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lesotho 4x4 self drive route |
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sethlabathebe national park |
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We planned our first expedition to Lesotho with the intention to visit a different a destination every night (we were a bit pushed for time). Our plans changed when one of the expedition members cancelled and was replaced by a 4 and a 6 year old! This necessitated a slightly different itinerary as small kids don't do well on 8 hour a day 4x4 trails... So we decided to stick to one place and explore it in-depth. Sehlabathebe National Park was our destination and we loved every second of it. Lesotho is known as the 'Mountain Kingdom' and it sure offers more than enough adventure for any entrepid traveler! Explore the beauty of Lesotho...
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| Please note: this route is a screen shot image of a Google map used to plan the route. We will update the actual route traveled on our return and add it to the below 'live' routes map. |
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| The plan was to explore eastern Lesotho on a week-long expedition visiting places of interest along the way. Five days of moderate to difficult 4x4 tracks, crossing mountain passes and rivers, finding waterfalls and hiking rolling green hills...that was the plan when two of us were going to rough it a bit with no rest days. Then, the day before departure we had to change our plans after one of the expedition members had to cancel due to last minute work commitments that he could not postpone... read full article |
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We left Durban by 8am and headed towards Camperdown on the N3. We turned towards Richmond and Ixopo in an easterly direction. At Kokstad we had lunch and left KwaZulu Natal at Matatiele where we switched to 4x4 just outside the village called Maluti - aptly named after the mountain range that strecthes across the southern part of Lesotho into the Eastern Cape. The roads was good all the way to the South African border post at Ramatseliso's Gate. With customs formalities completed in no time, we entered Lesotho where a friendly border official in traditional dress welcomed us to The Mountain Kingdom. What a sight! This is a beautiful country!
The drive from the border post to Sehlabathebe National Park is only 40km but it takes around 2 hours. The scenery is pretty with vast open spaces and friendly people waving as we drove by. Then we entered Sehlabathebe NP - truly breathtaking from the moment we entered the national park to the moment we stopped at Jonathan's Lodge. Around every corner the views are incredible. The temperature has dropped considerably as we have climb over 3000m and we decided that it was time for our K-Way fleece jackets.
We didn't book any accommodation, and on arrival we were told that there aren't any camping at the park, but they will allow us to stay next to a beautiful lake and mountain stream. It is done this way as they do not offer any facilities for campers but if you're self sufficient you can comfortably camp here and experience the mountains of Lesotho first-hand. We set up camp, as light was fading fast.
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The view from our camp was spectacular to say the least. The Three Bushmen are impressive mountains that dominate the surrounding landscape and are the focal point of the view.
We spent our days exploring the park on leisurely walks with backpacks, water, binoculars and cameras. The scenery was breathtaking and we kept on stopping for photos of the vast array of flowers, interesting rock formations and lakes that dot the grassy hills and valleys.
We packed picnic lunches everyday and stopped next to a beautiful lake or a rock arch where we relaxed while enjoying the birdlife. I never realised that so high up there would be such a wide range fo birds. Sunbirds, pigeons, crowned cranes,black eagles and many LBJ's were some of the bird species we observed. As far as wildlife is concerned we lucky enough to spot black-backed jackal twice and a herd of mountain reedbuck early one morning. The call of the jackal at night were wonderful! |
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We headed back to Ramatseliso's Gate after an early breakfast and traveled back to Durban via Kokstad, Harding, Port Shepstone and the N2 north.
Sehlabathebe National Park is highly recommended and a 'must visit' destination when planning a Lesotho trip. |
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| Sehlabathebe National Park is situated in a high altitude mountain environment (3000m+) so you can expect rapid weather changes. Our last day here changed from full sunshine to thick mist within 20 minutes. Pack accordingly and make sure that you have everything from warm winter clothing to sun screen as well as adequate hydration gear (water bottles or water packs). We experienced everything except snow (which is possible at anytime of the year) so it's important be prepared. The wind can be very strong at night, so adequate tent pegs and tie downs for tents are important. Waterproof tents and warm sleeping bags make evenings a pleasure. |
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Please note: The information provided on the routes and maps are correct at the time of uploading. The Safari Co. does not take responsibility for any route info (accessibility, condition, availability, etc.) used for planning purposes and cannot guarantee route info due to maintenance, closures, damage or accessibility. Please contact the local information centers and travel services for the latest updates and to confirm your arrangements. |
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