The Lesotho Mountain Kingdom Tour has been designed to provide a perfect blend of stunning scenery, fascinating local culture, staggeringly beautiful waterfalls, the biggest dams and at least 16 exciting, high altitude mountain passes, including the international award winning Mafika Lisiu pass.
Highlights:
Sani Pass, Highest pub in Africa, Letseng Diamond Mine, Moteng Pass, Oxbow Lodge, Liphofung Caves, Muela Hydro Power Station, Mafika Lisiu Pass, Bokong Nature Reserve, Katse Dam, Thaba Bosiu cultural centre, Kome Caves, Longest pedestrian bridge in Africa, Botsoela Falls, Malealea Lodge, Gates of Paradise Pass, Maletsunyane Falls, Blanket Talk, Semongkong Lodge, Qacha’s Nek, Senqu Horseshoe, Tsoelike Pass & Suspension Bridge, Sethlabatebe National Park, Ramatseliso’s Pass.
Lesotho Mountain Kingdom 4×4 Tour V4 Itinerary
Day Zero: Saturday, 5th April 2025
The group will meet on the afternoon of Saturday, 5th April, 2025 at Resthaven Guest House in Matatiele for radio fitment, happy hour and the driver briefing. After which we will enjoy a hearty dinner.
Day 1: Sunday, 6th April
Distance: 320 km – Matatiele to Oxbow Lodge
Starting in Matatiele, the tour kicks off with an easy drive, on a mix of tar and gravel to the KZN town of Underberg, from where we head directly to the foot of the Sani Pass. The pass has been improved and tarred up to the SA Border Control Point. We will get our passports stamped here and deflate our tyres for the main ascent.
Sani Pass requires plenty of concentration. We will talk you up the pass over the radios, offering advice about gearing, speed and driving lines, as we climb up to the 2867m high summit, where we will check in at Lesotho Customs, then pop in for some refreshment at the highest pub in Africa.
Our destination for the first night in Lesotho is the Oxbow Lodge. Getting there is a journey in itself as we will first traverse the Black Mountain Pass (Kotisephola Pass) which summits at 3244m ASL.
This is followed by the Pass of Guns (Khalo La Lithunya), Tlaeeng Pass, and Mahlasela Pass where the lodge is located on the eastern end of the Moteng Pass, on the banks of the Malibamatso River. The road is tarred all the way, and takes the traveler through some of the most breath-taking scenery in Southern Africa. Space and peace is what you will find when you treat yourself to the natural splendour of the Oxbow Lodge.
Note: Because of the high altitudes, your vehicle will have less power and you will consequently use more fuel for the same speed. Make allowance for this when calculating your fuel range.
Day 2: Monday 7th April
Distance: 165 km > Oxbow Lodge to Bokong National Park
Our first pass of the day is the Moteng Pass which summits at 2820m and is often the scene of road closures in the snowy months. This major pass is located between the town of Buthe Butha in the west and the Afriski Resort in the north in the northern quartile of Lesotho. It has a huge altitude gain of 896m that stretches over a distance of 15.3 km which converts into an average gradient of 1:17, but don’t be fooled by that figure as it includes the descent. Most of the ascent from the western approach is between 1:5 and 1:8. It is imperative to descend these big passes using engine compression to avoid brakes overheating and possibly failing. Don’t worry. We’ll talk you through the process at the appropriate time.
The 91 bends, corners and curves will require your full concentration. Amongst those there are 4 extreme hairpin bends and one full horseshoe. The A1 road is the major route across the northern sector of Lesotho and as such carries a fair volume of traffic including some very large trucks. These need the full width of the road to negotiate the hairpin bends, so be fully aware of this as you proceed along this pass. There are often hold ups on this pass, due to heavy trucks getting stuck on the hairpin bends, but don’t worry, we have an alternate route to take.
We pass through the town of Butha Buthe and Hlotse and drive the Mafika Lisiu Pass in the afternoon light to our overnight venue – Mahlakapaese Lodge in the Bokong Nature Reserve, just over the 3091m high summit of the pass. The views are out of this world.
