Essential Information

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a sovereign democracy surrounded by South Africa on all sides. It is a relatively small and thinly inhabited country, extending over 30,355 square kilometres, with a total population of 2.1 million. The only country in the world to lie entirely above the 1,000m contour (the lowest elevation is in fact 1,388m), it also owns bragging rights to the highest peak in Southern Africa in the form of the 3,482-metre Thabana Ntlenyana. Lesotho is unusual in its cultural and linguistic homogeneity, with more than 99 percent of the population identifying as Basotho and speaking the Sesotho tongue.

Health and safety

Lesotho is situated between 28° and 31° south and 27° and 30° east, placing it well outside the tropics, which together with its high elevation ensures it is entirely free of bilharzia, malaria and most other tropical diseases. Crime levels are also low, especially by comparison to South Africa, though it would be inadvisable to walk around the capital Maseru at night. The biggest risks faced by visitors to Lesotho are probably car accidents and the possibility of getting caught out by fickle weather in the high mountains.

Entry requirements  

A valid passport is required by all visitors.

Nationals of the of the following countries do not require a visa: Austria, Australia, Botswana, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, United Kingdom, United States of America and Zimbabwe.

Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa for visits of up to 90 days: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brunei, Dominica, Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Tanzania and Tonga.

Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa to enter Lesotho for visits of up to 14 days: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Portugal and Spain.

A visa is required by nationals of all other countries. This can be bought online and paid for by MasterCard or Visa at evisalesotho. Allow at least a week for an online application to be processed.

Visitors who require a visa to enter South Africa should ensure they have a multiple-entry visa before crossing into Lesotho.

Money

The currency in Lesotho is the loti (plural maloti). The exchange rate is pegged to the South African Rand and the two currencies are used interchangeably within Lesotho, though maloti banknotes and coins might be difficult to unload once back in South Africa. Major credit cards (Visa and MasterCard) are widely accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops in Maseru and at most tourist-dependent businesses elsewhere in the country, but cash is king in markets, smaller shops and rural areas. There are 24-hour ATMs standing outside most banks in Maseru and at least one can be found in most other towns of any substance.

Public holidays

Fixed-date public holidays celebrated in Lesotho are:

1 January        New Year's Day

11 March         Moshoeshoe Day

1 May              Workers' Day

25 May            Africa Day or Heroes' Day

17 July            King Letsie III's Birthday

4 October        Independence Day

25 December  Christmas Day

26 December  Boxing Day

Moveable public holidays are Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday, and Ascension Day.

Clothing

Dress codes for tourists are casual. Night time temperatures often drop below zero in the mountains during winter, but chilly nocturnal conditions can occur throughout the year. Bring plenty of warm clothing, as well as waterproof and windproof jackets. Good walking shoes are essential for hiking.

Telephone

The international dialling code is +266. There are no area codes. You can avoid expensive roaming and data costs by buying a local SIM card, airtime and a data bundle on arrival. Vodacom Lesotho is regarded to have the best and most comprehensive network, but data connections tend to be slow in small towns and rural areas.

Electricity

220/240 volt AC 50Hz. As with South Africa, Lesotho uses Type C two-pin plugs identical to those on mainland Europe (but not the UK or Ireland) as well as Type M sockets with three round prongs forming a triangle.

Language

The official languages are Sesotho and English. Sesotho is spoken throughout the country but while English is widely spoken in towns and in most establishments likely to be frequented by travellers, it may not be understood in rural areas.

Useful Sesotho phrases

These are some words and phrases translated from English to Sesotho

Hello                                        Lumela

How are you?                         U phela joang?

I am fine                                  Ke phela hantle

What is your name?               Lebitso la hau u mang?

My name is…                         Lebitso la ka ke

May i have some water          Ke kopa metsi

Help                                        Ke kopa thuso

May I?                                     Ke kopa?

Toilet                                       Ntloana

I am sorry                                Ke kopa ts'oarelo

What is the price?                  Ke bokae?

Where do you come from?    U tsoa kae?

I come from…                         Ke tsoa…

May i have food                      Ke kopa lijo

Chicken                                   Nama ea khoho

Beef                                        Nama ea khomo

Pork                                        Nama ea kolobe

Mutton                                    Nama ea nku

Potatoes                                 Litapole

Vegetables                              Meroho

Milk                                         Lebese

Eggs                                        Mahe

Stay well                                 Sala hantle (Salang hantle - plural)

Goodbye                                 Tsamaea hantle (Tsamaeang hantle - plural)

Thank you                               Kea leboha