According to a2zgov, Lesotho is a country in Africa completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho has been independent from the United Kingdom since 1966. The capital of Lesotho is Maseru. A number of major cities in Lesotho are: Teyateyaneng, Mafeteng and Hlotse.
Lesotho is known for its altitude and untouched nature. The country consists mostly of mountainous areas and is located entirely above 1000 meters. Lesotho is also the land of birds. You can discover 279 different bird species. The landscape of Lesotho is mostly vast and ideal for hiking trips. The country also has a National Park (Sehlabathebe). In Lesotho there are also 3 very large dams and a number of waterfalls that are worth a visit.
Where is Lesotho?
Travel information of Lesotho
Official name: Kingdom of Lesotho
Continent: Africa
Area: 30,355 km²
Capital: Maseru
Country code: LS, LSO
Population: 1,969,334 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Constitutional monarchy
Highest point: 3,482 m (Thabana Ntlenyana)
Distance (Amsterdam – Maseru): 9,310 km
Flight time: approximately 12 hours
Travel advice
Current status: Attention, safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Lesotho that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Lesotho, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Lesotho. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Lesotho?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Lesotho at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Lesotho has a temperate climate. The temperatures are around 15 degrees in the winter months and around 25 degrees in the summer months. In the higher areas, temperatures are around -5 degrees in the winter months and around 15 degrees in the summer months. The summer and winter periods are opposite to those in the Netherlands.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Lesotho can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Lesotho can be found at Climate info.
Best time
March, April, October and November are the best months to travel to Lesotho. This avoids the cold winter period and the months with relatively high rainfall.
Language
Sesotho is the official language in Lesotho. In addition, English is spoken.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from Lesotho.
A visa is not required if you stay in Lesotho for less than 14 days. For stays longer than 14 days, you must contact the Lesotho Immigration Authorities.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in South Africa (also for Lesotho): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate in Lesotho: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Lesotho in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Lesotho it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Lesotho, payment is made with the Lesotho loti (LSL).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Lesotho can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Lesotho are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -30% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (54% cheaper), food (24% cheaper), imported beer in catering (36% cheaper), cigarettes (61% cheaper) and public transport (83% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Lesotho it is not customary to tip. With good service you can round off the total amount.
Time difference
During our summer time there is no time difference.
During our winter time it is 1 hour later in Lesotho.
Lesotho has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Lesotho can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Lesotho you must drive on the left.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Lesotho.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Lesotho.
Electricity
In Lesotho you need a travel plug.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Lesotho can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: (266)5888-1010
– Fire: (266)5888-1544
– Ambulance: Local numbers
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news regarding Lesotho can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Lesotho can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Lesotho end in.ls.
Official Lesotho websites: gov.ls and visitlesotho.travel.
Telephone
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Lesotho is 00266 or +266.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Lesotho? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Lesotho Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Lesotho.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Lesotho.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Lesotho.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Lesotho can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Lesotho, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Lesotho?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Lesotho. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Lesotho can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Lesotho can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Lesotho? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, perfume and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Lesotho.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 1.0.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Not allowed for men, allowed for women.
Did you know that…
…Lesotho is completely enclosed by South Africa?
…Lesotho is the only independent state in the world that is entirely above 1,000 m?
…23.6% of the inhabitants of Lesotho are infected with the HIV virus?
…Wool is an important export product of Lesotho?
…Lesotho first bore the name Basutoland?
…A lot of diamonds are mined in Lesotho?
