Lekker old Lesotho

In South Africa we are indeed spoiled for choice when it comes to travelling, with destinations ranging from deserts to mountains to sub-tropical and, of course, magnificent coastlines. Lesotho is one such destination, although often underrated and ignored apart from the famous Sani Pass. Bernie Williams of Khwela 4×4 and MegaXplore is adamant that it is, in fact, an overlanding adventure paradise and found his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Having lived in Bloemfontein for close to four decades, I had the privilege of getting to know Lesotho extremely well. I have seen the progress and development over the years, which admittedly is a good thing, but it does mean that some of the Mountain Kingdom’s magic has sadly been lost.

One of the developments that makes me somewhat nostalgic is the tarring of the road from Sani Pass to Mokhotlong. This once  magical drive through scenic valleys next to little streams is all gone now. Sadly, the Sani Pass – as we know and love it today – is constantly undergoing changes, all in the name of progress. One can only hope it does not lose all of its charm.

There are not many “old roads” remaining in Lesotho, and the ones that are left are not well-known. Fortunately, I can remember a lot of those little back roads and pieces of paradise.  People that know me will know that I am not into doing routes and trips where there is a risk of vehicle damage. Our trips are always family-oriented, but that does not mean there won’t be exciting nail-biting moments.

Over a recent long weekend, a group of like-minded overlanding enthusiasts set off to explore the Lesotho backroads I love so much. On our first day of the tour, we gathered early at the well-known fuel station on the N3. After filling up on both fuel and coffee, we headed out for a breakfast stop at the Wimpy in Harrismith before heading toward the Sterkfontein Dam. This is one of South Africa’s biggest and deepest dams and well worth a visit to take in the spectacular views.

As we made our way to the gravel backroads towards Himeville, we meandered through the Oliviershoek Pass – one of the most scenic passes to drive in the country. We refuelled and headed to our overnight camping spot at Sani Lodge, where the weather didn’t quite play along with our plans for a good old South Africa braai. Alas, ‘n boer maak ‘n plan and we enjoyed a delicious communal braai before hitting the hay reasonably early as some challenging driving awaited us the next day.

The Dragon
We awoke to sunshine and what looked like great weather. Looks can be deceiving, though – especially in this mountainous area. As we approached the South African border post, we drove into misty wet weather, which added to the mystique of “The Dragon”, as the Sani Pass is known.

With all the craziness brought about by the C-word we no longer want to mention, we dreaded a long-winded process with mandatory rapid tests and other logistical challenges at the border post. What a pleasant surprise to be greeted by the super friendly and  professional health care workers who completed the tests quickly and efficiently. With our group all cleared and passports stamped, it was time to start our drive up the pass.

While Job’s patience is required to get through the road works currently taking place on the pass, they thankfully don’t detract from
the exquisite scenery. As we climbed higher, the mist and cloud cover became more intense, and with rain starting to filter down, we were faced with some tricky driving along the way. The road condition had deteriorated because of summer rains which washed away large sections, slowing us down quite a lot.

To add insult to injury, we encountered a huge truck that broke down on an extremely tight corner. Fortunately, we managed our way past the truck and pushed on to the Lesotho border post. The mist was extremely heavy, with visibility down to less than three meters. after the formalities at the border post, it was time for a warm coffee and some breakfast at the well-known Sani Top.

It was at this point that one of our fellow adventurers realised his Ranger was developing a problem as it started to overheat. From Sani Pass, there is a serious climb and we realised he was going to damage his engine and decided he should rather turn around and make his way home. Since we were was still near Himeville, he would be able to summon help if he broke down. It was, however, not without sadness that we bid farewell to Stephen. He is such a likeable, warm person and was super excited about the trip, his first cross-border adventure.

