohale Dam is reached by a dramatic 100km road that traverses three major mountain passes.
One of Lesotho’s prettiest towns, Morija houses Lesotho’s first French Protestant mission, as well as the kingdom’s two oldest extant buildings, and the Morija Museum and Archives.
The highest of Southern Africa’s only two ski resorts, Afriski operates offers skiing during midwinter (June to August) and activities such as mountain biking and hiking at other times.
Roma, set below a striking sandstone escarpment, is home to the country’s oldest Catholic mission and the leafy campus of the National University of Lesotho.
Perched at 2,874 metres, Sani Top offers wonderful hiking opportunities (including Thabana Ntlenyana, Southern Africa’s highest mountain) and is the setting for Africa’s highest pub.
The remote Sehlabathebe National Park is a hiker-friendly UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its spectacular rock formations and abundant prehistoric rock art.
Teya-Teyaneng, the handicraft capital of Lesotho, houses a clutch of craft cooperatives aimed at the upliftment of local women.
The historic heart of the Sotho Kingdom, Thaba Bosiu is a near-impregnable sandstone plateau that served as the military stronghold of King Moshoeshoe I.
The superb but little-visited Tsatsane Bushman Paintings include a massive eland portrait and a detailed depiction of a San rainmaking ceremony.
Ts'ehlanyane National Park is known for its rugged montane vistas, floral diversity and network of hiking and horseback trails emanating from the five-star Maliba Lodge.