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Trip Report: Alex's Wild 5-Days in Lesotho
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There are countries you hear about your whole life… and then there are countries like Lesotho: a mountain nation entirely surrounded by South Africa that sits just above 1,000m, full of Basotho traditions, wild landscapes, and a pace of life that feels worlds away from the beaten path. Resident Broke Backpacker and seasoned vagabond, Alex, has just returned from five days getting to know this underrated corner of Africa. It might not be the cheapest destination, but Lesotho more than makes up for it in terms of its chaos, culture and one of the most delightfully bizarre activities Alex has experienced in over 100 countries (yep, he’s on track to visit em all!) So lean in as we dive into Alex’s trip report of Lesotho, straight from the road. A Trip Report from Alex's 5 Days in LesothoTrip at a Glance
From being crammed into a rickety van alongside two dozen locals and a handful of sheep, to riding a donkey between pubs in a remote village until reaching a state where I was lucky not to fall off, Lesotho was a surprise hit on my journey to visit every country in the world. It’s a place where I had to embrace discomfort at times, and was rewarded tenfold at the end. Of the 101 countries I’ve been to so far, only Lesotho conjured up an experience as whacky as a donkey pub crawl. And it was every bit as fun as it sounds! It started at Semonkong Lodge, where 330 loti per night (£13/US$17) bagged me a spot in a 6-bed dorm. This was also where I booked the pub crawl. You can either book it there in person, or message them on WhatsApp to arrange it (+266 5888 1021). For just 300 loti (£13.50/US$17.75 roughly) I was given a shot of who-knows-what before a local Basotho man helped me onto a donkey, and we started to hit up the pubs of Semonkong village. I was a little nervous having fallen from a horse in Kyrgyzstan last year, but the donkey was much smaller and easy to control (before the beers started flowing at least). The stops were all simple bars with bottles and cans of beer (no taps), pool tables, and slot machines. Every stop followed a similar rhythm: I’d grab a Maluti (the most popular local beer), then side with a local to take on two fellow tourists in a game of pool, putting my traditional mokorotlo hat back on before riding my donkey to the next pub. It turns out pool is one of the more popular pastimes in this sleepy mountain village, so the locals have a lot of time to practice. Wanna lose? Go ahead and challenge them to a game! In the village, some local kids came to say hi. They approached us with massive smiles and interacted with us for a few minutes before pushing their friend down the hill in a wheelbarrow. Fortunately, by this point, I was only 1 beer down and decided against getting in the wheelbarrow myself. Some locals drained their savings away on the slot machines, whilst others came to dance with the foreigners to Latin-style music in the middle of the pub. Yes, Bachata bangers in a remote African mountain village, certainly not the vibe I expected! When the sky was pitch black, it was time to ride our donkeys back to the lodge, albeit with much more difficulty after a few Malutis. I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum of Rome, the Statue of Liberty and countless other big-name tourist attractions across the world. And you know what? I’ll remember the donkey pub crawl more fondly than any one of them; it’s one of those unique activities that you associate with a specific country, in the same way that you’d only ride an iron ore train in Mauritania, or you’d only board down a volcano in Nicaragua. But the donkey pub crawl wasn't the only reason I loved Semonkong. I also hiked to Maletsunyane Falls, trekking alone through sleepy villages, passing locals in traditional clothing and their iconic mokorotlo hats. The hike took 3 hours round trip, not including time spent admiring the falls, and with mobile data patchy up here, I was glad to have offline maps with maps.me to guide me. As I got close to the viewpoint, someone called me into a makeshift “office” and charged me a 140 loti (£6.30/US$8) “entry fee”. It seemed pretty unofficial, and more like a random guy who saw an opportunity rather than a formal charge. I’ll never know if this was legit or a scam… Either way, it was worth it as I got the reward I came for: probably the best waterfall in the world that most have never heard of. I spent an hour sitting on a rock, just watching the impressive stream of water gushing down. Two others were here when I arrived, but I was alone for most of it. Unfortunately, I only had a limited time before I had to head back. I could’ve easily spent 3 hours or more just sitting there in pure peace. My tip for anyone doing this is to bring some good sun cream, though. The sun is pretty intense up there! My time in Semonkong ended with a chaotic bus ride back to the capital, Maseru. I had to wait over 2 hours for the bus to fill up before paying 110 loti (£5/US$6) for a 3-4 hour journey, pressed against the window in a sweltering bus, surrounded by locals, luggage and sheep, as we rumbled our way across Lesotho’s bumpy roads. If you value comfort and hassle-free vacations, Lesotho probably isn’t for you. But as an adventure travel enthusiast, I had a cracking time here. I’d definitely go back because I loved the authentic vibe exploring “the real Lesotho”, not another generic crowded tourist spot. However, I’d rent a car next time (a 4x4) to explore the more rugged regions which are harder to reach as a backpacker. What I’d tell a friend Don’t skip: The donkey pub crawl. Unique, bonkers, incredibly fun, and a cool way to meet locals here. Spend money on: Accommodation in Maseru. Going cheap means a much less convenient location and having to splash out on taxis anyway. I recommend Hokahanya Inn & Conference Centre. Save money by: Booking a dorm room at Semongkong Lodge. Not only is it a key activities base in a fun destination, but from my research it’s the only hostel-like place in Lesotho. Worth booking ahead You can probably wing it once you arrive, but I'd still message Semonkong Lodge in advance to confirm a dorm bed and arrange the donkey pub crawl. Further Reading 🤓Want to go deeper on the region? Here's what we've got for you. Travel far. Spend less. Live more. |
The Broke Backpacker
Unlock the world without breaking the bank. Join 30,000+ adventurers every week, uncovering the best budget travel hacks and sauciest travel tales.
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