lesotho tourism development corporation photos

Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation

Lesotho, mountain Kingdom is the ultimate secret eco-tourism destination, a place to discover the wonderful mountain vistas and the culture of the Basotho people who inhabit these spectacular highlands. This is a land of contrast with modern facilities and easy access in the Maseru City and in the main towns.

As you venture further afield, you will yourself in a pristine, quiet and rugged natural environment with perhaps a herdsman and his small herd the only beings in sight.

You can enquire about bookings, rates, and availability by filling out the form below.

Belongs to Route(s)

Key contacts, gps coordinates.

• eco-tourism
• tourism-development

The Current State of the Tourism Sector and Prospects for Development 

Lesotho’s tourism sector is one of the most untapped industries of the country despite the vast high rising mountain ranges and adorable plateaus, steep gorges and valleys. These are home to some of the endangered bird species as well as crystal clear waterways that mingle the basalt and sandstones hills that form the picturesque formations of some of the oldest land forms of the world.

Lesotho boasts a wide range of tourism attractions from mountain hiking, pony trekking, climbing, and many other adrenalin pumping activities such as water sports with white water rafting along the dangerous downstream descents, mountain biking, off-road motor and biking experiences as well as 4×4 trails which have recently gained popularity amongst those who want to test their driving abilities and vehicular horse-power. Most of all, Lesotho also offers several rare opportunities to its visitors such as snow in winter, archaeological sites that share the mysteries of the past, from the dinosaur era and beyond and historical sites that tells the stories of the evolution of modern-day society and the making of the Southern African nations…

The sector, though not so well developed in terms of infrastructure and visibility on the international market space, is slowly catching up. Had it not been for the Covid-19-induced setbacks in the past two years– a lot of initiatives that were already taking shape would have materialised.

Investors coming into Lesotho’s tourism industry would be happy to learn that the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) has crafted a new strategy that will make it much easier and more lucrative for them to set up businesses in the country.

Among the new measures is the drafting of Vision 2030, a new strategic policy document that is expected to bring significant improvements to how tourism sector operates. Some of the new measures include the establishment of a tourism levy, a new branding and marketing approach, more emphasis on sustainable tourism and a raft of other measures.

Tourism in Lesotho is expected to bounce back to sustainability levels that were experienced during the pre-Covid days, various players in the industry say. Like most countries around the world, Lesotho’s tourism industry was hard hit by the outbreak of the global pandemic between January 2020 and early 2022 and it is only recently that the sector has been showing signs of recovery – thanks to a moderate increase in international arrivals and a boost in domestic tourism.

Lesotho’s most popular holiday resorts include Bokong Nature Reserve in Leribe, Sehlabathebe National Park in Qacha’s Nek and Tšehlanyane National Park in Leribe, under which the five-star Maliba Lodge is housed and the Kome Caves Dwelling in Berea.

The Lesotho Highlands Water Authority-managed Katse Dam in Thaba Tseka and Mohale Dam in Maseru district form part of the gigantic water reservoirs that have brought huge opportunities for water activity tourism in Lesotho.  The spectacular 192-metre Maletsunyane Waterfall, one of Africa’s tallest in Semonkong, Maseru district, adds to the water features of Lesotho’s tourism sites.

Quthing district is known for its dinosaur footprints and the Masitise Cave House, a unique dwelling built by a French missionary in 1866. The Mount Moorosi range, that overlooks Senqu (Orange) River, also in Quthing, makes a perfect spot for hikers and nature lovers alike.

Afriski Mountain Lodge and Resort at Ox Bow in Butha-Buthe is regarded as the highest of Southern Africa’s only two ski resorts (the other is Tiffindell Ski Resort in South Africa). It offers skiing during midwinter (June to August) and activities such as mountain biking and hiking at other times.

The other popular tourism destination is the Sani Top resort at Sani Pass on the Lesotho-South African border atop the Thabana Ntlenyana mountain range. Perched at 2 874 metres, Sani Top offers wonderful hiking opportunities and is the setting for Africa’s highest pub found on the Lesotho side.

Apart from the main tourism sites, places such as Thaba Bosiu just about 40 km out of Maseru city, offers historical tourism facilities at the founder of the Basotho nation, King Moshoeshoe I’s grave as well as the adjacent Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village that offers conference and accommodation facilities.

Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, is surrounded by some of the country’s best selection of hotels, restaurants and other leisure places and so are other major towns in the country’s 10 districts. In a nutshell, there is something for the discerning tourist in every city, town or district of Lesotho.

Before the advent of Covid-19, Lesotho had recorded more than 1.1 million visitors in 2019 and most of them had come from the neighbouring South Africa and other parts of Africa, Europe, Asia and the United States. When Covid hit, the borders and inbound travel routes were closed down and so were the tourism facilities in the country, leading to loss of jobs and revenue for the industry.

Now the LTDC is working with the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Culture, and other partners in quasi-government and the private sector to revive the industry.

