Getting Here

Whether you travel by road or by air, Lesotho is most easily reached from South Africa, which encloses it on all sides and is also the only country with international flights there.

By Air

The only international service to Lesotho is a thrice-daily SA Airlink return flight between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Moshoeshoe I International Airport (IATA code MSU), which lies about 18km southeast of the capital Maseru. The flight takes about one hour in either direction.

By Road

There are eleven fully functional road borders between South Africa and Lesotho. The most useful one depends greatly on where In South Africa you are coming from and where in Lesotho you plan to go.

The most convenient border driving directly to Maseru from Johannesburg, Bloemfontein or most other cities in northern, southern and western South Africa is Maseru Bridge, which lies about 15km south of Ladybrand. Allow five hours for the drive from Johannesburg or up to two hours coming from Bloemfontein.

The most convenient border coming from Johannesburg to Afriski Mountain Resort or elsewhere in the far north is Caledonspoort.

The only road order along the impenetrable eastern escarpment that forms the border with KwaZulu-Natal is 4x4-only Sani Pass.

A full list of road borders running clockwise from Maseru Bridge follows. Those marked * are 4x4 only.

Maseru Bridge            Connects Ladybrand (Free State) to Maseru            Open 24 hours

Peka Bridge                Connects Gumtree (Free State) to Peka                    Open 08h00 - 16h00

Ficksburg Bridge        Connects Ficksburg (Free State) to Maputsoe          Open 24 hours

Caledonspoort            Connects Fouriesburg (Free State) to Botha-Bothe  Open 06h00 - 22h00

Sani Pass *                 Connects Underberg (KwaZulu-Natal) to Sani Top   Open 08h00 - 16h00

Ramatsilitso Gate *     Connects Matatiele (E. Cape) to Sehlabathebe        Open 08h00 - 18h00

Qacha's Nek *             Connects Matatiele (E. Cape) to Qacha's Nek          Open 08h00 - 20h00

Tele Bridge                 Connects Sterkspruit (E. Cape) to Quthing               Open 08h00 - 22h00

Makhaleng Bridge *    Connects Zastron (Free State) to Mohale’s Hoek     Open 08h00 - 16h00

Sephapho's Gate *     Connects Boesmanskop (Free State) to Mafeteng   Open 08h00 - 16h00

Van Rooyen’s Gate    Connects Wepener (Free State) to Mafeteng            Open 06h00 - 20h00

Public transport

Minibus taxis connect Maseru to the South African cities of Ladybrand, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg. None of the major coach services in South Africa operates services to Lesotho, but the InterCape Service between Pretoria/Johannesburg and Durban via Bloemfontein stops at Ladybrand, only 15km from the Maseru Bridge border post.

Sani Pass Tours

Several operators in the South African town of Underberg offer day and overnight tours to Sani Top, which could be used as a springboard for travel further afield in Lesotho.