Malealea Lodge is situated in a remote south-western part of Lesotho - breathtaking in its beauty and challenging to the off-road adventurer.

 

Lesotho is a world without fences. Breathtaking scenery abounds and every season has unique attractions. 

 

Malealea Lodge is run by the owners, Mick & Di Jones, both born in Lesotho and credited with more local knowledge than anyone. Various Basotho Children's choirs entertain the guests in the evenings around a campfire and play their local musical instruments.

Malealea offers Lesotho in a nutshell  

HORSE TREKS.

maleaPony.gif (20718 bytes)These outings range from 1 hour to 6 days or longer tailor-made to your requirements. The treks are usually about 7 hours each day. No riding experience is necessary. The huts and horses are hired from the Basotho people in remote areas. The huts are very basic and are equipped with a gas cooker, cooking & eating utensils, mattresses on the floor. On trek you experience "THE REAL AFRICA". The trails traverse spectacular mountain passes and some of Lesotho's highest waterfalls exploring Bushman paintings and experiencing "Basotho culture". Basotho Guides and a packhorse accompany the treks.

OVERNIGHT HIKING & HORSE TREKS

Take the "donkey work" out of backpacking by hiring horses to carry your luggage.
The Ribaneng Waterfall Trek - 2 days and 1 night in a village.
The Ribaneng & Mountain Pass Trek 3 days & 2 nights in villages.
The Ribaneng & Ketane Waterfall Trek -4 days & 3 nights in villages.
The Ribaneng, Ketane & Maletsunyane Trek. - 6 days & 5 nights in villages.

 WHAT TO BRING

Food, Sleeping Bag, rainsuit & warm clothing, towels, sunscreen, hat, torch, water bottle & tablets. First aid kit.

maleasilhoette.gif (8230 bytes)SPECIAL: "GO ANYWHERE TREK".

Bring your own cooking equipment & mattresses and explore Lesotho with a Basotho Guide, discovering new routes and remote villages for any number of days.

DAY HIKES & DAY PONY TREKS

  • The Botsoela Waterfall Hike, Pony Trek or Scenic Drive

  • The Pitseng Canyon & Rockpool Hike

  • The Bushman Paintings & Echo Cave Hike or Pony Trek

  • The "Gates of Paradise Pass" hike along the ridge of the Matelile Ridge

4 x 4 EXCURSIONS.

Start your Lesotho Adventure at Malealea, exploring the day outings, before travelling across the country. A Basotho Companion can be arranged at Malealea to accompany your trip, introducing you to local chiefs, where you might like to camp for the night, ensuring your safety or general curiosity from inquisitive children.

  • RIBANENG DRIVE, exploring tracks up various mountain passes and testing out the river crossing instead of using the bridge.

  • BOTSOELA WATERFALL DRIVE hugging the mountain pass similar to a smaller verson of"Sani Pass".

  • MAKHALENG RIVER GORGE. - 4x4 Sundowner trail

See Southern Africa 4x4 Trails - page 220 -  - Andrew St Pierre White

Instead of ending the trail at Maseru, it could be continued to Malealea where visitors can spend a couple of days at the lodge. Also suitable for a week-end to test out 4x4 vehicles on surrounding tracks & trails in the area.

See Getaway - April and May issue for Southern route starting at Malealea

Katse Dam or Sani Pass via Thaba Tseka, Molimo Nthuse to Malealea.

maleacosmos.gif (20993 bytes)Take the back route on the A3, turn left towards Roma, drive on the Semonkong Road. At Moitsupeli, where the tar ends, turn right, drive one kilometre, turn left past Tlali Trading station and drive for 35km.At a T-junction, turn left to Malealea via Sebelekoane for another 35kms (There is a Malealea Sign at the T-junction, but often gets knocked down by bored herdboys!) From Sebelekoane to Malealea is one of the most spectacular drives hugging along the mountainside overlooking sandstone valleys passing by the Botsoela waterfall, as you descend and ascend an almost miniture "Sani Pass".

We can arrange for Basotho companions to travel with clients in their 4x4 vehicles introducing them to various villages, where they can camp overnight and be welcomed and protected by the various villages. The chiefs are usually most hospitable, and a fee of R10.00pp is recommended to pay the chief. This will encourage and involve tourism with the local Basotho people. At the moment people are just camping anywhere in full view of passing traffic along the roadside. We have made contact with various villages that are just off the main roads and people can enjoy a "Special Basotho Experience".

Adventures & Routes from Malelea

Suggested Driving Tours around Lesotho 

Malealea to Sani Pass via the Southern Route

 

MALEALEA LODGE RATES

Prices quoted in SA Rands (R6.00 = $1.00)

9 New Rondavels & Units, shower en-suite R150 pp 
11 Farmhouse bedrooms, all with shower en-suite R90 pp 
6 Basotho huts, 4 communal bathrooms R70  pp 
8 budget rooms, cubical accom, 2 beds per room 
(own linen)
R45 pp 
Camping R30 pp 

CATERING ON REQUEST                    Breakfast                                                                      Lunch
Dinner
                                                                     

R25.00
R35.00
R45.00
3 Communal Kitchens for self-catering.
Linen is supplied, but bring towels (except visitors booked in for the R150,00 pp accommodation)

 

HORSE TREK RATES

DAY RIDES
includes Basotho Guide.

 

R80 - R100 
per person per day
2 people R80 - R110 pp
3+ people R70 - R100 pp
OVERNIGHT TREKS
includes: Basotho Guides and  Packhorses.
R150 pp /day (1 or 2 people)
R135 pp per day  (3 or more people)
R 30 pp per night to 
stay in villages

History of Malealea          

FOR MORE INFORMATION READ

Getaway, November '95 - Pony Trekking
Getaway, April & May '98 - 4x4 Adventure in Lesotho
Lonely Planet travel Guide - pages 612 & 613
Secret Southern Africa, pages 198 & 199.
Africa: The South - pages 198 & 199


DIRECTIONS TO MALEALEA LODGE

Johannesburg (500km) - Kroonstad,Ventersburg,Senekal,Marquard, Clocolan, Ladybrand, Maseru, Motsekuoa, Malealea
Durban (
700km) - Harrismith, Bethlehem, Fickburg, Ladybrand,Maseru, Motsekuoa, Malealea
Cape Town
(1000km) - Colesburg, Smithfield - gravel road - Wepener, Mafeteng,Motsekuoa, Malealea
Bloemfontein (200km) - Dewetsdorp, Wepener, Mafeteng, Motsekuoa, Malealea

New Bypass around Maseru Just after entering Maseru border post, drive for 1 km, turn RIGHT onto the Mafeteng Road. This bypass will take you past Maseru near the airport. Turn RIGHT and continue until you get to the Motsekuoa turnoff to Malealea, as directed below for ALL DIRECTIONS. At Motsekuoa, opposite the Golden Rose Restaurant & Taxi Corner, turn onto a newly tarred road & gravel road. Drive for 10km, fork right and drive for another 15km. Turn left and travel one kilometre, over the Gates of Paradise Pass and drive another 6km to Malealea Lodge. The last 33km is gravel road, but is under construction and being tarred.

 

CONTACT US
for a free brochure or a booklet on the region for R15.00

Malealea Lodge Reservations and Enquiries
Tel/fax. 
+27 051 447 3200,
+ 27 051 448 3001,
cell: 082 552 4215,
email:

malealea@pixie.co.za

PO Box 12118,
Brandhof, 9324,
Bloemfontein
N.I.T labs


 

edited by Tr1pl3 S31S.