In 2019, the LTDC produced an annual Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) – a detailed overview of the trends in tourism for the year prior and projections for the year ahead – with support from Statistics South Africa. The TSA is a barometer for analysing tourism trends in any country in the world and Lesotho was privileged to have produced the ‘Annual Arrivals and Accommodation Report 2019’ for this purpose.

However, the LTDC is currently not in a position to produce a TSA anytime soon due to limited funds since it requires a variety of information inputs, some of which require resources to undertake specific industry surveys.  The LDTC would be sharing its vision and projections as part of its Vision 2030 document coming soon.

In the ‘Annual Arrivals and Accommodation Report 2019’ , the LNDC has indicated that tourism has been adopted as a one of the sectors that would foster acceleration of economic growth and development under the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP I & II).

According to the report, Lesotho welcomed 1 142 381 visitors in 2019 representing a slight decline of -2.6 percent compared to the previous year when there were a total of 1 172 648 inbound travellers. Although there was a decline, the report says, visitor arrivals during the year had been encouraging.

After witnessing drops in the first and last quarter of the year, figures still denote that Lesotho enjoyed a consistent growth of visitor arrivals where there was a concentrated peak in March (92 941), April (98 025) and June (93 176) respectively. Moreover, during the same year some slight increases in visitor arrivals from all continents except for Africa were also observed.

By analysing rankings of Lesotho’s source markets in 2019, the report noted that South Africa remained Lesotho’s main source market accounting for 88.4% percent of the total arrivals. This translates to 1 009 982 arrivals.

Visitors from Zimbabwe came second to South Africa with 20 407 recorded during the year while USA claimed third place (9 239) and outperformed Germany (8 957) and Netherlands (8 177).

In terms of accommodation statistics, the report notes that while the number of operational establishments decreased slightly (by seven establishments), the occupancy rate increased slightly, up (by 0.2%) to 20%.

Despite showing early signs of decline, the industry continued to create jobs and fostered economic growth; the subsector directly employed 2 371 people in 2019, which was a decrease of -15% against the previous year (2 717).

The report projected that Lesotho was poised for more growth beyond 2019 in terms of the tourist arrivals, accommodation and employment statistics in the sector  had it not been for the outbreak of the pandemic.

It also demonstrated that due to Lesotho’s heavy reliance on South Africa for visitors, a marked decrease in arrivals from the neighbouring country led to a significant decline in the year under review.

While employment also declined marginally in the accommodation sub-sector, figures released show that tourism still contributed positively towards the economy by employing local people. A huge improvement was also seen where most the employees were now skilled versus unskilled labour and of these 58% were female while 42% were male.

The report notes that accommodation establishments recorded revenues of M414 million in the year under review, which was a slight decline compared to the previous year. The major drivers for revenues for accommodation in 2019 were hotels, lodges, guest houses and bed and        breakfast establishments.

LTDC attributes the decline in accommodation revenues to the probability to reports of an imminent global disease that was beginning to spread across the world towards the end of the year as Covid-19 was beginning to affect visitors from South Africa, its major source market.

Other players in the sector agree that tourism is on a rebound after the two-year debacle when the industry and all other economic clusters in Lesotho were fighting the effects of the pandemic.

One such an initiative was the re-establishment of the Lesotho Council for Tourism (LCT) on 17 March 2022 when representatives of 13 tourism and hospitality associations gathered in Maseru to formalise the LCT as a body that will contribute to the growth of the industry, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the LTDC.

The organisations under the banner of the LCT include tour operators and guides associations; hotels and hospitality establishments; parks and wildlife association; catering and liquor services providers; event management companies, chefs’ associations; hiking clubs, travel agents and other outdoor activities’ players.

The re-establishment of the LCT was a show of confidence by the LTDC in local tourism industry practitioners to the growth of the industry.  The previous council, which lay dormant since its establishment in 2009 was due to lack of funding and commitment from its members as well as the government and LTDC.  The new LCT has now set itself towards the capacitation and skills development of local players in the industry. This intervention is crucial to enable sector players to offer value-for-money services to tourists from Lesotho and other countries.

The Lesotho Tour Operators Association has also welcomed the re-establishment of the LCT saying the existence of such a body was long overdue. Tour operators have expresses hope that once capacitated, players in the sector would contribute meaningfully to the country’s GDP as much as their counterparts in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and elsewhere in the world.

Local tour operators have also found a niche market within the domestic tourism sector that has seen a marked increase in the number of Basotho opting for domestic tourism towards the end of 2021 and into the festive season.   The rise in domestic tourism is attributable to Covid 19 restrictions, which pushed both local demand and supply upon realising that local establishments had to rely on the local market for sustenance due to restrictions on the international travel. Similarly, Basotho holidaymakers responded positively and provided them more opportunities to appreciate the beauty of their country.

The promotion of domestic tourism is best exemplified, by Costa Rica in South America that moved all its holidays in 2020 and 2021 to Mondays to enable Costa Ricans to enjoy long weekends while they travelled domestically as one of the ways through which government could incentivise tourism, local tour operators have advised the government and other responsible authorities to be more proactive towards the sector by adopting such measures.

