10 things I wish I knew before going to Lesotho

Lesotho is a famous country in South Africa. Before visiting any country, it is important to know where exactly a particular country is located. Let's find out where is Lesotho? Lesotho is usually found as a safe country for travel purposes. This country is famous for its breathtaking scenery, which also includes the snow-capped mountain. It has some unique geography, and it is also recognized as Africa's "Kingdom of the Sky." The total distance from Johannesburg to Lesotho is approximately 454 km. If you take a taxi there, it will take about 5 hours and 30 minutes to reach Johannesburg to Lesotho. There are some popular cities for traveling purposes, like Mohales Hoek, Qachas Nek, and Mafeteng. Want to know what the capital of Lesotho is? The capital of Lesotho is Maseru, and this is the biggest city in Lesotho. There are many interesting things about Lesotho that we want you to know, so continue reading.

A few facts about Lesotho

Lesotho Population – 2 Million Lesotho Currency – LSL Capital of Lesotho – Maseru Lesotho Country Dialing Code - +266 Lesotho Language - Sesotho and English Required Passport Validity for Travel – Passport must be valid for six months from the time of entry. Yellow Fever Vaccination - You require Yellow Fever Vaccination for traveling to this country. For more information regarding this, you need to consult with your travel agent. Now in this blog, we are going to share with you interesting facts about Lesotho, places to visit, and everything that you should know before traveling to Lesotho:

• Nature & Parks - Katse Dam, Afriski Mountain Resort, Maletsunyane Falls Semonkong, Maluti Mountains, Mohale Dam
• Sight & Landmarks - Ha Kome Cave Houses, Thaba Bosiu National Monument, Liphofung Caves, Seaka Bridge, Royal Palace, The Lion Rock Mountain, Our Lady of Victory Cathedral, Makoanyane Square
• Outdoor Activities - Gates of Paradise Pass and Mafika Lisiu Pass
• Casinos & Gambling – Lesotho Sun Casino
• Shopping - Pioneer Mall, Lesotho Co-Operative Handicrafts, Setsoto Design Gallery, Thorkild Hand Weaving and Moving Weavers
• Museums – Masitise Cave House and Museum, National Museum
• Traveler Resources – Lesotho National Library
• Tours – The Provider Shuttle & Tours, Mountain Cab
• Nightlife – Pinsnstripes Bar & Rooftop Lounge
• Spas & Wellness – SP Salon

Below are 10 interesting facts about Lesotho, which you should know before going to Lesotho.

1. Traffic

Lesotho is recognized as with small traffic areas and has the world's smallest road network. This country has great expansion in the last 50 years. Prior to Lesotho's independence, the only paved highway was the Kingsway, which connected the royal palace to the airport. There is a high traffic rate in this country, so there are big chances of car accidents, injures, and even death. If you are driving late-night, this is somehow not safe because you may not find a street light there.

2. Safety & Security

Is it safe to travel to Lesotho? In Lesotho, the crime rate is very high. Foreigners being robed most of the time, most of the car-jacked cases are being found here; even some of the foreigners are killed. Assumed that crime is found everywhere globally and may happen anywhere, but here there are some chances to fall into some dangerous situation. Criminals have been found in restaurants, on-road, and in other places too. Traveling at night and alone is quite dangerous, so this is not safe to travel alone. It is safe to travel in a group.

3. Health Safety

You need to know that there are very few medical facilities and ambulance facilities in this country. So this country is not reliable for people's health because they may face some challenges. We advise you to get travel insurance as well before traveling to Lesotho. If you are traveling with medicine, then you need to check the Lesotho Government website about these medicines whether these are valid or not. There is one more thing that you need to note that you need to be careful there because there are very high HIV cases. Travelers should know that if they are engaged with sex there, they need to be careful.

4. Culture

Lesotho people are called Basotho or Mosotho. Mosotho is for singular, and Basotho is for plural. The Kingdom of Lesotho is also known as Basutoland. This country is also recognized as the Switzerland of South Africa. 99% of this country's population is of Basotho. Regardless of the season, both male and female Lesotho people wear the wool Basotho blanket as a cloak. In Lesotho, you will get both types of culture, traditional and modern culture.

5. Food

In Lesotho, you may find potatoes, seafood, rice, and vegetables. There you may find corn-based dishes as well that include mealie pap and maize porridge. They like to eat stews, salty porridge, dried veg, yogurt, and spicy seeds. This country's meal is so simple, so you find many meal varieties there. There are widely used or daily foods available, including tubers, roots, potatoes, and wild spinach.

6. Lesotho People

Lesotho language is Sesotho. In this country, most people prefer to speak English. Most of the people are Christian by religion here. In Lesotho, women like to wear long dresses and skirts full and wear special clothes in church or at weddings. Sometimes they wear a traditional Basotho dress known as Seshoeshoe. Seshoeshoe is available there in the local market in different varieties and colors.

7. Places to visit in Lesotho

There are a lot of beautiful places if you plan to travel to Lesotho. Tsehlanyane National Park is one of the best places for travel purposes and the biggest park. Katse Dam and Botanical Gardens are also some of the best sites for travel purposes. Thaba-Bosiu is a national monument of Lesotho, and this is also recognized as a mountain of the night. Dinosaur Footprints are also a worthy place to see. You can see dinosaur's footprints, which is the main reason why most people from all over the world come.

8. Maletsunyane Falls

Maletsunyane Falls is a great waterfall there; its height is a 192-meter. This waterfall is near the town of Semonkong. The waterfall is located on the Maletsunyane River, falling from a Triassic-Jurassic basalt ledge. You can go there by car and see this sightseeing. You can even enjoy their lush valleys and mountains here. There are a lot of activities at this place so you can enjoy this place with your family. The Maletsunyane Falls is so beautiful and great for everyone who is coming to see Maletsunyane Falls.

9. Rock Art

Rock art is one of the things you will notice in Lesotho's country. In this country, you will find hundreds of rock galleries. Most galleries' photos have historical views and information about Lesotho, its culture, its people, and many more things about this country. You will also see the painting of animals like lions, leopards, and elands, as well as guineafowls and blue cranes.

10. Major Bell's Tower

Major Bell's Tower is located in the town of Hlotse in the Leribe district. British people built a Major Bell's Tower in 1870. Worldwide visitors coming can see a European statue in front of the Local Administrative Office. It is one of the main attractions for tourists.

Conclusion

We have shared some interesting facts about Lesotho! People may wonder, is it safe to travel to Lesotho? Just know if you follow all safety rules, you will be safe during your trip to Lesotho. So plan your trip carefully and enjoy your experience in Lesotho!