Wild Lesotho 4×4 Tour.
This is a detailed route description of the Wild Lesotho 4×4 Tour.
We start our journey in Pietermaritzburg with our trusty 4×4’s and point them in the direction of Underberg which is a 130km drive. This can take up to 2 hours as it is a scenic drive. After meeting up we drive a short distance to Himeville where we stop for tea and a light snack at a little cafe owned by Colleen. While enjoying our snack we can see the mighty Drakensberg Mountain Range up ahead.
The South African border post at the bottom of Sani Pass is coming up. Here we get our passports stamped and have a Covid test (may change later).
We climb from 1544m to 2873m above sea level over 9km long.
With unbelievable views and steep switchbacks we make it to the top. The Lesotho border stands at the top of the mountain totally exposed to the mountain weather where it can change from freezing cold temperatures to warm sunny bliss in a matter of minutes. With the obligatory stamp in the passport we are now in Lesotho.
The Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho
A stop at the Highest Pub in Africa is a must, we stop for a drink and for a look back down the pass we just conquered. After a fun 4×4 drive on a rough dirt road we now travel on a lovely tar road for about 40km. Thankfully the scenery is still the same and as untouched as it has been for millennia. The Mountains seem to go on for an eternity growing into the sky. After some more switchbacks we reach Black Mountain where we stop for lunch at 3240m.
This is the highest we get to on this trip so you can imagine the views.
From there we take a slow drive down a winding road through small villages and settlements until we reach the turn off for Thaba-Tseka. This is back to dirt and about 20km to our first overnight stop, Molumong Lodge. This is more camping indoors than an actual lodge but is beautiful and well worth it.
Living the High Life
On the second day of the trip we awaken to an amazing sun rise with breathtaking colours. We hit the road after a good breakfast and make our way towards our campsite for the night.
Along our journey we pass through some villages and get an amazing chance to see life and culture in the Lesotho Highlands. With wool being a major export in this area its not long before you notice the amount of sheep shearing sheds spread across the landscape and also the precariously placed crops terraced into the side of steep hills.
It doesn’t take long to see the hardest worker of Lesotho, the donkey.
These stubborn yet durable animals line the side of the roads carrying anything from crop harvests for eating to beer for drinking or just used for general transportation.
60km later we reach a cross road overlooking the mighty Senqu river also known as the Orange river. The intersection has a small settlement around it. This means its time for a traditional Basotho snack, the Mgwinya. After munching on a couple of these lovely “fried dough” we turn left at the intersection and follow the Senqu River traveling more dirt roads and passing through even more villages.
One small town does stand out and that is Sehonghong because of its airstrip. This is quite a rarity in Lesotho and something the locals are surely proud of.
After 108km of driving from the starting point of the day we reach our overnight stop.
A lovely campsite under huge Poplar trees on a river bank, the perfect place for a peaceful night.
Staying High in The Mountains
This is the last day of the trip and probably the longest one. It starts with meandering along the river for a while encountering increasingly remote villages where the villagers live completely off the land with little outside influence. This is where 4 wheel drive vehicle comes in handy. The road becomes steeper and the obstacles start to grow just as we get higher and higher.
Matabeng pass has unbelievable mountain scenery but you have to make an effort as it is not the easiest pass. Don’t worry though because that is why you joined a guided trip.
From the top of Matabeng pass you can see for miles. Certainly worth the effort.
The other side is easier as we head back down and drive past Sethlabathebe National Park. Here we drive along a plateau so relatively flat. Now we can look up at the mountains we just drove over. Just around the corner is the Ramateliso gate. This is where we leave Lesotho and head to Matatiele in the Eastern Cape for a lunch and fuel stop. From here we usually go our separate ways but if you drove in one of my vehicles then we drive another 3 hours to Pietermaritzburg.
And there we have it. The Wild Lesotho 4×4 Tour.