Lesotho has several tour operators who provide tour services for groups, families or individuals who wish to travel to any leisure facility around the country. They offers day or weekend excursions depending on budget and various tour packages on offer. Some are also organising trips for Basotho going out of Lesotho to other destinations such as Durban and Cape Town in South Africa, as well as Botswana and Namibia, which also gives them more exposure on how tourism operates in other countries.

previous THE RICHNESS OF QUTHING

Next opening up small-scale mining: a gateway to local participation and beneficiation, leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

The Lesotho Insights™ is a publication for Lesotho by Basotho. Now in its second edition, Lesotho Insights™ is an annual coffee table book that has been endorsed by the Government of Lesotho through the Ministry of Finance as the official review of the state of Lesotho’s economy and prospects in the new financial year.

Steve Rasehloho, a History Painter and Sculptor of Note

Publisher’s Note

Lesotho Bursts into Solar Power Amid Power Outages in South Africa

• Agriculture
• Arts & Culture
• Key Facts & Figures
• News & Trending
• Short history of Lesotho
• Tourism/Travel

© Copyright 2022 – LS Insights by Zeecom Technologies . All rights reserved.

© Copyright by BoldThemes 2017. All rights reserved.

• Get involved

Documenting the Beauty of the Mountain Kingdom: An Ideal Tourist Destination

March 24, 2022.

Collective Intelligence workshop group discussions

With the vastness of the Maluti Mountains, the scenic Qiloane and Thabana-Li-Mmele, the hidden caves housing Khoi-San paintings and the gushing stream of the Senqu River and cascading waters of Maletsunyane Falls, Lesotho is a land waiting to tell stories about its heritage and beauty. Such stories can effectively be narrated by the collaborators in the tourism industry; men and women whose passion is to see the Mountain Kingdom welcome footsteps of those from lands in time zones far and wide, and new faces eager to embrace her majestic beauty.  

In response to this inherent longing for a Lesotho that is accessible to the world  UNDP Lesotho Accelerator Lab (AccLab)hosted the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture (MTEC); Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC); Lerotholi Polytechnic; Limkokwing University of Creative Technology; the Association of Travel Agents of Lesotho (ATAL); Lesotho Hotels and Hospitality Association (LHHA); Mountain Kingdom Tour Guides Association (MKTGA); Tour Operators Association of Lesotho (TOAL); Lesotho Council for Tourism (LCT); Earth-Lovers Hiking Club and Thaphoha Hiking Club for a two day Collective Intelligence Workshop on the documentation of tourist attraction sites as well as the development of a national photobank. 

Aligning with the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP II) through which the Government of Lesotho (Gol) prioritizes tourism as a driver for economic growth in the country, the AccLab is supporting this development goal by capacitating collaborators within an industry which is said to be a pivotal sector for such growth. “We want to make much contribution towards the GDP at the end of the year as the tourism industry.” Stated the Public Relations Officer of LCT, Liteboho Leketa. The aim of the workshop was to gather insights from stakeholders on how tourist attraction sites can be documented; how guidelines on the documentation of tourist attraction sites can be developed; the creation of an information hub for tourism products and services which can be marketed to garner investments; to build relationships and collaborations between diversified action groups which will be capacitated to drive execution of the development of the photo bank; capacitate hiking clubs on the use of media technologies in order to gain good quality pictures and videos for documentation; capacitate and build collaboration between hiking clubs and MTEC in the protection of heritage sites as stipulated in the  Department of Culture policy guidelines. 

During the workshop, Mr. Teboho Khoali, AccLab Head of Experimentation informed collaborators that the term “Collective Intelligence” translated to Sesotho means: “ Bohlale ha bo ahele ntloaneng e le ngoe.” Meaning that the Workshop was aimed at collective dialogues to reach solutions which will benefit the Lesotho tourism sector. Highlighting some of their challenges, such as the lack of community awareness about the preservation of heritage sites, the lack of community involvement in the advancement of tourism, limited accessibility to some attraction sites due to poor roads, limited funding to preserve heritage sites and to advertise Lesotho as a travel destination, lack of documentation of Lesotho tourism attractions, silo mentality of stakeholders in the tourism industry, lack of knowledge by stakeholders on how to sustainably use tourist attraction sites and the declining passion and enthusiasm of locals to support the tourism industry.

The AccLab encouraged collaborators to explore the social, cultural, technological and political factors as drivers which share these problems. Some of these include, the unstable political climate in Lesotho which rendered previous solutions to build the tourism industry ineffective; the lack of political will which leads to uninformed decision-making; lack of access to relevant technologies to enable documentation of tourist attraction sites; and the commercialisation of cultural resources to attract tourists which dilutes the authenticity of Lesotho’s heritage and uniqueness. 

