Time takes on new meaning in Lesotho, whether you press pause at Malealea Lodge or hunt for prehistoric life at Roma. By Inge Triegaardt & Gary Webb

Our most recent adventure took us to the Kingdom in the Sky, Lesotho. The only country in the world entirely located 1,000m above sea level. We planned to start our journey on the western side of the country with a few days’ rest at Malealea Lodge, before searching for 200-million-year-old dinosaur footprints. With Inge’s love for rocks and Gary’s interest in mountains and landscapes, this itinerary ticked all the boxes. 

Before entering Lesotho, we stayed over in Bethulie. The little Royal Hotel on the banks of the Gariep Dam has a collection of books, vinyl records and CDs like no other in South Africa. Owner Anthony Hocking is a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge. The following day, after leaving Bethulie, we decided to make a detour to Lady Grey. The aim was to drive up the beautiful Joubert’s Pass, one of South Africa’s highest passes.

Entering Lesotho

For our border crossing, we had picked the small Sepapus Gate. From Lady Grey, we navigated our way back through Maletswai and on to Zastron for one last fuel stop.

The road to the border post took us through some flat farmlands with mountains visible in the distance. It felt like a very long 20km of dirt road when all we wanted to do was get our passports stamped and enter Lesotho. That was when the real journey would start. A new country. Different landscapes. Different cultures.

At the official government building, everything was very quiet, not a person in sight. It was 15:15. Our detour had caused us to reach the border a little later than planned. So we were relieved when we heard a voice from behind the counter. Even at this late hour, we were the first people to cross the border. Since Sepapus Gate is a quiet border post, our exit out of South Africa was effortless. After adjusting the date on the stamp, the official quickly inspected our car before opening the boom.

But just as we pulled away, we had to park again. This time there was a boom right in front of us and, to the left, a small building in need of paint and maintenance. The door was closed and we immediately started to worry. What if the official that needed to give us our entries was nowhere to be found? We were now in no-man’s land. Fortunately, as we walked up to the door, someone welcomed us in. Soon our passports were stamped and the boom was lifted… Welcome to Lesotho!

Gates of Paradise Pass

After entering Lesotho, we quickly found ourselves on the A2, heading in a northerly direction. We refuelled at the first petrol station we could find in Mafeteng, just in case we could not find any petrol in Malealea. From the start, the agricultural effort in this country impressed us. Every available piece of land has corn or sorghum planted. The traffic lessened as we turned off the A2 highway and we could slow down.

Upon reaching the Gates of Paradise Pass, we could already feel our legs stretching and our souls relaxing. Malealea was now only 13km away and the pass was our first off-road experience. At the top of the Gates of Paradise Pass, a beautiful view awaited. We stopped to appreciate the scenery before descending what became a very muddy piece of road. The Jimny was shaking everything that was lying loose into place. There were big road work vehicles along the road and yellow signs warned to approach with caution. We got the feeling that this piece of road has been worked on for quite some time. 

What felt like a never-ending, but scenic road, eventually brought us to the village of Malealea. 

R&R at Malealea Lodge

Whether you are looking for a quiet, relaxing stay to recharge your batteries or an adventurous, action-packed visit, Malealea Lodge is just the place. We arrived late in the afternoon and pleasant staff ushered us through the well-kept grounds to our rondavel. These round mud buildings, with their Basotho blankets to keep you warm, make it clear that you have arrived in Lesotho. 

If you are looking to venture out, hikes and various pony trekking opportunities are available. If you prefer to stay in, there’s table tennis, a pool table and a tennis court. The lodge involves the community and every night a choir and band perform. After chatting to the staff to get a local sim card, organise firewood and find out about road conditions, it was time to enjoy our first Maluti beer! Tasting the local brew is one thing we make sure we never miss on an overlanding trip. Sitting on the deck as the sun was setting, we reflected on our first day in Lesotho. It had been a good day on the road and we were ready to start taking it more slowly. The air outside was cool and we needed a good night’s sleep ahead of our first full day in the Kingdom in the Sky.

In search of a waterfall

The following day, we decided to explore further afield with our Tracks4Africa maps in our hands. We followed the GPS along a path with beautiful views as we drove in search of the Botsoela Waterfall. Although the area had received some recent rains, the road was not too bad. Like everywhere in Lesotho, children suddenly appeared and started running after the car.  We focused on the road and were still admiring the landscape when we were stopped by a woman. We had missed the turn-off – it turns out the children were trying to tell us this all along. So we turned around and, with the children running at full speed back alongside the rocky road, we approached the turn-off. 

What unfolded next was something that could have ended our trip very early. We turned off and, in full view of about 12 children, the Jimny started sliding on black mud. Our approach angle was wrong and we landed against a bank, lying at a 45-degree angle. Local teenagers jumped in to push the Jimny back up – luckily there was no damage to our trusty vehicle. After regrouping and reassessing, we decided not to continue our search for the waterfall.

