Lesotho

Get in

thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of Lesotho, with countries in green having visa-free access. Others can apply for an eVisa

See

thumb|The Lesotho Highlands Semonkong Falls — these falls near Semonkong drop 200 m in single plunge! In summer, you can swim in the pond below while in winter the pond freezes over and an ice enclosure develops around the falls. Katse Dam — an impressive dam towering 185 m in a narrow valley Dinosaur footprints — well-preserved footprints of these terrible lizards exist around the country; the most accessible are near Moyeni & Morija Rock art — found in many places throughout the country, the most impressive found within Liphofung Cave.

Do

Pony-Trekking especially at either Malealea, Semonkong, or at the Basotho Pony-Trekking Centre — whether you are a seasoned pro at horse riding or a complete novice, pony-trekking is an extremely enjoyable way to see the Lesotho countryside. These organized tours give you access to parts of the country which you wouldn't see from your car. The exceptionally sure-footed Basotho Pony can take you through far-off villages and atop daunting mountains. Skiing — at Afriski, Oxbow during the winter.

Eat

thumb|Maseru There are many Western style restaurants in Maseru. For a more traditional meal, why not befriend some locals and see what they cook you?

Sleep

Lesotho hosts dozens of hotels, lodges and guesthouses.

Stay safe

It is risky to walk in Maseru alone at night. During the day, at least the main roads of Maseru are safe to walk alone.

As with pretty much everywhere else in the world, you may find friendly chats with locals turn in to veiled requests for money — stick to your principles and only give to registered charities.

At night time, it is the norm to drive through red lights. This is more just to hasten your journey (the police won't care), and a precaution against carjackings.

Stay healthy

The HIV/AIDS incidence rate in Lesotho is the 3rd highest in the world at around 25% or 1 in 4 people infected. Even more worrying is the prevalence rate of around 50% for women under 40 in urban areas.

Consult a doctor as to which vaccinations you will require, but they will most likely include hep A, hep B, and typhoid. If you are staying in rural areas for a long time then a rabies shot would be a good idea. Tropical diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and bilharzia are not present in Lesotho.

It is a very good idea to carry some sterile needles and dressing in your first aid kit: the hospitals throughout Lesotho are not of a very high standard.

If you do have any serious health problems while in Lesotho, get in contact with your country's embassy either in Maseru, or in most cases, in Pretoria in South Africa, as there are very good hospitals across the border in SA for those who can afford to use them.

Lesotho is a high, mountainous plateau, and altitude sickness may occur when you first arrive. Drink a lot of water and keep covered up, skin burns quickly in the thin mountain air. It gets hot in the sun in the summer.

The water in Lesotho is not clean and should not be drunk untreated. Be warned about street vendors who sell fizzy drinks as these are usually in unclean reused glass bottles.

Pack moisturizer! Lesotho's air is dry and some people will develop dry skin.

Respect

thumb|Lamb shepherd in Lesotho Try to learn a few Sesotho words before travelling to Lesotho. The locals appreciate a foreigner who has made the effort to learn their language. Always refer to an elder person, or a person of higher social standing as "Ntate" (male) or " 'Me " (female).

Dumela (pronounced due-mela) is hello. So you would say Dumela Ntate or Dumela 'Me. Kea leboha (sounds like kia-lebh-oha) — thank you U phela joang (O-phela-joang) — how are you Respond with either hantle (well) or Ke phela hantle (I am well) Sala hantle (as it is written) is "stay well" if they are staying and you are going. Equivalent to goodbye. Tsamaea hantle is "go well" if they are going and you are staying

Always respond to people: It is very offensive to ignore someone who greets you. As a foreigner, locals will be keen to say hello and ask you what you're up to in their country.

Never get angry at anyone; in the Basotho culture, people never show frustration towards others, and if you do, then you can easily offend someone. You will almost certainly get frustrated when dealing with Lesotho officialdom, always keep your cool no matter how much buffoonery you are subjected to. To show respect when giving and receiving items, use both hands. Also show a respect for food: don't throw it around, or eat whilst walking. Overall, Basotho people are humble and down to earth.

Connect

In Maseru, there are several internet cafes, although fairly cheap (usually LSL0.20-0.50 per min) they are pretty slow at best.

The mobile phone network is OK in the towns, but fair out in the countryside. The only British mobile phone network that has a roaming agreement is Vodafone. There are two mobile operators in Lesotho, Vodacom and Econet Telecom Lesoth . Vodacom has the widest coverage outside the towns, but is the (more) oversubscribed, and hence the less reliable. You can buy a Vodacom or Ezicel Buddie pay as you go sim card for under M50 in Maseru: worthwhile if you are staying for a while. Mobile phones are available for hire in Maseru. Lesotho uses GSM900. The networks are good, and both have 4G options.

If you have a South African Vodacom SIM Card, you can use it in Lesotho only on the Vodacom network. Be sure to enable roaming.

Go next

Ukhahlamba Drakensberg — mountainous region in South Africa, close to Lesotho