Exploring solutions which already exist, Collaborators mapped out ways on how these can be enhanced, as well as ways to document tourist attraction sites.  Some of the solutions which were proposed are to drive stakeholder engagements; for locals to work collectively with development partners; adequate allocation of resources; resource mobilization at a local level to drive Lesotho towards a common goal; documentation of tourist attraction sites by conducting surveys, classifying them and developing a database to preserve all the relevant information; and the development of monitoring and evaluation systems. Additionally, the key stakeholders made pledges to collaborate and support each other. “My biggest goal for participating in this workshop is to build collaboration between the government and the private sector so that our collective efforts can assist communities to benefit from the preservation of heritage sites.” Semela Mona, a  Senior Museum Curator in the Department of Culture at the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture

Collaborator Pledges

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology pledged to  offer assistance to LTDC with video productions and the creation of social media content to advertise tourist attraction sites; 

LTDC pledged to directly engage Tour Operators and Hotels to collaborate with travel influencers who can market Lesotho as a top travel destination; 

Limkokwing University in partnership with UNDP Lesotho and Lerotholi Polytechnic pledges to offer expertise in creating a Marketing Strategy for LTDC;

Earth-Lovers Hiking Club pledged commitment  to the development of the national photobank. “I made a commitment to put down a proposal as a key developer of the national photobank because as Earth-Lovers Hiking Club, we are exposed to beautiful scenery on a daily basis.” Liteboho Leketa, President of Earth-Lovers Hiking Club.

While building stakeholder collaborations, especially between the private sector and the government,  the Workshop also boosted the morale of those in the tourism industry by breaking them out of their restrictive silos. It also encouraged them by bringing to their attention that UNDP Lesotho AccLab is solutions driven and will utilise resources to capacitate Basotho in key areas of sustainable economic growth such as the tourism industries. Indeed Lesotho stands to benefit  exponentially from the proper documentation of tourist attraction sites and a well-developed photobank. 

Related Content

Exploring Innovation Diffusion Platforms for Experiments’ Scaling within the UN and Government’s Development Work

Unlocking opportunities for basotho women to sustain women-led enterprises and job creation.

National Photobank as a Nation Brand Engine

UNDP Lesotho Accelerator Lab has partnered with tourism industry stakeholders to document tourist attraction sites & assets into a National Photobank for Lesotho.

Launch of the Waste Management Information System (WMIS) and Cleanest Town Award Ceremony

Opening remarks by the UNDP Lesotho Resident Representative (a.i) at the launch of the Waste Management Information System and Cleanest town award giving ceremony...

Capacity Building for Women-led Enterprises in Lesotho

Remarks by the UNDP Lesotho, Resident Representative, Ms. Betty Wabunoha at the groundbreaking event to close the training of our first cohort of women entreprene...

• Testimonials
• Meet the Team
• Work With Us
• Outlook Features
• Sign Up Today
• Travel Guides
• Middle East

Lesotho Travel Guide

A unique Kingdom set within a large nation; Lesotho is a high-altitude land of exploration for eager adventurers.

Between 1820 and 1823, King Moshoeshoe I, son of a minor chief from the Bakoteli lineage, took his people and settled the Butha-Buthe Mountain. Moshoeshoe allied with former adversaries in the face of the growing threat of South African King Shaka Zulu, and the Lifaqane (also known as Mfecane or Difaqane) – a period of widespread chaos and warfare between communities that arose in the wake of his aggressive expansion. 

Now, nestled in a high-altitude region of South Africa, the land-locked independent Kingdom of Lesotho is a hidden gem in the vast nation that surrounds it. 

As a country elevated at 1,000 metres (3,281 feet), Lesotho differs from its lateral African counterparts by its cooler climate, subject to snowy winters in its lowlands, to dramatic summer storms that see the most rainfall per area in the whole of Africa. 

Marked by its lush grasslands, alpine meadows, jagged hills, and winding river networks, Lesotho remains a country largely untouched by development, and a prime location for exploratory hiking, camping, cave visits, horseback trekking, and even snow sports during the colder seasons. And for those excited at the prospect of African wildlife, the country boasts a variety of exotic birds, reptiles, and mammal species endemic to the region.

TOURISM INSIGHTS: LESOTHO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Through the variation of locations and activities, Lesotho has become a unique and exotic place to visit, and because of this, the tourism industry is essential to the Kingdom. 

The National Development Strategic Plan (NDSP II) has identified the industry as one of the four pillars that drive the economic growth of the country, and the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) is focused on reviving the sector in the wake of 2020.

LTDC is a parastatal organisation established in 2002, and its mandate is to develop and promote tourism in Lesotho. It is designed to provide leadership in the development of a strong and vibrant tourism industry which contributes to sustainable economic growth, job creation, poverty alleviation, and protection of the natural and cultural environment through effective partnership with the private sector and the community in strategic marketing, research, product development, quality tourism and hospitality services delivery and human resource development. Thus, its vision is to lead in successfully positioning Lesotho as Southern Africa’s must-visit mountain, culture, and adventure, and ecotourism destination.

We spoke to Sehlabaka Ramafikeng, interim CEO of the company, about the prospects of attracting more tourists to the Kingdom.

Q&A WITH SEHLABAKA RAMAFIKENG, CEO, LTDC

How do you market Lesotho as a destination?

