This past weekend I had a frozen moment where my beloved Kristoff and I were building ice castles and making snow angels. I was wearing a see-through bluish dress and we were riding in a sleigh. Magical ... Just kidding we went to Lesotho for our first (1.a) wedding anniversary and we wore thermals and gloves and we were travelling in my trusty Tata Indica. 

In my 31 years of existence I have never witnesses snow so you can imagine my excitement when we entered Lesotho and was driving towards the dark clouds aka Afriski Resort. 

and then - there it was. Our first sight of snow ... 

Until this moment I have only heard stories about snow trips and friends enjoying it with their friends and sleeping in a tent. outside. in the cold. I got reassurance from the hubster that we would be fine and that my Tata would survive, with us in it. 

It took about an hour or two, to reach the top of Moteng pass. I was smiling and got out of the car with camera in hand and feet firmly on the soft snow. 

It was about right at this moment when I realized that I have to put on my gloves. It was getting colder and I wanted to avoid getting frostbite. We decided to try and make it to Afriski Resort to enjoy a hot cup of cocoa and put our feet up next to the fire place. But we not that lucky. We had to turn back as the conditions had worsened. We stopped at Oxbow for a shot of port (dutch courage) and headed back down the mountain.

We had to proceed to the top of the mountain, but the road was already covered in ice and the cars started to skid. Someone from Afriski helped some of the cars to the top whilst others (including us) found some benefit from local guys giving us a push. But the worst was still to come. After reaching the spot where we were planning to spend the night cars were struggling to get down. Marius headed down to offer some assistance. 

and there I was guarding the car and taking a selfie ...

Respect for the Tata please and for the driver - my husband. Thank you for my first snow memory and the best first anniversary trip. It was both spectacular and amazing and may I say a bit - white!

Wild camping in the Maluti mountains

There is a sort of childish enthusiasm in me whenever I hear that we are travelling to Lesotho. It has the perfect combination of beauty - the mountains, the landscape, the sunsets. The best way to describe it would be picturesque. 

We were five friends that drove down in two cars and we spend the Friday night at Willowdene Guest Farm, just outside of Bethlehem. After driving in the rain for several hours from Gauteng I could think of no better way to fall asleep than with the electric blanket on. It was heaven sent.

We were awake at the break of dawn and enjoyed a hot cup of coffee with some melt in the mouth rusks. The perfect way to start a cold morning and to warm your soul before going outside in the cold. Although it was worth the spectacular sunrise we were fortunate enough to view. A misty morning greeted us, followed by cold clouds rolling in from the mountains ... 

... not to mention this cute calf who is too adorable for words. A couple of kilometres before Fouriesburg is a farm stall called "Affi Lande". If you have not made a pit stop here you are missing out. The food and hospitality is nothing but excellent. They have a gift shop and art gallery and the landscaping is just beautiful. We even spotted a bee on lavender foraging for some sweet nectar. Affi Lande definitely wants you to enjoy your time with them. They have seating available on the old stop, some couches on the lawn even a bed under the big tree with a beautiful chandelier hanging from it. These guys do it the right way. We decided to have breakfast with them and cake isn't really breakfast but it is still a food group. Always remember that a party without cake is just a meeting and I wasn't going to have any of that. What better combination would there be than hot plunger coffee with a (proper) side of carrot cake.

Next stop was Caledonspoort Border Control. We filled in the necessary forms, got the stamps and we were in the Mountain Kingdom. Or as some would like to describe it, the kingdom in the sky. There could not be a better description for Lesotho. Around every corner you find more and more mountains and view is more beautiful than the last.

Between the small towns of Pitseng and Lejone you find Mafika Lisiu pass with hairpin bends, steep inclines and declines as well as waterfalls pouring out of the mountains. The pass is 3090 metres above sea level and there is a view point when you reach the sign on the right. Taking the altitude in mind please be sure to put on your jacket before you get out of your vehicle as it is extremely cold. Standing on the ledge with the cold wind blowing against your face, the view is spectacular as you look into the valley and the stop was definitely worth our while. 

We made a few stops to appreciate the views, to stretch our legs and to enjoy some snacks on our way to Katse dam. 

As always we appreciated the view from the Katse Visitor Centre and then headed towards the hotel. Unfortunately the hotel was fully booked but fortunately for us we made sure we had all of our camping gear before we left Gauteng. In our infinite wisdom, we forgot to bring wood from South Africa and on our quest to be completely self efficient and happy campers we went around the small town near Katse looking for wood, but if you think long and hard about it, there would not be any. There are no trees, therefore no firewood. But we found a small shop that sold us charcoal for ... (wait for it) R85 per bag. It was hands down the most expensive bag of charcoal that any one of us has ever purchased. But we needed it, or so we thought ...

As I've mentioned in another Lesotho blog post, the sunsets are amazing like this fiery sky that lights up the horizon. It must have been a warning, because just to the left of the mountains the clouds did not appear so colourful but was rather dark and gloomy and bringing rain. Lots of it.

