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Lesotho

Beautiful, culturally rich, affordable and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho (le-soo-too) is a vastly underrated travel destination. The contrast with South Africa could not be more striking, with the Basotho people's distinct personality and the altitudinous terrain's topographical extremes. Even a few days in Lesotho’s hospitable mountain lodges and trading posts will give you a fresh perspective on Southern Africa.

This is essentially an alpine country, where villagers on horseback in multicoloured balaclavas and blankets greet you round precipitous bends. The hiking and trekking – often on a famed Basotho pony – is world class, offering undulating expanses of pastoral charm, traditional rondavels (round huts with a conical roof) and innumerable grazing sheep.

The 1000m-high ‘lowlands’ offer craft shopping and sights, but don't miss a trip to the southern, central or northeastern highlands, where streams traverse an ancient dinosaur playground. This is genuine adventure travel.

Explore Lesotho

C
Cultural Village
Revamped in 2016, the well-maintained cultural village is a highly worthwhile stop. Excellent guided tours of the complex explain traditional Basotho…
L
Liphofung Cave Cultural & Historical Site
This small but historically significant sandstone overhang is adorned in San rock art and served as a temporary hideaway home for King Moshoeshoe the…
B
Bokong Nature Reserve
Bokong has perhaps the more dramatic setting of the two northern parks, with stunning vistas over the Lepaqoa Valley from the visitors centre, various…
T
Ts'ehlanyane National Park
The country's top park features a beautiful, 56-sq-km patch of rugged wilderness, including one of Lesotho’s only stands of indigenous forest, at a high…
H
Ha Baroana
Ha Baroana is one of Lesotho’s more important and publicised rock-art sites. It’s worth a visit if you have extra time, although neglect and vandalism…
S
Sehlabathebe National Park
This far-flung, lesser-visited park offers stunning rock formations, rolling grasslands, wildflowers and a feeling of isolation, though there's also a…
H
Ha Kome Cave Houses
The Ha Kome cave houses are an anomaly in this area, 21km from Teyateyaneng (TY) and several kilometres from the village of Mateka. These extraordinary…
R
Royal Archives & Museum
Morija's unremarkable neighbouring village, Matsieng, is the unlikely site of a royal compound. A new palace was built in Maseru in the '60s, but the…
M
Morija Museum & Archives
This small, considered museum contains ethnographical exhibits, archives from the early mission and scientific artefacts. There’s an excellent collection…

C
Cultural Village
Revamped in 2016, the well-maintained cultural village is a highly worthwhile stop. Excellent guided tours of the complex explain traditional Basotho…
L
Liphofung Cave Cultural & Historical Site
This small but historically significant sandstone overhang is adorned in San rock art and served as a temporary hideaway home for King Moshoeshoe the…
B
Bokong Nature Reserve
Bokong has perhaps the more dramatic setting of the two northern parks, with stunning vistas over the Lepaqoa Valley from the visitors centre, various…
T
Ts'ehlanyane National Park
The country's top park features a beautiful, 56-sq-km patch of rugged wilderness, including one of Lesotho’s only stands of indigenous forest, at a high…
H
Ha Baroana
Ha Baroana is one of Lesotho’s more important and publicised rock-art sites. It’s worth a visit if you have extra time, although neglect and vandalism…
S
Sehlabathebe National Park
This far-flung, lesser-visited park offers stunning rock formations, rolling grasslands, wildflowers and a feeling of isolation, though there's also a…
H
Ha Kome Cave Houses
The Ha Kome cave houses are an anomaly in this area, 21km from Teyateyaneng (TY) and several kilometres from the village of Mateka. These extraordinary…
R
Royal Archives & Museum
Morija's unremarkable neighbouring village, Matsieng, is the unlikely site of a royal compound. A new palace was built in Maseru in the '60s, but the…
M
Morija Museum & Archives
This small, considered museum contains ethnographical exhibits, archives from the early mission and scientific artefacts. There’s an excellent collection…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Lesotho.

See
Cultural Village
Revamped in 2016, the well-maintained cultural village is a highly worthwhile stop. Excellent guided tours of the complex explain traditional Basotho…
See
Liphofung Cave Cultural & Historical Site
This small but historically significant sandstone overhang is adorned in San rock art and served as a temporary hideaway home for King Moshoeshoe the…
See
Bokong Nature Reserve
Bokong has perhaps the more dramatic setting of the two northern parks, with stunning vistas over the Lepaqoa Valley from the visitors centre, various…
See
Ts'ehlanyane National Park
The country's top park features a beautiful, 56-sq-km patch of rugged wilderness, including one of Lesotho’s only stands of indigenous forest, at a high…
See
Ha Baroana
Ha Baroana is one of Lesotho’s more important and publicised rock-art sites. It’s worth a visit if you have extra time, although neglect and vandalism…
See
Sehlabathebe National Park
This far-flung, lesser-visited park offers stunning rock formations, rolling grasslands, wildflowers and a feeling of isolation, though there's also a…
See
Ha Kome Cave Houses
The Ha Kome cave houses are an anomaly in this area, 21km from Teyateyaneng (TY) and several kilometres from the village of Mateka. These extraordinary…
See
Royal Archives & Museum
Morija's unremarkable neighbouring village, Matsieng, is the unlikely site of a royal compound. A new palace was built in Maseru in the '60s, but the…
See
Morija Museum & Archives
This small, considered museum contains ethnographical exhibits, archives from the early mission and scientific artefacts. There’s an excellent collection…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Lesotho

Ready to go? Get to the heart of Lesotho with one of Lonely Planet's in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.