Sehlabaka Ramafikeng (SR): LTDC is currently marketing and promoting tourism in Lesotho through digital marketing platforms such as our state-of-the-art website  www.visitlesotho.travel . This showcases all the Lesotho Tourism’s magnificent and breathtaking products, places to visit, where to stay, attractions, historic sites, culture and heritage, tourism investment opportunities, tour operators, accommodation, and all essential tourism information.

This tourism portal is linked to social media platforms that are being updated on a daily basis to interact with the audiences, such as daily tourism related activities posted on the company’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, and a newly developed Lesotho Tourism Guider Mobile App.

Due to hugely negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic to world travel patterns, the Kingdom of Lesotho has also suffered negatively like all other countries. Promotional efforts had to be implemented to continue create awareness and market Lesotho as a unique tourism destination locally by way of various platforms. The objectives are to showcase and educate the locals about tourism offerings in the country, to travel within the country and know more about places of interests but most importantly to spend money at those places of interests to uplift lives of the communities.

Through the joint marketing efforts and strategic partnership with a neighbouring South Africa, the Kingdom of Lesotho is a member of the Maluti Drakensberg Route (MDR) whose objectives is to jointly market and promotes the tourism products that are along the traverse route which go through Lesotho and South African provinces namely Eastern Free State, KwaZulu Natal and Eastern Cape Highlands. 

What are your organisation’s current goals?

(SR): With the advent of COVID-19 pandemic, generally what is seems sure is that tourism in different country across the globe will rebound slowly and mainly through local travel. This is because travellers tend to venture out closer to home and travel locally in order to gain confidence to travel farther away from home countries. 

In our view, reopening and rebuilding tourism in this beautiful Kingdom in the sky calls for a joined-up approach. Thus, LTDC’s current goals include working together with businesses, government ministries and agencies to perfect and apply new health protocols for safe travel as well as to solicit support in whichever manner possible. By this we are aiming to restore travellers’ confidence as well as to stimulate demand for travel through our tourism promotion campaigns on social media. 

Further, we are also leveraging on this crisis that has been brought by the pandemic to focus on comprehensive tourism recovery plans which this time around encourages more innovation and investment in preparation for when the sector is fully open, up and running, simply put, we are busy rethinking tourism in Lesotho because we believe whatever we do today will shape the future of tourism in our country.

How do you promote off-season travel?

(SR): The corporation always ensure important element of strategic partnerships with the tourism private sector namely tour operators and events promoters. A rainy season which starts from October to the end of March, is a period where the country is green, has magnificent mountain scenery and filled man-made dams as the Kingdom of Lesotho has an abundance of water. There are lots of tourism related events which are promoted through social media platforms, billboards advertising, radio adverting and print advertising. The most attended activities during off-season period include motorcycling race (world renowned Roof of Africa Rally), hiking, abseiling, water sports, music festivals.

Are there any projects in the pipeline you wish to highlight?

(SR): Semonkong Visitor Comfort Facility.

The Corporation is currently constructing the state-of-the-art tourism facility which is being developed with a view to establish a meeting place for the tour operators and tourists together with the tour guides and the Semonkong community. This is the platform for the host community to create income making opportunities as thus enhance their livelihoods whilst the tourists experience is improved. This magnificent, breathtaking facility is overlooking at the Maletsunyane Falls which is the highest single drop waterfall in Southern Africa (192 metres) and it is also the highest commercial abseiling cliff in the world (206 metres).

Why, in your opinion, should somebody visit Lesotho?

(SR): Lesotho is a true African country, but there are some things which elevate it – literally – above many others. Its lowest point is 305 metres, the highest on the continent, and it also has the highest average height of any country in the world. Not surprising then that it also has the highest commercial abseil (in excess of 300 metres), the highest pub in Africa and the highest single drop waterfall in Southern Africa.

As one moves towards the southern and eastern sides, Lesotho becomes more and more beautiful. The country is generally clean, once away from the towns, and the sky stretches away forever with the most beautiful clouds reaching up to incredible heights, casting showers in the far distance. Little streams cascade down mountainsides, and rivers wind around foothills and mountains, forming fantastic gorges to marvel at. Spectacular sunsets are the order of the day as one often looks down on the clouds. Apart from the stunning scenery, and challenging off-roading, it is a pleasure to see how contour farming is the norm throughout Lesotho.

What a great country Lesotho is for tourism. We have reason to be proud inhabitants of this land not only because it draws its tourism appeal from the beauty of its physical landscape. Our pride derives also from the fact that the appeal of this country as a tourism destination comes as much from its physical beauty as it does from the people. Our friendliness, humility and general hospitality make us a refreshing compliment to the beautiful landscape of our country.

What are some of the country’s most unique landmarks?