Our next overnight spot was the Mapoka Campsite near the Letseng Diamond Mine. With the road from Sani Top to Mokhotlong now tarred, the drive was an easy one, but none of us was looking forward to spending all our time on tar. We were on a 4×4 adventure, after all! I vaguely remembered a gravel track that I had driven a few times before but unfortunately had not saved on my GPS back then (pro tip: save any cool back roads on your GPS or at least take a picture of the co-ordinates and save it on your phone). As we crested a hill, I recognised a gravel turn-off and we decided to take our chances.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions on the trip. This lesser known route was scattered with so many exciting river crossings we
eventually lost count. By then, the weather had closed in again and the rain started bucketing down. One specific climb was highly technical and as we crested the mountain, it was as if nature decided to reward us.

The clouds parted with a ray of sunshine breaking through, giving us the most amazing double rainbow right in front of us. It was one of the most fantastic moments in my life – simply indescribable.  We pushed on and when we spotted Maroluneng Chalets near the
Letseng Diamond Mine, we knew we were on the right track. The area has been mined extensively in the last couple of years which is sad as it leaves horrible scars all over, with little to no rehabilitation taking place. When we arrived at one of my favourite Lesotho spots, the sun was already setting. Thankfully, the amenities are well-maintained and before long we were relaxing around the campfire. When travelling through Lesotho, plan to spend at least two nights here. There are the most amazing hot water springs in the mountains near the campsite – a bit of a hike but so worth it! Unfortunately, we didn’t have the luxury of time to explore as we only stayed for one night, regretting the decision instantaneously when we woke up to the beautiful surroundings.

Taking it slow
After a proper camp breakfast, we made our way from the campsite via an awesome 4×4 trail to the gate that would lead us back onto
the tar road. The views along the way are mind-blowing and you can’t help but to stop regularly, taking in everything. However,
this 9km can be a true nightmare in wet weather! Fortunately, the weather gods were smiling upon us with the most amazing clear
sunshine day.

From Letseng Diamond Mine, we headed toward the Caledonspoort border post, but not before stopping at the AfriSki Mountain resort for a break and something to eat and drink. It is regrettable to see the pandemic’s impact on the tourism industry, highlighted by the fact Afriski had to cancel most of their popular summer programmes. We can only hope and pray that places like this will stand the test of time and survive this craziness.

Do not for one minute think that because most of the Lesotho mountain passes are tarred, it makes for easy driving – quite the contrary! On the way from AfriSki, you have to descend the 3 000m Moteng Pass, which makes for some technical driving.  Be warned when you tackle this section during winter months:  it can be hazardous due to “black ice” that is not visible on the surface. When you realise it is there, you’re already sliding.

While descending, we encountered a truck that had crashed into the embankment due to brake failure. That is a very real problem
on this pass – you need to slow your vehicle down sufficiently, and being on the brakes all the time, they can overheat and fail. To
descend in a controlled way, I resorted to something that totally goes totally against the grain – I engaged low range on the tar road.

Yes, I know, it is not advisable at all, but in that situation it made a lot of sense! The secret is to turn as wide as possible and go back
to 4×2 as soon as possible. We stopped at the bottom of the pass to allow sufficient time for the brakes to cool down. We then made
our way via Buthe Buthe to the Caledonspoort border post, which on the Lesotho side is now a drive-through! What a pleasure!
South Africa can certainly take a leaf out of their book regarding professionalism at border posts.

On to our last campsite for the trip, just outside of the artsy town of Clarens. On the way to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, you will find Di Bus Stop Adventures and Guest Farm. You can’t miss the old red double-deck bus on your left. They have an excellent short 4×4 trail which I had used on a previous occasion for a vehicle launch – quite a fun little technical drive if you’re up for it!

Their campsite is across the road, set on lovely lawns under some massive trees ensuring ample shade.  From Di Bus Stop it is a beautiful scenic drive through the Golden Gate Highlands National Park with plenty of spots along the road to stop and admire the views on the way back to the urban jungle so many of us call home.

When looking back on our trip, there were so many mind-blowing moments that it would be tough to pick just one highlight, and each member of our tour have their favourite memories. For me, however, the magic of the double rainbow is something I will always treasure and carry in my heart.