Although we had an ample supply of food and drinks we made the decision (just in the nick of time) to enjoy dinner at the hotel. There was a downpour as we got into the car. Decision well made. We enjoyed the hospitality and delicious food the hotel offered along with some warm cups of coffee. Tip of the day: If you ever visit the hotel order the almond coated trout. You will thank me for it and choose mash as your starch. I would go back every day just to eat it. It's that good.

We left the hotel and ended our first night in Lesotho with some night photography. The dam wall is lit up in the evening and it totally changed the view we had. The water pouring out of the dam looked like red hot lava, quite the opposite of the calm blue water we witnessed a couple of hours earlier. We got into our tents. Warm bed would have been so much better, but it was part of the experience and we embraced it. We took along enough blankets and clothing to keep warm throughout the night and with that said I have to admit that I didn't not put on thermals. We went to bed with the same clothes we had on. If we would have changed into different ones - excluding thermals - then it would have been a different ball game all together.

There's not a better way to feel more refreshed on a cold day than to take a freezing cold shower. This only happened with me and not with the males in our group who got to enjoy a warm and relaxing shower. The security guard failed to mention that there is a switch for the geyser in the ladies bathroom that we needed to switch on. The main reason for the switch to be off is because not many women travel to Lesotho. It's mostly men to visit the country. That is about to change...  Women can enjoy off-roading with as much passion and enthusiasm as men do. It's all about the mindset and it is fun and not to mention adventurous and let me let you in a little secret - women love adventure. 

Today was the day we abandoned the tar road and replaced it with a rough and rugged dirt road. We were off the beaten track and the time to explore was now. The next stop was Semonkong and the Maletsunyane waterfalls. We past several small towns, streams, Basuto ponies and children asking for money, chocolates or sweets. The one girl told me that she loved me and I could not resist to say that I loved her too (missing the children back in SA). They don't speak English or Afrikaans and the only way to communicate is to try and play charades. Three words. First word ... The official language of Lesotho is Sotho or Sesotho and is spoken by most Basotho. Although English is their second language the school children only gets educated in English after four years at school. I have always wanted to learn a third language and Sotho will definitely help on our travels. Waving your arms around and pointing in a direction will only get you as far as nowhere as GPS's do fail and you are at a disadvantage not being so speak a third language that only sounds like rhythmic sounds to the untrained ear. 

Lesotho is a poverty stricken country that has a lot of beauty and scenic routes to offer to their loyal tourists. You see it everywhere. In every small town, the children wearing over sized hand me downs. It humbling to say the least. And they always smile and greet. How do they get it right so easily having so little. As opposed to South Africans or to be more specific people who live in Johannesburg who owns and has more than what some of them would EVER have are voted the most unfriendly city in 2014. Really ... 

On one of our snack stops we saw a vehicle approaching from a distance. It was none other than Kingsley Holgate. OMW! The moment was made. He stopped, greeted, and asked we were heading to and then left us with smiles on our faces. None of us thought to even ask for a quick photograph. It was special none the less. To see the man who started the malaria prevention programme was a big moment of my life. It must sound like such a cliche but that is what I (husband, kids and dog included) want to do. Travelling with a cause. Forget the degree and fancy house and over-expensive cars and everything that tie you down. There is people in need of desperate help and I know what some of you might think - charity begins at home. Remember that home is where the heart is ... 

Due to an over-enthusiastic decision we chose the "bad road" according to our GPS. Parts of it wasn't so "bad" but as it was time for the sun to say goodbye to yet another glorious day of off-roading, we hit the "really bad road" part. After a bit of struggling we made the wise decision to rather call it a night before someone got injured or one of the cars got damaged. Tired and stressed, we enjoyed a snack or two before carrying our tents and bedding down the mountain to level ground. We left the tent open for a while and I gazed into the starry sky, thinking how lucky I am to be able to spend it with my husband who is now fast asleep. I connected the dots, looking for the Southern Cross and Three sisters. One thing I can promise you is that the darkest night provides the brightest stars.

We were wild camping in the Maluti mountains. My first time and I loved it. Throughout the night we had some passersby who greeted politely before they disappeared into the darkness of night again. 

It was morning. The sun was up and in the valley you could hear the cow bells' soft melody. We looked up at the Range Rover who spent the night on an incline. The obstacle was as close to a 5 grade obstacle that you could find. We needed to pack rocks to get the vehicles to safety and 100m was all that was needed to safely clear the obstacled road. And so we did.

Two hours into our journey we stopped at Maletsunyane Waterfalls. The view was breathtaking and it was well worth the grade 5 obstacle and wild camping and having no make up on ... 

Maletsunyane Falls is a single drop waterfall reaching a height of 192 m. It is located near the town of Semonkong, meaning site of smoke which is named after the falls. To the left of the waterfall is the longest commercially operated single-drop abseil in the world. Finish it and you receive a Guiness book of Records certificate. Although we didn't have time on our trip, I would definitely consider doing it. I walked Tugela Falls remember. I can do anything I put my mind to. 