• It is the only country in the world whose territory lies 1,500 metres above sea level.
• The Katse Dam wall stands 185 metres, making it one of the tallest man-made structures in the continent of Africa and highest dam in Africa.
• Lesotho has the longest and the highest bridge in the Southern hemisphere.
• The country is aptly dubbed the ‘Roof of Africa’ and the ‘edge of the world’ because of its altitude.
• It is home to the world’s highest pub at the Sani Top Chalet (2874 metres above sea level).
• Thabana Ntlenyana is the highest peak in Southern Africa (3482 metres).
• Lesotho is the highest lowest point in the world in terms of altitude.
• The Maletsunyane Falls is the highest single drop waterfall in Southern Africa (192 metres).
• It is also the highest commercial abseiling cliff in the world (206 metres).
• Lesotho’s monarchy is the highlight of our culture and a major draw card.  Being one the last three monarchs in the world to-day, this by itself is an attraction that if properly packaged and marketed can generate enormous interest from innovative entrepreneurs.
• Afriski Mountain Resort is an ‘all year, all mountain’ destination in the heart of the Drakensberg- Maluti Mountains, in Lesotho. It is one of two ski resorts in Southern Africa and attracts ten thousand visitors over the winter season each year. The highest Ski Resort in Africa.

Are you optimistic about the future of the tourism industry of Lesotho?

(SR): The reality is that tourism has been hard hit by this pandemic and when it restarts, it will be under new operating procedure and protocols, including different travel restrictions that will be or are already being applied by many countries, which will most probably influence travellers’ behaviour and decisions. As the industry starts to reopen, we might note shorter booking windows and less spends and more but it is not all doom and gloom because with the current work on rebuilding tourism in Lesotho, which includes getting the stakeholders to understand what has changed and what will be the best direction for the industry to grow even better, we are optimistic that soon enough, tourism in Lesotho will regain its position or become even better, through new found appreciation from the world.

OUTLOOK RECOMMENDS

For a high-class experience close to the city centre…  

For gourmet meals in a quirky environment…   

Dougies Kitchen  

If you fancy high-end international dishes… 

Regal Restaurant  

For a hotel with activities and nearby sports…  

Avani Lesotho Hotel and Casino  

A traditional stay with the outdoors at your fingertips… 

Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village 

A place that borders exotic wilderness… 

The Palace Hotel  is a prime stay based in the country less than an hour drive from the capital Maseru. Sporting a tranquil pool and a stunning surrounding landscape, the Palace Hotel is a place of leisure, and provides the opportunity for exploration. The hotel’s fine dining experience allows visitors to indulge in a variety of dishes, and its open-plan courtyard provides a social and friendly environment when relaxing beside the pool or in the sunny gardens.    

For those who love walks… 

Katse Dam Walking Tour 

If you love culture and history… 

Thaba-Bosiu National Monument 

A chance for skiing and other wintery activities… 

Afriski Mountain Resort 

LANDMARK ATTRACTIONS

Maletsunyane Falls

192 metres of waterfall standing near the town of Semonkong, Maletsunyane Falls is a must-see for visitors of the region. Carved into the cliff beside two vivid green hills, the waterfall is a breath-taking sight to behold, and its dramatic echoing sound has given rise to local folklore that lives to this day.

Sitting in the district of Berea, the Kome Caves are a national heritage site in Lesotho, and home to the descendants of those who originally made the caves. The dwellings mix classic living methods with that of modern and provide visitors with an excellent insight into the traditional community that make the caves their home.

The Lion Rock Mountain

The perfect stop during a journey out of Maseru. The Lion Rock Mountain is a lone peak that has retained its wilderness within the borders of the capital, set aside from development in nearby areas. The summit sports a great stone formation from which the rise gets its name and is a brilliant landmark to visit while on the road between the locations.

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

Lesotho is home to a variety of airfields all around the mountainous country. Its primary airport is Moshoeshoe I International Airport just outside of the capital Maseru.

For journeys across the country, taxis are available and well-placed for short journeys outside a timetable, as well as a range of bus services that routinely journey to popular tourist destinations. Alternatively, for a more custom travelling experience visitors can rent cars from the capital and make their way to the various and unique locations Lesotho has to offer.

Seychelles Travel Guide

Seychelles : Outlook Recommends

Seychelles : Tourism Insights

Seychelles National Botanical Gardens in Focus

Seychelles : Landmark Attractions

Getting To and Around Seychelles

Seychelles Travel Guide 2022

Mahé In Focus

Seychelles Travel Guide 2021

Seychelles Travel Guide 2019

More africa travel guides.

Western Cape Travel Guide

Kenya Travel Guide

Madagascar Travel Guide

Malawi Travel Guide

Mauritius Travel Guide

Malawi Travel Guide 2022

Zambia Travel Guide

South Africa’s Western Cape Travel Guide

Jordan Banks : Behind the Lens

Tootbus : Travel Business

Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network

Under SXM : Creating Sustainable Underwater Experiences

Hidden Spots for Cherry Blossom Season : Round Up

Urbino : The Last Stop

Enrico Costantini : Behind the Lens

Lepogo Lodges : A Sustainable Safari Experience

Casa de Olivos : Sustainability Stories 

Opulence on the Orient Express 

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address

Remember Me

Lesotho Tourism

• Living reference work entry
• Later version available View entry history
• First Online: 05 February 2022
• Cite this living reference work entry

• Regina Marankopane Thetsane 3  

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Institutional subscriptions

Council of Higher Education. Statistical bulletin. (2014/15). http://www.CHE.ac.ls/wpcontent/uploads/2019/02/HE-Statistical-Bulletin-2014-15.pdf . (19 April, 2020).

