4x4 Adventures

Although most trunk routes in Lesotho are now surfaced and easily traversed in any roadworthy vehicle, the more remote corners of the kingdom still offer great opportunities for 4x4 enthusiasts to hone their skills in magnificent montane settings.

The most famous 4x4 route in Southern Africa, Sani Pass links the small South African town of Underberg, at the base of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg escarpment, to 2,874-metre Sani Top in Lesotho. Sani Pass follows a thrilling succession of rocky switchbacks as it climbs almost 1,500 metres over fewer than 20 kilometres, offering sensational views in all directions. Although it can be driven independently, Sani Pass can also be explored on an organised day tour out of Underberg, one that also provides a great introduction to Sotho culture and Afroalpine ecology, as well as the opportunity to lunch at the highest pub in Africa.

Another excellent albeit more demanding 4x4 route connects Sani Top to Sehlabathebe National Park via Matabeng Pass, a stunning - but after rain, or rockfalls, potentially treacherous - road that summits at 2,940 metres and is traversed by no more than a handful of 4x4s daily. The full drive from Sani Top to Sehlabathebe should take around eight hours if all goes well, but it is advisable to leave as early as possible and to stock up on provisions at the well-equipped small town of Mokhotlong. The reward for all this hard work is some superb views over the sweeping Senqu (Orange) and Sehonghong rivers, followed by few days rambling or hiking in the gorgeous Sehlabathebe National Park.

Another great (mostly) 4x4 route runs southwest from Sehlabathebe National Park to Quthing via Qacha’s Nek, following the Senqu River for much of its length, with must-do diversions to scenic Lake Letsie and the Tsatsane Bushman Paintings.

Possibly the most extreme 4x4 route in Lesotho is the 60km track that runs northeast from Ha Lejone in Katse Dam to the A1 south of Oxbow and Afriski via Tlaeeng Pass, which summits at 3,275 metres, making it the highest road in subequatorial Africa.

Although Sani Pass is traversed by dozens of commercial 4x4s daily, the other routes described above are very remote and should only be attempted by experienced and self-sufficient drivers in reliable vehicles carrying suitable spares. Rockfalls and sudden rainstorms (sometimes accompanied by hail) are a potential hazard in summer, while snow and black ice require extra care in winter, especially at higher altitudes.