This Lesotho road trip has to be one of the most breathtaking scenic road trips I have done.
The trip from the Eastern Cape of South Africa to Semonkong in Lesotho and then up into a remote mountain village is an incredible experience. Some friends and I went to support a local church up in the mountains, by taking blankets and clothes just before their winter cold and snow moved in. The trip from Semonkong to the mountain village of Ha Rameno is only 25km, but due to the wet conditions and occasional drivable roads, it took us 4hrs of 4×4 off road driving to get there. I was too busy helping build tracks and helping navigate some of the paths to film the difficult sections, and my cell phone stabiliser, couldn’t handle the bumps and g-forces either. I was grateful for the Toyota 4×4 vehicles, they really proved how tough they are.
The road trip through this part of Lesotho to Semonkong is a landscape photographers dream. We entered Lesotho from the border post at Wepener, travelling at the end of April after there had been some good rainfall. The rivers were flowing just under their normal capacity, but it was wonderful to see so much water. The photo above is of the Makhaleng river. South Africa has been experiencing severe drought, and I can’t tell you when last I saw a river flowing in full force. From the customs officers to the shepherds, the Lesotho people are kind and friendly. The road from the border post to Semonkong is in excellent condition. I have added this trip to my bucket list of places that I am going to ride on my bicycle. You just keep climbing and climbing as one mountain range leads to another.
The countryside is clean and has little villages neatly spread all over the landscape where small subsistence farming is the main activity. Sheep, goats, horses, donkeys and cattle are everywhere, being carefully watched by young shepherd boys and their mountain dogs. I had such a deep feeling of peace driving through this land. Life is simple and slow, but peaceful. There are hardly fences anywhere, something you don’t see in South Africa.
If you drive this route, I’d encourage you to take time to stop and enjoy the views. We, unfortunately, had some deadlines, so we couldn’t stop to enjoy all the sites and scenes. This is why I feel it needs to be ridden on a bicycle or motorbike. The weather can range from 0 to 15 degrees Celcius for this time of the year (April/May), and places like the “snow zone” can drop 10 degrees while driving through it.
The Maletsunyane Falls, a magnificent waterfall just outside of Semonkong is something you have to see. I highly recommend taking a picnic and even hiking for the day around the falls. At around 200m high, this is really a spectacular sight to experience. We never got to stay at the Semonkong Lodge nearby, but they offer a whole host of activities you can do in the area and accommodation. Abseiling, horse and donkey rides, mountain biking etc. They have accommodation including a small camping facility and restaurant. Check them out if you are in the area.
The offroad, 4×4 drive up to Ha Rameno is not for the faint-hearted, but definitely worth experiencing. There is no running water, toilets, electricity, proper roads or cellphone signal up there, a refreshing reminder of how life is for so many people. There is a richness though in the way of life and community culture up here that is precious. We were blessed to have been able to experience this wonderful country. I’ll definitely be coming back to visit with my family.
You can view more in our photo gallery here.
Google Maps link to the Maletsunyane Falls near Semonkong