Lesotho GDP Per Capita (1960-2021). https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/LSO/lesotho/gdp-per-capita . (19 April, 2021).

Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation. (2019). Annual arrivals and accommodation statistics report. https://www.visitlesotho.travel/trade/tourism-statistics . (19 April, 2021).

Ministry of Tourism Environment and Culture. 2019. Review of tourism policy and legal framework and development of a national tourism master plan . Maseru: Lesotho Government.

Google Scholar  

Worldmeter. (2020). Population of Lesotho. https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/lesotho-population . (8 April, 2021).

WTTC. (2019). Travel and tourism economic impact: World. London: World Travel and Tourism Council. https://www.slovenia.info/uploads/dokumenti/raziskave/raziskave/world2019.pdf . (8 April, 2020).

Yiu, L., R. Saner, and M. Lee. 2015. Lesotho, a tourism destination: Analysis of Lesotho’s current tourism products and potential for growth. In Handbook of research on global hospitality and tourism management , ed. A. Camillo. IGI Global: Harshey.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

National University of Lesotho, Roma, Lesotho

Regina Marankopane Thetsane

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

School of Hospitality Leadership, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI, USA

Jafar Jafari

School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Honggen Xiao

Section Editor information

University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Thetsane, R.M. (2022). Lesotho Tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_654-3

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_654-3

Received : 25 February 2021

Accepted : 10 May 2021

Published : 05 February 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-319-01669-6

Online ISBN : 978-3-319-01669-6

eBook Packages : Springer Reference Business and Management Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_654-5

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_654-3

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_654-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_654-1

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Search ITA Search

• Market Overview
• Market Challenges
• Market Opportunities
• Market Entry Strategy
• Agricultural Sector
• Manufacturing
• Renewable Energy
• Trade Barriers
• Import Tariffs
• Import Requirements and Documentation
• Labeling and Marking Requirements
• U.S. Export Controls
• Temporary Entry 
• Customs Regulations
• Standards for Trade
• Trade Agreements
• Distribution and Sales Channels
• Selling Factors & Techniques
• Trade Financing
• Protecting Intellectual Property
• Selling to the Public Sector
• Business Travel
• Investment Climate Statement (ICS) 

Lesotho has spectacular scenery and potential for eco-tourism.  The rugged countryside makes Lesotho ideal for off-road sports. The country hosts the Roof of Africa motorcycle rally annually and has introduced other annual events such as the Maletsunyane Falls braai festival and the Lesotho sky cycling event.  Lesotho is home to the world’s longest commercial single-drop abseil and Sub-Saharan Africa’s only ski resort.  In addition, Lesotho has good air and road connections with South Africa and is working to improve internal infrastructure, such as roads, to accommodate the tourism industry.  South Africa draws large numbers of international tourists, creating an opportunity to attract side-trips to Lesotho.

The tourism industry is actively promoted by the Lesotho government, and a number of hotels, mountain lodges and national parks have been developed in recent years. The Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC), a government agency responsible for promotion of tourism, supports tourism sector investment and offers limited incentives to  investors.

Tourism Sub-Sector Best Prospects                                                               

• Boating Excursions on Dams, Canoeing, and other Recreational Activities
• Accommodation Facilities and Resort Developments
• Ski-resorts, Equipment, and Related Services 

Opportunities         

The tourism sector stands to benefit from the LHWP as existing and prospective LHWP dams create a notable opportunity for water sports and recreational activities.  Another major feature of the country is altitude; Lesotho is the only country in the world which lies entirely 1000m above sea level.  Thus, Lesotho is an ideal location to develop high altitude sports training facilities.  There is also an opportunity in the hotel industry – Lesotho is under-supplied with accommodation facilities of appropriate standards, particularly at key tourism sites.  Most tourists from South Africa cross into Lesotho for day trip, only to go back to accommodations in South Africa. 

Resources  

Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation: http://visitlesotho.travel/ltdc

Afriski: https://afriski.net/

Contacts 

Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation 

P.O.Box 

Tel: (266) 22312238 

@2022 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by  PenciDesign

Tap into growing tourism value chain, Leribe villagers told

Bereng Mpaki

THE Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) has encouraged Leribe villagers to tap into the emerging tourism value chain this festive season spurred by sand dunes in their area.

Tourists are expected to flock to the site which shot to prominence in 2020 and has now been identified by the LTDC as one of Lesotho’s fastest growing tourist attractions.

Perched on a plateau surrounded by Ha-Mapape and Ha-Shepheseli villages, the site is accessible through hiking or on horseback, which enhances its tourist pull.

The LTDC this week visited the area to sensitise communities living around the site to organise themselves and take advantage of the tourist influx in the area to generate income.

The corporation urged the community to form tourism interest groups through which they can entertain holiday makers and generate income in the process.

