Suggested length of stay
The small size of Lesotho means most travellers tend to spend 1-3 Days here, adding it onto a South African tour. However, to truly experience the nation five days would be recommended.
Modes of transport
Road
Lesotho has an excellent road network that links the largest metropolitan areas with the smallest villages, with surprisingly good road surfaces. A valid driver’s license, provided the photograph is an integral part of the document and provided it is printed in English, is accepted. If your licence does not comply with these requirements, you should obtain an International Driving Permit before you depart for South Africa. Drive on the left and give way to traffic approaching from the right.
Buses
Vaal-Maseru runs a coach service between Johannesburg and Maseru.
Minibuses run almost anywhere from the Maseru Bridge border, but you must get there early in the morning (07:00) as there may be only one bus daily.
Taxis
Regular taxis and 4+1s — have a yellow stripe down the side and squeeze in 4 passengers. Always check the cost of a taxi before you get in.
Climate
Lesotho has 300 days of sunshine. The rainy season extends from October to April in which Lesotho gets 70mm of rainfall, mostly during severe thunderstorms. Extensive snowfalls are possible in winter but may occur in any month on the high mountains. Night time temperatures go below freezing in winter (May — September)
Health Precautions
Lesotho is at a very high altitude, and the air is very thin, especially in the Highlands, be warned that you may suffer from altitude sickness when you first arrive. Drink a lot of water and keep covered up; skin burns quickly in the thin mountain air. The water in Lesotho is not clean and should not be drunk untreated.
Food and Drink
Except for a few decent restaurants in Maseru, your best bet is to eat at your accommodation; many lodges offer excellent meals.
Money
The official currency of Lesotho is the loti (LSL) (plural: maloti), which is subdivided into 100 lisente. Lesotho (along with Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland) is a member of the Southern African Common Monetary Area, and as such the loti is pegged 1:1 to the South African Rand (ZAR). The loti and Rand are legal tender in Lesotho, though change will usually be given in loti.
Most towns have ATMs at banks, although you will not find them elsewhere. Most banks will change travellers’ cheques for you, but it can be a lengthy process if they are in any other currency apart from ZAR. Credit cards will be accepted in Shoprite and the main hotels but not elsewhere. Your cash card from home may work in some Maseru cash machines (FNB or Standard Bank), but it is best to get cash out in South Africa beforehand.
Restaurants outside of Maseru (and most in Maseru) will probably not accept credit cards as a means of payment.
Several Western-style supermarkets in Maseru are good for stocking up on supplies before heading elsewhere in the country.
Time Zone
South Africa Standard Time; Time zone in Lesotho (GMT+2)
Visas
You can visit Lesotho for tourism for up to 14 days without a visa.
Australian Embassy & Consulate contacts for Lesotho
Australia does not have a High Commission or Embassy in Lesotho. You can get consular assistance from the Australian High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa.
Australian High Commission, Pretoria
292 Orient Street, Arcadia, Pretoria 0083, Republic of South Africa
Telephone: (27 12) 4236000
Fax: (27 12) 3428442
Website: southafrica.highcommission.gov.au
Email: consular.pretoria@dfat.gov.au
Lesotho Embassy contacts in Australia
Consulate-General of the United Kingdom of Lesotho
39 Corona Street, Hamilton East, NSW 2303
Phone Number +61 02 4961 5691
Electricity
In Lesotho, the standard voltage is 220 V, and the frequency is 50 Hz. In Lesotho, the power plugs and sockets are of type M.
Getting there (stopovers)
Flying from Sydney Directly to Johannesburg, South Africa, with connections to Maseru in Lesotho.
A brief history
In 1871 Basutoland was annexed into the Cape Colony. … In 1959 Basutoland became a British Colony and was called the Territory of Basutoland. Basutoland gained full independence from Britain on 4 October 1966 and became known as Lesotho.
Tipping
Restaurants’ Wages are low, and tipping is expected (10-15%). The main exceptions are in rural parts of Lesotho, where it’s generally the custom to round up the bill.
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