Best Views, Day Tour, Drive & Hike
Hodgson's Peaks Tour
A guided tour & hike to the top of the world.
Molumong Village Hiking Tours
Slackpacking - hike through spectacular mountain terrain from village to village without having to carry a backpack
Basotho Culture
Village Life
Meals Included
Passports Essential
Hiking
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
These hikes can be 2, 3, 4 or 5 day trips. They follow the same pattern as our Molumong Pony treks, but instead of riding, you traverse from village to village on footpaths. Since accommodation and food is provided in all villages, you only need to carry the bare minimum of luggage in a large day pack, making this an option for those not wanting to carry a large pack or pay for portered-type hikes. Enjoy soaring mountain scenery, picturesque and remote villages and friendly Basotho people! Open a window into a rich traditional lifestyle.
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
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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ITINERARY
2 Day Village Hike
Day 1: 6 km
Departure from Sani Lodge (9.00 am)
We meet in near reception ten minutes prior to departure for a quick briefing and introduction to your guide.
Travel up Sani Pass and into Lesotho
Travel up the only road through the Drakensberg cliffs in a 4×4 whilst hearing tales of the pioneering of the route. You will also learn about the natural history of the Drakensberg and see the beautiful wildflowers, wildlife and birds which inhabit the slopes.
Traditional Lunch
Enjoy a traditional (vegetarian) Basotho lunch in Sekiring village
Drive over Black Mountain Pass at 3240m
Ascend Black Mountain (3240m), second highest road pass in Lesotho with stunning views. We will meet the shepherds who spend the summer months in the highlands tending flocks of sheep and goats and get a sense of the life they lead. Carry on down the Sehonghong river valley before turning off towards Molumong.
Arrive at Molumong Village where you will meet your guide for the next couple of days.
Set off on the hike to the village.
The afternoon’s hike is around 6 – 8km and has an altitude gain of around 250 – 350mm to the village where we stay the night in traditional rondavel accommodation.
Day 2: 6 km
After breakfast, hike back to the starting point via a different route
Lunch with the Ntlhokis
Return Journey
We will then return aiming to have you back at Sani Lodge Backpackers between 5 and 5:30 pm.
Accommodation
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).
3 Day Village Hike
Spend an extra day venturing deeper into the Lesotho highlands. Day 1 remains the same, however the itinerary for the following two days is below.
Day 2: 12 km
Full days hike
After breakfast, a full day’s hike awaits as you traverse a wide variety of stunning scenery including time along the legendary Orange River (known as the “Senqu” in the local language of Sesotho). This is the main river draining the Lesotho Highlands and South Africa’s longest river.
We will descend around 500m from our starting point to the low point of the day, then climb another 550m to Malubelube village where we stay the night in traditional rondavel accommodation. This route may alter as the new Polihali Dam is constructed in the new few years.
Accommodation, dinner and breakfast in a second, more remote village.
Day 3: 9 km
After breakfast, hike back to the starting point via a different (shorter) route
A gentle final days hike with an altitude loss of 300m.
Lunch with the Ntlhokis
Return Journey
We will then return aiming to have you back at Sani Lodge Backpackers between 5 and 5:30 pm.
4 Day Village Hike
Spend an extra two days venturing deeper into the Lesotho highlands. Days 1 & 2 remain the same, however the itinerary for the following two days is below.
Day 3: 15 km
Full days hike
Today is a very special day as our route takes us over a high ridge and into the remote Bobatsi river valley. Our path goes through villages which are far from any road and seldom visited. We follow the Bobatsi valley upstream, staying the night in traditional rondavel accommodation in Bobatsi village. Whilst there will be various ups and downs during the day, overall we end the day just 50m lower in altitude.
Accommodation, dinner and breakfast in a third village.
Day 4: 8 km
After breakfast, hike back to the starting point via a different (shorter) route
A more gentle final days hike with an altitude loss of 200m.
Lunch with the Ntlhokis
Return Journey
We will then return aiming to have you back at Sani Lodge Backpackers between 5 and 5:30 pm.
5 Day Village Hike
Spend an extra three days venturing deeper into the Lesotho highlands. Days 1 & 2 remain the same, however the itinerary for the following three days is below.
Day 3: 15 km
Full day's hike
Today is a special day as our route takes us south and along the majestic Senqu River valley. Our path goes through villages which are far from any road and seldom visited. We end in a remote village high above the rive rin an area tourists never go near to!
Accommodation, dinner and breakfast in a third village.
Day 4: 15 km
Another full day's hike
After breakfast, we set off heading north again as we start the journey back to our starting point. We hike through remote villages and areas where the friendly locals wonder what on earth we are doing walking through their part of the world!
Accommodation, dinner and breakfast in a fourth remote village.
Day 5: 8 km
After breakfast, hike back to the starting point via a different (shorter) route
A more gentle final days hike with an altitude loss of 200m.
Lunch with the Ntlhokis
Return Journey
We will then return aiming to have you back at Sani Lodge between 5 and 5:30 pm.
USEFUL DOCUMENTS
HISTORY OF THE SANI PASS
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.
MOUNTAIN KINGDOM OF LESOTHO
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.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Please note that Lesotho has a Tourist Levy of R100 per person entering the country.
SPECIAL DIETARY ITEMS AVAILABLE, JUST ASK.
GET IN TOUCH
Whichever method you choose, we will respond to you as quickly and informatively as possible.
Give Us a Call
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
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Drop By and Talk
We'd love to share our detailed knowledge of the local area with you.
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