LTDC public relations manager, ‘Manchafalo Motšoeneng, told the  Lesotho Times  that the site’s attractiveness should be channeled into creating jobs for the local community.

Tourism is one of the sectors identified as a key priority area for the country’s economic development as per the second National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP II).

“The sand dunes site is one of the fastest growing tourist attraction sites with a desert look and feel,” Ms Motšoeneng said.

“This makes it a good tourist product for someone who wants a desert experience.

“We are therefore, engaging the communities around the area to organise themselves so that they can generate some income from tourist arrivals in the area.”

The community sensitization was also meant to teach the community to be hospitable and welcoming to tourists.

“The government wants all natural tourist attraction sites developed to improve their contribution to uplifting communities but due to funding challenges, it would be good for the host community to initiate the development.

“We prefer to collaborate with the local community as this would help in safe guarding the site because it would be their property. Investors from outside the local community are still welcome but they must be willing to partner with the community to ensure they benefit in the development.”

She said the LTDC would capacitate the local community with the necessary skills to tap into the tourism value chain in the area.

Addressing Ha-Mapape villagers, LTDC public relations officer, Molapo Matela, said the community should aim to keep tourists for longer periods by coming up with services or products that will compel them to extend their vacations.

“Their visit should not end with the sand dunes but must include other activities you can come up with to keep them intrigued for longer. The idea is to keep them in the area so that they can spend more money here.”

He advised the villagers to form interest groups for providing cultural performances, produce handcrafts to sell to tourists and also convert their used houses into lodges (homestays) to accommodate visitors.

On his part, Labour and Employment Minister, Moshe Leoma, who is also the All Basotho Convention (ABC’s) legislator for Matlakeng constituency, within which the site is located, expressed joy that the place was finally gaining traction for the benefit of the community.

“The community must take good care of the site and protect it. We have an opportunity of having a good tourist spot that can be linked with other tourist sites within the Leribe and Butha Buthe region,” Mr Leoma said.

Lesotho Times

Lesotho's widely read newspaper, published every Thursday and distributed throughout the country and in some parts of South Africa. Contact us today: News: [email protected] Advertising: [email protected] Telephone: +266 2231 5356

ABC recalls Majoro?

Farmers undergo practical global gap training, you may also like, slb assists learners with career guidance , nedbank group achieves profit targets, slb launches lending drive, mukuru on the pulse of fast, efficient international..., cbl’s repo rate unchanged, mukuru introduces instant money transfer, leave a comment.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Lesotho’s widely read newspaper, published every Thursday and distributed throughout the country and in some parts of South Africa. 

@2023 – Lesotho Times. All Rights Reserved.

• culture and art
• miscellaneous

LTDC HONOURS WOMEN IN TOURISM

Africa-Press – Lesotho. As part of the Africa Women’s Month Celebration, Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC) honoured and celebrated women in tourism. The Woman in Tourism Program is an initiative that seeks to drive and support the development, empowerment, and promotion of women in the tourism sector.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Tourism, Environment, and Culture, Ms. Nthloi Motsamai expressed gratitude to be part of this beautiful celebration.

She noted that since women ventured into tourism, they have positively impacted the country’s economy hence encouraging them to work hard, support each other and build their own legacy, saying next year’s event will be bigger and better.

She, however, said there is still a lot to be done in order to grow the tourism sector, urging them to visit LTDC for guidance. Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer LTDC, Dr Retselisitsoe Nko thanked all relevant stakeholders, saying this celebration would not be a success without their unwavering support.

He stressed that more women venturing into the tourism business aligns with SDG5 which is aimed to achieve gender quality and empower all women and girls.

He wished them well in their future endeavours and wished them well saying they should continue leading in the tourism business as the statistics show. In conclusion, he said collaboration and sharing of knowledge are key in this business.

On the same token, the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports, and Recreation (MGYSR) Principal Secretary, Dr Mamoeketsi Ntho Said tourism coordinates different sectors, saying there is a value chain hence tourism can impact the economy positively.

She noted that one of the MGYSR’s mandates is to support women in business, women in politics, and social empowerment hence they are supporting women in business. Speaking on behalf of the Women in Tourism business, Ms.

Matseliso Mokuoane said they are ready to support each other to grow their businesses by joining hands so as to transform domestic tourism as well as marketing Lesotho at the international level.

She revealed that the main challenges that hinder the growth of tourism in this country include failure to network as well as failure to market their businesses, however, she stated that it is time for them to bring about the change they want by uniting to make Lesotho known for its uniqueness.

As part of the celebration, awards of excellence were presented to various tourism businesses including Mlex Beauty Spa, Mahlakapese Guest House and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT).

Women in big business were encouraged to adopt the upcoming ones to track progress and assess the impact whilst putting in tailored and short interventions to ensure the sustainability of the programme.

Women from different sectors were given a chance to present and share knowledge in order to equip Women in Tourism with the necessary information that will help enhance business.

For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

His majesty accepts letters of credence from angola, sahrawi, top cop to appear in court for corruption, 40 000 passports stuck in sa, x’s long form videos to be available on smart tvs, hp new services and software for turbocharge introduced, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.