The Mafika Lisiu Pass was especially rebuilt to cater for the heavy trucks taking fly-ash and cement to the Katse Dam during the construction phase. The engineering of the pass received an international award and has mostly gentle curves and only one hairpin bend top cater for the trucks.
Day 3: Tuesday 8th April
Distance 175 km Bokong to Thaba Tseka via Katse Dam
The day starts off with the descent of the award winning Mafika Lisiu Pass, where we see the cream soda coloured waters of the Katse Dam for the first time, followed by the Nkoabee Pass, before arriving at the main attraction of the day – the Katse Dam. We will do a 40 minute tour of the dam which includes going down into the wall itself to marvel at the engineering.
There will be plenty of time for photography and videography, but note no photography is allowed inside the dam wall.
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After the Katse tour we deflate tyres as we do a 60km rough dirt road. Remove your dentures and fasten your bra straps!
Day 4: Wednesday, 9th April
Travel distance: 130 km > Thaba Tseka to Thaba Bosiu via Kome Caves
Another action packed day filled with stunning passes which include Mokhoabong and Cheche’s passes, after which we stop in for a look at the Mohale Dam. This is a feeder dam for the Katse and boasts being the largest concrete faced, rock walled dam in Africa. We will try and get permission to drive the zig zag inspection road that passes underneath the spillway via a tunnel and ascend to the top of the dam wall.
This is followed by another three passes – Likalaneng, God Help Me and Bushmens passes. We will visit the Khome Caves as well as a new footbrige over the dam which is the longest pedestrian bridge in Africa and experience a cultural tour at Thaba Bosiu, which is also our overnight destination. We will invite Sani Wines to do a wine tasting for us as in previous tours..
Khome Caves is a fascinating spot, not only because of the cave dwellings but the remarkable history when cannibalism was practiced in this area. Our local guide will tell all.
Day 5: Thursday, 10th April
Travel distance: 110 km > Thaba Bosiu to Malealea
We leave Thaba Bosiu and travel through the town of Roma (our main refuelling point) the home of Lesotho’s National University and situated below stunning sandstone cliffs and rock formations until we reach the gravel road to Malealea Lodge.
We will enjoy a lovely day of gravel road driving via the Botsoela Pass to visit the twin falls of Botsoela and our overnight venue which is the tranquil Malealea Lodge, set in a lush valley with many trees. This road requires some quite challenging driving in low range.
Day 6: Friday, 11th April
Distance: 185 km > Malealea to Semonkong & Maletsunyane Falls
Highlight of the day is a visit to the Maletsunyane Waterfall with a straight drop of 198m. To get there we first drive two big passes – Gates of Paradise and Makhaleng passes.
At Semonkong we will enjoy another Basotho cultural experience which is fabulously interesting. The Blanket Talk.
Our overnight venue is the Semonkong Lodge with its thatched rondavels set along the banks of the river. Semonkong translates into Place of Smoke – with reference to the spray and mist from the Maletsunyane waterfall.
Day 7: Saturday, 12th April
Distance : 160 km > Semonkong to Qachas Nek via Tsoelike Pass.
We bid Semonkong farewell as we follow the canyon carved out by the Senqu River and stop near the mission station of Christ the King to enjoy the huge horseshoe bend in the river. No photo can do this scene justice.
We follow the A3 (a beautiful new Chinese built road) and detour to drive the gravel Tsoelike Pass with its old suspension bridge built by German missionaries and some dizzying switchbacks to reach the summit.
Our route heads towards the border post at Qachas Nek where we will overnight at the New Central Hotel.
Day 8: Sunday 13th April
We take the brand new tarred road all the way to the Sethlabatebe National Park.
We saved the best for last as you will experience amazing sights of high altitude lakes and weird rock formations. It’s a photographers dream.
We return a short distance and depart Lesotho through the Rama’s Gate border post.
Once through the border we descend to Matatiele via Ramatseliso’s Pass.
