Lesotho - attractions

Lesotho is a small South African country that does not have its own outlet to the sea. Geographically, the country borders only one state - the Republic of South Africa, because it is surrounded on all sides. The main attractions of Lesotho are its natural resources, they attract many tourists here.

The capital of Lesotho is Maseru

Most often it is with a visit to Maseru that tourists begin to get acquainted with the sights of Lesotho. Maseru is located in the western part of the country on the border with South Africa. It is here that the only international airport in the country is located and a major, within the country, railway junction that connects Lesotho with South Africa.

All major sights of the capital of Lesotho are located within the city center. These include:

  1. The Royal Palace of Maseru. The residence of King Lesotho was built in 1976 and looks more like a villa. Now the project is finished, and soon a new palace is expected to be built in a modern style.
  2. The center of Basuto's crafts . A small shop, made in the form of a traditional basuto hut. In the store you can buy handmade products of the Basuto people.
  3. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory . The operating Catholic cathedral, executed in a colonial style.
  4. Machabeng College. The largest college in the country, giving education in accordance with international standards in English. The patroness of the college is the Queen of Lesotho.

Historical and archaeological sites

Several attractions in Lesotho have historical and archaeological value and attract tourists as much interest as natural beauty. The most popular of them are:

  1. Taba Bosiou . A small village located 16 km from the capital of the country. The main attractions of this place are Mount Taba Bosiou , the citadel of King Lesotho Moshveshoe I and the Tower of Kvilone. The mountain Taba-Bosiou is a symbol of the country, its name in translation means "night mountain". Ruins of the citadel of Moshveshve I are the most revered historical landmark of Lesotho. The fortress is known for the fact that for 40 years it managed to deter the colonizers' raids, and only in 1824 it was captured. The tower of Kvilone is interesting in that it is made in the form of a national headdress of basuto.
  2. Cave house Masitise. The house of the priest David-Frederic Ellenberg is made of red brick. The roof of this house is a rock shelter.
  3. Diamond mine "Letseng" . The mine is located at an altitude of 3100 m above sea level. It is the highest situated mine in the world. Four of the twenty largest diamonds were mined at this mine.
  4. Fossilized traces of dinosaurs on the rocks in Quiting. In the kingdom, many traces of dinosaurs, immortalized in local rocks, are found. The age of the tracks found in Quiting is estimated at about 180 million years.
  5. Rock paintings in the cave in the territory of the reserve Liphofung. The reserve is located in the territory of the Buta-Bute district. It was here that numerous items of the Stone Age were found, which were later sent to the National Museum of the country.

Natural attractions

The most valuable are the natural attractions of Lesotho. The most famous of them are:

  1. Tshehlanyane National Park is located just south of Buta-Bute . On the territory of the park there is a fairly large area with camping grounds, pedestrian tourism is developed, it is possible to visit the local Aboriginal tribes.
  2. The natural reserve "Bokong" is located in the area of Taba-Tsek and is one of the highest mountain reserves in Africa. The main interest of tourists is the waterfall Lepaqoa. A feature of this waterfall is that it completely freezes in winter, forming a huge ice column.
  3. The Maletsuniane waterfall, 192 meters high. One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Africa is located near the town of Siemonkong. The source of the waterfall is the river Maletsuniane - the tributary of one of the largest rivers of Africa called Orange . The waterfall remains abundant almost throughout the year, thanks to the highlands.
  4. Sehlabathebe National Park . The park, created in 1970, for the protection of the Drakensberg Mountains is the oldest reserve in the country. It is here that most of the trekking, biking and horse routes are laid. Here begins the route along the famous Sani Pass pass.
  5. Mokotlong is a city that lies north of the Sani Pass. It is considered the coldest point of all Africa.
  6. Afri-Ski Resort can be safely attributed to the sights of Lesotho, because only here in all of Africa you can go skiing.

How to get there?

Since the public transport network in Lesotho is almost not developed, you can get to most of the sights only by renting a car. Most of the parks are in hard-to-reach mountainous areas, so it's better to choose 4-wheel drive cars for rent. The days of renting such cars cost from $ 70.

Of the many cities adjacent to the natural attractions of Lesotho, there are organized hiking, horseback or cycling tours to the most interesting points of the reserves.