Welcome to Sani Lodge & Cottages!
Welcome to Sani Lodge & Cottages!
Ride a Bosotho pony from village to village through spectacular mountain scenery. Stay the night in remote, scenic mountain villages.
From village to village on horseback! Another unique community tourism initiative! Whilst focussed on Pony Trekking, these trips also allow you to travel up the famous Sani Pass in our 4x4 Land Rovers, over the second highest road pass in Lesotho, traverse remote villages seeing the unique way of life while enjoying the thrill of riding through majestic mountain scenery. We arrive at the home of the Ntlhoki family in the Molumong area, the base for “Ntlhoki Pony Trekking” after lunch on day 1. We started our relationship with them in the year 2005! Horses will be waiting, and you are off, riding like a local into soaring mountains and to remote villages! The Ntlhoki’s are experienced and skilled horse guides, and many novices have been introduced by them to the joys of riding! Their horses are Basotho ponies – short, stocky, sturdy and extremely sure-footed animals who are totally at home on the steep gradients you will encounter. Overnight accommodation is provided by homesteads in various villages, thereby spreading the benefits of tourism into remote communities by encouraging small scale entrepreneurs. For the hard-core riders, consider our 4-day Thabana Ntlenyana Pony Trek, 2 ½ days of tough riding to the highest point in southern Africa at 3482m. We sleep in tents next to shepherds’ outposts called motebo and experience wilderness far from any village as we ascend to the highest point south of Kilimanjaro! The first afternoon and night is at base camp.
Experience Fair Trade in Tourism in action. Your tour price includes a contribution to the Sani Top Basotho community. Our ground-breaking approach to grass-roots tourism means that your tour price directly benefits a wide segment of the local community, preserving cultural dignity and ensuring fair remuneration for services rendered. “Sani Lodge is the Silver Award Winner of African Responsible Tourism Award for Poverty Reduction 2018. Sani Lodge and Drakensberg Adventures in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa has made a major contribution to local livelihoods and poverty reduction over many years. By involving Basotho stakeholders, they have created opportunities for communities to proudly showcase their unique cultural practices, engaging with guests in an authentic manner, thereby earning their respect. They are the future of tourism in Africa". ~ Judges The Landrover is the vehicle which pioneered the Sani Pass back in the 1950's and 60's. We believe that for an authentic Sani Pass experience, it must be in one of our Landrovers!!
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Day 1:
Day 2:
Accommodation is in traditional rondavels (round African dwellings). There is no electricity or running water in any of the villages. A basin of water will be provided for bathing. Please bear in mind that given the remote location the toilet is a “long drop” (pit latrine).
Spend an extra day in the saddle and venture deeper into the Lesotho highlands. Day 1 remains the same, however the itinerary for the following two days is below.
Day 2:
Day 3:
Spend an extra two days in the saddle and venture deeper into the Lesotho highlands. Day 1 remains the same, however the itinerary for the following two days is below.
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Note: While this tour still entails many hours in the saddle, it is a far gentler option than the Thabana Ntlenyana ride below.
Spend an extra three days in the saddle and venture deeper into the ever more remote Lesotho highlands. Day 1 remains the same, however the itinerary for the following three days is below.
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 4:
Day 5:
Before the 1950's, it was a trail for pack animals to carry goods through to the isolated town of Mokhotlong in Eastern Lesotho. Now, the road carries 4x4 vehicles, though the odd donkey and horse can still be seen plodding slowly up the steep route. Crossing the border at the top of the pass, one enters not only another country (passports required), but another world. The Basotho have a unique African mountain culture, reminiscent of Tibet! People live in traditional rondavels (huts), herd goats and sheep in the high mountains and grow crops by ox-ploughing and hand-hoeing in a lifestyle fascinating for the visitor. Come and experience the wonders of the mountains. Visit Lesotho under your own steam, or on one of our tours. The South African border post opens at 6 am and closes at 6 pm.
Lesotho is a little-known country. It is unique in several respects. It is the only “real” country completely surrounded by another country (South Africa). it is also the country with the highest lowest point in the world – the lowest point in Lesotho is 1433m which is higher than in any other country. The highest point in Southern Africa, Thabana Ntlenyana, 3482m, is situated in the east of the country. Lesotho owes its existence to their great and revered first king, Moshoeshoe the Great. He welded a group of disparate Sesotho speaking clans into a single nation through wise statesmanship and his mountain fortress of Thaba Bosiu. Southern Africa in the first part of the 19th century was in some chaos, with warfare and population displacement rife. Moshoeshoe offered sanctuary at his mountain fortress in these troubled times, effectively forging the Basotho nation through the offering of peace. This ethos can be felt in the current motto of Lesotho which is “Khotso, Pula, Nala meaning Peace, Rain and Prosperity” Lesotho has managed to retain its own separate identity ever since. One of Moshoeshoe’s last acts as an old man was to ask for “protection” and the country thus became the British Protectorate of Basutoland from 1868 until its independence in 1965. An attempt to include the country in the Cape Colony led to the Gun war of the 1880’s and from then on, the country was governed directly from London. Basutoland was offered the opportunity to join the Union of South Africa when it was formed in 1910, but the council of chiefs declined. The country has its own currency, government system and schooling system and its people are fiercely independent. As one of the few mountain peoples in Africa, the Basotho people have a unique lifestyle and culture. Soaring mountain peaks and deep incised river valleys have led to many adaptations to the environment. This is exemplified by the sight of a horseman mounted on the sturdy Basotho pony, wearing a traditional Basotho blanket! Visit under your own steam or go on one of our tours which visit remote, seldom visited areas and give you an authentic window into the lifestyle of these proud and friendly people.
Please note that the price quoted above is for tours running with a minimum of four guests. If you wish to do this tour with a group of less than four, there will be additional charges due to the fixed nature of certain costs. Owing to the current fuel cost increase, there may be an additional fuel levy. Lesotho has a Tourist Levy of R100 per person entering the country.
Whichever method you choose, we will respond to you as quickly and informatively as possible.
Call our reception on +27 83 987 3071 phone or WhatsApp. Someone will be available between 7am and 7pm everyday. South African time is GMT+2
Send us an email or complete the contact form. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
We'd love to share our detailed knowledge of the local area with you.
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