Our final night will be back where we started at Resthaven for our end of tour festivities and customary Chappies awards
Day 9: Monday, 14th April
Farewell. Fill up and head for home but remember to inflate your tyres before driving at highway speeds.
Our routes are always bespoke and you will be guaranteed the trip of a lifetime, packed with facts, cultural, folklore, history and geology snippets – all of it done in a safe, responsible manner.
KEY DETAILS
- Total tour distance: 1425 km
- Drivers briefing, VHF radio fitment & welcoming party: From 1600, 5th April 2025
- Start: Matatiele – 08h00, 6th April 2025
- Closing function & prize-giving: 18h00, 13th April at Resthaven
- Departure and end of tour: 09h30, 14th April after breakfast.
- All vehicles will be supplied with crystal-clear FM marine-quality two-way radios so we can communicate with you. (This is included in the tour price)
- All participants must have valid passports with a minimum of 6 months before expiry
VEHICLES
- 4×4 only – with low range and ample ground clearance
- Maximum of 12 vehicles on this tour
COST
- Cost of accommodation, meals, drinks for your own account.
- We take care of all the bookings
- MPSA will invoice you for your accommodation/meals about 3 weeks ahead of the tour.
- Work on R1450 per person, per day (sharing), incl. two meals per day. All the accommodation is 3 to 4 star rated or higher. Single supplement rates apply if you’re driving alone. (Usually about 60% of the double rate)
- Our lunch breaks are held wherever we can find a nice spot to stop (usually somewhere shady and scenic). Lunches are light and we suggest packing easy to travel foods like crackers, cheese wedges, dried and fresh fruit and a flask of tea or coffee in the car is great to have with on these tours.
- We have a zero alcohol policy during the day whilst driving.
- Note : No pets allowed.
Please note that accommodation & meal prices above are approximate. We usually come out lower than the stated amount.
Tour price (excluding accommodation and meals):
1 Vehicle/1 Person R 20,975
1 Vehicle/2 People R 21,975
1 Vehicle/3 People R 22,975
1 Vehicle/4 People R 23,975
Tour price is calculated on number of adults (over 18) per vehicle. Children under 18 go free.
What is included in the price:
The price of the tour includes guiding, pamphlets, maps, name tags, radio hire, standard recovery costs, administration and documentation, but excludes accommodation & food.
Recovery costs do not include mechanical breakdown, lowbed recovery, but does include towing out of a difficult situation or kinetic recoveries, winching and assistance with punctures.
Mountain Passes South Africa (MPSA) arranges every last detail. We send you a packing list of what you need well before the tour. All you have to do is arrive with your ‘padkos’ and snacks and enjoy the tour.
CANCELLATION POLICY
If you cancel more than 60 days ahead of the tour:
* If you are able to resell your place to a friend or family member = 100% refund or 100% credit voucher.
* If we resell your ticket on your behalf = 80% refund or 100% credit voucher
If you cancel between 60 and 30 days before the tour:
* If you are able to resell your place to a friend or family member = 100% refund or 100% credit voucher.
* If we resell your ticket on your behalf = 70% refund or 90% credit voucher
If you cancel less than 30 days before the tour:
* If you are able to resell your place to a friend or family member = 100% refund or 100% credit voucher.
* If we resell your ticket on your behalf = 60% refund or 80% credit voucher
* If neither of the above apply = 40% refund or 60% credit voucher
Accommodation & meal refunds:
Invoices are generally sent out between 4 and 6 weeks ahead of the tour start date.
* If you have already received your invoice, you are liable for it, subject to us interacting with the various venues to get you a refund. We pay the venues up front for your accommodation. Most of the establishments are reasonable and offer a full or partial refund, depending on how close to the booking date the cancellation occurs. Whatever we can negotiate will be credited to you in full.
Please get in touch with us directly with any questions you may have by email: info@mountainpassessouthafrica.co.za
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During your first purchase, your account will be auto-created, using the email address you supply at checkout.
