Where We Go in Lesotho

Lesotho is a former British Protectorate previously known as Basutoland. It is often referred to as "The Mountain Kingdom" and is home to the famous Roof of Africa motor rally. The rough-road opportunities here are unsurpassed. There are wide open spaces and seemingly endless vistas of hills and valleys. There are no power-lines, no factories and no fences to blight the landscape. Most roads are unsurfaced and many streams and rivers are forded rather than bridged. It is possible to drive for days exploring this mountain wilderness without deviating from the existing tracks.

Trips normally access Lesotho via the well-known and spectacularly scenic Sani Pass which rises to almost 9,500 feet between mountain ramparts of basalt.

Generally, daily drives are undertaken from the Sani Lodge into the mountain reaches of Lesotho using either the gravel main road or one of the many rough tracks or bridle paths that crisscross the country. The eco-system is a fragile montane one and no cross-country driving is permitted.

The day’s destination may be to the escarpment edge from which one can gaze down at the green and fertile valleys of Kwa-Zulu Natal, 3000 feet below, rolling away towards the Indian Ocean. Or it may be a seldom-visited fishing spot where one can pit one’s wits against the rainbow trout which abound in the cold gin-clear streams. Or perhaps the day’s objective will be to locate one of the sand-stone caves where indigenous rock-art painted by the Bushmen people long ago is still to be seen. And there is always the chance of spotting the rare Bearded Vulture (Lammergeier) which nests in the crags in the remote hills of Lesotho. This is the largest and most spectacular of several species of raptor which occur with surprising frequency at these high altitudes.

Where We Go Wild Coast