A couple of days previously, a group of cars had had to do some serious recovery in the same spot. This we only heard about on our arrival back at Malealea Lodge. We got lucky, but we were unscathed and could continue our explorations of Lesotho. The rest of the day, we took it easy. We strolled through the labyrinth made from recycled glass bottles, supported the local community shop and enjoyed the peace and quiet. 

Destination Roma

The next morning, we were up early ready to head deeper into the mountains. Our route would take us from Malealea to Ramabanta, with an important stop in Roma to look for dinosaur footprints. This was one of the main items on our Lesotho adventure and one that Inge specifically looked forward to as she is the rock expert. But finding them was easier said than done and eventually we opted to ask for directions and advice at the Roma Trading Post.

Sekakhe, the friendly manager, arranged for a guide to lead us on a 2km hike to the location of this ancient find. The hike started well on a flat surface through Roma village, but as we now know, nothing is flat in Lesotho. We soon started to climb, zigzagging past the houses, up and around the mountain. We would have never found this location if it was not for Mosito leading the way. (A guide is essential as the footprints are not signposted and the route leads through private property in places.)

Walking in the footsteps of dinosaurs

The slow walk up the mountain at high altitude was not what we were expecting to do, but Mosito was such a knowledgeable young man. We stopped at regular intervals and he patiently answered all our questions about the culture, landscapes and life in Roma. It turned out that he is a professional BMX rider who has represented Lesotho on the international stage. 

Arriving at the dinosaur footprints, it felt like we were the first to discover them. In the middle of nowhere, on a hill overlooking a gorge, lies about six unfamiliar footprints. They belong to Kayentapus ambrokholohali, a creature that was around 2.7m high and 9m long from snout to tail. These 200-million-year-old footprints are not cordoned off, despite there only being two sites in the world where such specimens are found – Lesotho and Poland.

While we were catching our breath, admiring the landscape and feeling very proud of ourselves, a herd of sheep came walking along the escarpment. Their path led within metres of these ancient footprints. Even though this find was important to us, the locals walked right past it while going about their daily business without blinking an eye.

We were sad to say goodbye to our guide and Roma Trading Post. The lodge had a good feel to it and we will certainly consider staying there next time we visit Lesotho. Sekhake and Mosito reflected the friendliness of the Basothos that we encountered everywhere in the Mountain Kingdom. May this young man reach great heights with his cycling career.

Ramabanta Trading Post

Our final destination was Semonkong, but we first had time for a breather in Ramabanta. Ramabanta is little more than a trading post and a couple of stalls next to the road. It is also a popular basecamp for riders participating in the legendary Roof of Africa motorbike race.

Although Lesotho’s main roads are generally in a good state, we joked that the stretch from the turn-off to the lodge was often the worst. Ramabanta was no different, with a particularly rutted section through the village, albeit for only a short distance. 

In Lesotho, tourists are discouraged from handing out sweets to children and adults to stop a begging culture and improve health. We therefore opted to take our retired padel balls and hand them out. Just outside Ramabanta Trading Post were some families selling handmade curios. It was here that the enthusiastic children each grabbed a product and proudly stood next to their parents to showcase them. Not only did we end up buying curios, we also handed out padel balls to the children. The sheer joy on their faces was enough to make anyone smile.

With pristine lawns under big trees, Ramabanta Trading Post Lodge offers total tranquillity. The rooms were fantastic and we enjoyed the magnificent views all around. Although Ramabanta was only a one-night stay, these first few days in Lesotho set the tone for trip. Slow travelling, beautiful landscapes and passes, iconic places and friendly smiles. We met wonderful people that made us want to stay longer.

Good to know

• Accommodation bookings in Lesotho need to be made in advance, especially in wintertime. 
• Malealea Lodge and Ramabanta Trading Post have wifi in the restaurant area (like most lodges in Lesotho)
• Because of the high altitude, the days are cool, especially the mornings.  The nights are cold. At most accommodation expect a fireplace, heater or traditional Basotho blankets in the rooms.
• Fill-up with fuel where you can. Quality and availability of fuel is not guaranteed.

• South African rand is widely accepted in Lesotho. There is no need to trade local maloti currency.
• Do not hand out sweets to children or adults. Some lodges (like Malealea) have donation boxes for stationery, clothing, books, etc. that they will distribute in the community.
• Do not expect to do daily long distances while touring Lesotho. Slow down and try to do 200km or less per day to ensure that you do not miss certain activities and the beauty the country has to offer. The passes are magnificent but can only be driven at slow speeds.
• There are lots of donkeys, cattle and sheep in the road. Slow down and be careful.
• Airtime is readily available for Econet and Vodacom Lesotho – get a local sim.

Our South Africa Traveller’s Map covers Lesotho: all the roads, sights and border crossings you need.  Or get the Lesotho GPS Map for Garmin to have turn-by-turn directions on your trip.