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Lesotho mountain hut

© Creative Commons / Tjeerd

Getting Around Lesotho

Side of road: 
Left
Road quality: 

The road system is underdeveloped and few roads are paved.

The main road which runs through the towns from the north to the western and southern borders is tarred, but other roads can be impassable during the rainy season.

It is advised not to drive in rural areas at night (or even walk around Maseru at night).

There have been incidents of mugging and vehicle hijacking.

Car hire: 

Cars can be hired in Maseru. You will need permission from the car hire company to take any car over the border into Lesotho and will have to pay road tax of around LSL5. Maseru bridge border post is open 24 hours a day but in the main, they close at around 6pm. Bear in mind that some border posts can only be reached by four wheel drive.

Taxi: 

Buses and minibus taxis are good for short hops. Rather than being on a timetabled schedule, they leave once the bus is full so you're better off buying tickets for any longer journey in stages, going from town to town rather than direct; this way you're not forced to wait for your bus to fill up at each stop. The cost is marginally greater than buying a direct ticket.

Documentation: 

An International Driving Permit is recommended. National driving licences are normally valid, provided that they are either in English or accompanied by a certified translation. Enquire at the high commission or embassy for details.

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