General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION ON LESOTHO

High in the mountains of Southern Africa - unique in that it is an independent nation completely surrounded by South Africa - is the KINGDOM of LESOTHO - the ‘Kingdom in the Sky’.

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An extraordinary country that provides spectacular mountain scenery as a backdrop to some of the most exciting holiday activities in Africa, Lesotho offers the chance to enjoy Africa’s majestic beauty, the simplicity of a mountain people, and a serene quality of life for discerning travellers from all over the world. Lesotho offers an opportunity to explore nature little changed by man, still unspoilt by crowds of tourists, and to appreciate the untamed but beautiful landscapes of the soaring Maluti and Drakensberg mountains. Three-quarters of Lesotho is covered by mountains.

The capital and principal town, Maseru, is laid-back and slow-paced.

People: Practically the entire population consists of Basotho with under 1% comprising whites. The people are friendly and welcoming.

Language: South Sotho is spoken everywhere. English may be heard in Maseru and generally at the mountain lodges and pony trekking centres.

Handicrafts: The talented Basotho fashion a wide variety of clothing, utensils and novelties from the materials readily available to them. Vividly coloured woollen rugs, mohair shawls, tapestries, basketwork and leather goods are excellent buys. Co-operative craft centres operate in many villages and the pooled efforts of the locals help to sustain the community during the long icy winter months. Finely woven Basotho blankets are typical of the country and were originally created to help withstand the icy mountain temperatures. These blankets are worn throughout the country. The grass woven conical Basotho hat may also be purchased from street hawkers as well as curio shops. Traditional beadwork in the form of necklaces and bracelets are sought after. In the mountain regions one may barter warm clothing for traditional Basotho trinkets, with both parties concluding a useful exchange.

Transport: Public bus services may be erratic so jam-packed taxis are frequently used by the locals.

To explore Lesotho is easy. Roads wend their way up into the mountains, while 4x4 treks are an exciting way to explore the more out-of-the-way sites. Non 4-wheel drive vehicles are not generally recommended – 4X4’s are the usual mode of transport on untarred mountain roads.

But for most people the ideal way of exploring Lesotho is on the back of the gentle, but sure-footed Basotho pony - the traditional means of transport in the mountains. The Basotho pony is a small sturdy animal descended from the Indonesian horses originally imported to the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) in the early 19th century. Interbreeding with Arab stallions, imported for stud purposes, provided these strong, sure-footed ponies with a number of extraordinary qualities, including the ability to withstand the harsh winter climate. Another excellent quality is the pony’s sweet temper and reliable nature.

KOKANYA TOURS offers guided and self-drive 4X4 trips as well as pony treks into the mountains.
Please Contact Us for details.