Would I do the rough and rugged trip again, considering that the car broke down in Bethlehem at 18:00pm just before we enjoyed a Wimpy burger. My husband and I had to spend the night at Lavender Hill Country Estate to wait for the insurance company and the car to be towed to Gauteng the next day. The answer is yes. 

I am a wander woman and I married an adventurer!

En-route to Lesotho and Katse dam

On Friday afternoon we headed for Fouriesburg to meet up with family for our long weekend break away.

Geography lesson: Fouriesburg is a small town near the Maluti Mountains in the Free State Province of South Africa. It is 10km from the Caledonspoort Border Control on the Lesotho Border and 35km from the picturesque town of Clarens.

On our way there we had the spectacular view of clouds with silver linings and this absolutely beautiful sunset. It doesn't get any prettier than this.

Because of the distance between Fouriesburg and Lesotho we made reservations at Fouriesburg Country Inn. Although it is always a pleasant stay with delicious homey food, they have traded their once soft and fluffy pillows with maxi bricks. The accommodation cost: R385p/p including breakfast. The only suggestion I would make when travelling there is to take your own pillow, it is much needed.

Day 2 - Fouriesburg to Calendonspoort Border Control, Mafika Lisiu pass and Katse dam

On Saturday morning we were at Caledonspoort Border Control at 9:30 and it was a scorching 24°C. I have to high five myself (and hug my husband) because I got my first stamp in my new passport. It was also our last chance to make use of a hygiene, sort of no germ free, white toilet until we reached the Katse dam visitor centre. This is a tip. If you have travelled there before you know the drill, but for all of you who haven't been deprived of such luxury, use it or squat.

The distance from the post to Katse dam was 155km and be aware that you travel in km and not in time. It's not because the road is bad, because it is not. It just takes time and you have to drive while using gears. Well, when I say gears I mean first and second gear. Before you can even dream to put the car in third gear, you have reached the next turn in the road and it is time to slow down again and this carries on throughout the entire trip. The tar roads have degree of damage to them. The roads give way on the sides and when it is tar road painting season there is some laziness that goes into the process as you can see on the picture and yes, you have guessed it. It is easier to paint everything in that hole and even gravel than what it is fixing the road. Nonetheless the road condition is on par with South Africa.

Lesotho has to be one of my favourite places to drive through. There are so many hills and valleys and the next is more beautiful than the last. Not to mention that this place is like the holy grail of water supply. There is water pouring out of the mountains creating streams and mini cascading waterfalls down the hills. We even had some of the water and tastes better than bottled water, not that it surprised me.

I have seen something this past weekend that I have seen in my entire life, a white donkey. It looks like a horse but with less pizazz! We have also managed to see a rare species of walking bush donkey. It looked really strange from a far but made sense the closer we got.

After driving up Mafika Lisiu pass which reaches an altitude of 3090m, we drove to the view point. What a view. It is both breath taking and cold. Be sure to take a jacket even in summer. Mafika Lisiu pass can be found between Pitseng and Lejone, it is characterised by its sleep climbs and descends and hairpin bends.


I have to admit. When I first heard that we were going to drive to a dam the odds were not in Katse's favour, but the more the drove alongside it, I realised that this isn't any dam. It is 1993m above sea level, making it Africa's highest dam and it also the second biggest dam in Africa. Katse dam is situated in one of the most scenic regions of the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho.

Eventually you arrive at the dam wall and there is this impressive block of concrete holding back 1 950m³ of water and then some.

We decided to spend the night at Katse lodge and these people know a thing or two about hospitality. We were greeted with glasses of juice and warm smiles. The accommodation per night is R695 including breakfast and dinner and dinner is a four course meal. Impressive. The best thing was when we got to our rooms the beds were already heated against the cold that was to arrive with darkness. It was hot outside but we enjoyd the warmth of the bed. Please don't ask me why. I don't know ...

We went outside to enjoy the view of the dam and it is spectacular and I had my first taste of Maluti lager and it is good. The bar is a bit overprized. R110 for 2 grapetizers and 2 lagers, but it was worth every sip, especially after spending 5 hours in the car. The day turned into night and it was the third day.

Day 3

When you open your bedroom curtain the next morning please make sure you have your sunglasses on. The glare almost blinds you, but it is such a pretty sight. The sky was blue and all the clouds of the day before vanished.

What is even more perfect is that you can enjoy your morning coffee on the deck and overlook Katse dam. There is a silence. Not the awkward kind but the one that you can actually listen to and it gets drenched into your soul and you feel at peace. 

We had to take the same route back unfortunately but the view changes completely. At one point we were at an altitude of 3010m and we found a handful of ice beside the road and the temperature was 14°C. Quite the opposite of the previous day. In Lesotho you should always be prepared because temperature changes from scorching hot to ice cold. It became clear to us that it had rained the night before, water was pouring out of the rock faces creating cascading waterfalls.

This place is crazy, crazy beautiful. It is worth every cent you spend on travel cost, accommodation and the time you spend in your car driving. If you haven't been here before ... what are you waiting for?