Maseru - Maseru

Maseru is the capital of Lesotho and the only major city in the country. It is about 1550 meters above sea level and is the capital of the district of the same name.

background

The city nestles against the border river, the main thoroughfare is the Kingsway. There are hardly any real sights, the city is important as an economic center for supplying or preparing for land parcels.

The tourist information (Mon-Fri 9 am-6pm, Sat until 3pm) is in the Pioneer Mall. There are branch offices with shorter opening times at the airport and at the border.

getting there

By plane

By bus

There is no direct bus connection to Maseru, but buses stop in Ladybrand (about 10 kilometers from Maseru in South Africa). From there by shared taxi to the border.

In the street

The 24-hour border crossing at the -29.29741227.453382 Maseru Bridge is the main gateway from South Africa, primarily from the direction Bloemfontein. On weekends and public holidays it often jams here, trucks can wait for days.

mobility

Shared taxis that take other passengers with them (4 1) cost 6.50 LSL (2016) in the city area.
Call taxis (city trips 30-40 LSL): Top ☎ 5063 7822 or Moonlite ☎ 2231 2695.

Tourist Attractions

To the central -29.31641527.493652 Roundabout The Kingsway, May 1 South Rd, Mosheshoe Rd and the branch connecting to A2 are three of the larger churches: Methodist, Church of Christ, the Catholic Our Lady of Victoria.

shop

There are handicrafts in the Basotho Hat Shop, whose thatched roof is shaped like said headgear.

kitchen

The restaurants in the central Pioneer Mall are ideal for lunch.

nightlife

Prostitution is illegal, but widespread given the high unemployment rate. The numerous street prostitutes in the city center after 6 p.m. are occasionally scared away for a few days by raids.

Casinos

• at the Avani Hotel
• Gold rush at the Maseru Mall Center

accommodation

Based on the average monthly income (700-1000 LSL), accommodation in Maseru is expensive. There are hardly any single rooms.

Cheap

Upscale

luxury

security

Emergency call: ☎ 112 (nationwide)

Property crimes, including robbery, are common. Firearms are rarer than in South Africa, and people are more likely to be threatened with knives. As a white man, you shouldn't go out on the streets alone at night. When driving, the doors must be locked, people tend to reach through the window at intersections or break the windows (“crash and grab”).

health

Emergency doctor: ☎ 22312501 (Maseru only)

Practical advice

Consulates

Both Germany, Austria and Switzerland are represented by their respective representations in Pretoria who are also responsible for emergency aid.

The Hotel Lancer's Inn also acts as honorary consulate for the Netherlands and Spain.

trips

Ladybrand

Ladybrand is the South African border town with the Maseru Bridge. If you want to use public transport from Bloemfontein to Lesotho, you have to change here, as it is except for those with VaalMaseru there are no cross-border lines.

accommodation

Accommodation is cheaper here than in Maseru.

Kome Caves

A village that is built under a gigantic rock overhang -29.24449827.8668574 Kome cave dwellings (Ha Kome Caves). There is a tourist information office on site (☎ 266 588 35143), day tours can be booked in Maseru.

The caves are still inhabited by the descendants of the founders, who settled here well hidden to protect themselves from other Bantu tribes who allegedly practiced cannibalism. The actual houses are traditional mud huts.

Roma

-29.44666727.7080561 Roma is a small town, 35 km from Maseru on the A5, in a charming landscape on the road to Maletsunyane waterfallwell worth a stopover. Minibuses run in Maseru in front of the Sefika shopping center. This was the beginning of the Catholic mission, which has been active since 1845. The university is also based here. Anyone looking for academic literature specifically on Lesotho is in good hands in the university library, which also includes the state archive.

The country road south of the village leads through a field landscape that is well worth seeing and is best seen at dusk.

accommodation

Thaba-Bosiu

-29.35094127.6710342 Thaba-Bosiu is a table mountain about 25 km from the capital. It is considered the birthplace of the nation because King Moshoeshoe built a fortress here in 1824. There are royal tombs and a Cultural Village (7 a.m.-11 p.m., 20 LSL). The Visitors Center (☎ 2835 7207; Mon-Sat 8 am-5pm) organizes pony rides and guided hikes to rock carvings in the region. The nearby Qiloane Hill is said to be the model for the Basotho-Hat been.

Shared taxis / minibuses leave from the Manonyane St. stand in Maseru.

accommodation

On the road diagonally opposite each other are:

• the motel Goodnight Lodge Thaba Bosiu.
• with bungalows the Mmelesi Lodge, where you pay in 2019 in a single 520, in a double 700 LSL, WiFi and breakfast incl.
• The Khotsong Lodge was closed for renovation at the beginning of 2019.

Morija

Near -29.62627627.5087943 Morija, 45 km on the A2 from Maseru, fossilized dinosaur tracks have been found in the nearby Makhoarane Mountains. The small, well-curated museum organizes guided tours.

In Matsieng, a village seven kilometers away (shared taxis 10 LSL), there is an old royal palace for historians Royal Archives & Museum of interest.

accommodation

• Lindy's Guest House
• Morija Guest Houses and Tours (☎ 266 6306 5093), 24 beds, camping allowed. Located high on the summit.