Semonkong Lodge: How to fall in love with Lesotho

​By Roxanne Reid
Lesotho, mountain kingdom awash in streams and waterfalls, place of Basotho ponies, blankets, donkeys and gumboots. Just as picturesque as Switzerland when it’s green in summer or white in winter but with a lot fewer tourists. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Lesotho, especially if you venture into the highlands to Semonkong Lodge.

​Our route from Maseru to Semonkong Lodge took us through Roma, home to the University of Lesotho and a Catholic mission, complete with Virgin Mary in a blue grotto. So deep is the Catholic influence here that you’ll even find local businesses with names like ‘Sisters of the Holy Names 

International Computer Driving Licence Training’. 

​Then up through one of Lesotho’s classic winding mountain passes where we merged with an enormous flock of sheep on the road and had to stop as they oozed past. Traffic jam, Lesotho style. The reason became apparent at a bend in the road: a huge sheep dipping was in progress, lots of men in colourful blankets wrestling the sheep into a pit of treated water, from which they emerged bedraggled, dirty and indignant. 

​Everywhere neat little villages of stone-and-thatch rondavels clung to the steep mountains, small terraces cut into the hillside for growing crops like mealies that are still ploughed with hand-ploughs and oxen or ponies. There were higgledy-piggeldy graves too, some with fancy granite headstones, others with simple wooden crosses, many with tall wrought-iron surrounding the gravesite, which made them look more like babies’ cots than graves.

Semonkong is a frontier town with something of the look and feel of a Wild West movie set. On our first visit in 2012, we arrived on a busy market day, a cacophony of sheep, men in gumboots, donkeys, ponies and taxis milling around the iron shacks that form the town centre, a pulsing puzzle of people, animals and churned up mud. Donkeys are the transport system for everything here, from mealie meal to mattresses, even Maluti beer crates, one on each side of a donkey’s back, stocking up for the long trek back to outlying villages.

​The small low shacks gave the impression of some kind of children’s village, but accommodated everything from a hair salon to a fruit seller or cell phone kiosk. A sprinkling of brick-and-mortar buildings included the general store and blanket shop. There were also shops selling gumboots, just what’s needed for getting down and dirty in the summer mud.

When we returned late in 2018, nothing much had changed. There was a new tar road that went all the way from Maseru to Semonkong and then on to Qacha’s Nek in the east, and a drought meant that the summer streets were dusty rather than muddy. But everything else looked just the same. 

Semonkong Lodge
For our Semonkong accommodation, we chose Semonkong Lodge on the outskirts of the village, its stone-and-thatch huts lending an authentic touch in this rural setting. From the deck we could watch a clutch of bald ibis nesting on a ledge in the rock cliff on the other side of the river. The highlights were people-watching on the bridge that crosses the river – a busy ‘highway’ for sheep, donkeys and blanketed men on ponies – and waking to the sound of cow bells in the morning. ​​

​This is Lesotho accommodation at its most appealing – not too fancy, super comfy yet blending in to its environment. Our rondavel was on what owners Armelle and Jonathan call the ‘third floor’. In other words, up about 160 steps from the main reception areas. If you have a 4x4 you can drive the rough track around the back and up to the huts, otherwise you can keep fit as you walk up and down for your meals and activities. (Relax, if you don’t have a 4x4 and can’t manage so many steps, just mention that when you book; there are huts on the lower levels with very few steps.) 

​Our rondavel had a fireplace for cosy winters, beaded bedside lights and bright shweshwe cushions on the bed and sofa. Outside was a thatch-covered area where we could sit to relish the view over the mountains, cliffs and villages. From high up, we couldn’t hear the sound of the river, but its murmur is a relaxing companion to those on the lower levels and in the campsite. 

​We took our meals in the restaurant – fruit, bacon, eggs and delicious cinnamon toast at breakfast, toasted sandwiches on the deck at lunchtime, and steak, trout and vegetarian options at dinner, all served with efficiency by friendly staff. There was also a well-equipped communal kitchen near our rondavel for those who wanted to self-cater. Even if you do, though, treat yourself to a drink in the Duck and Donkey Tavern and don’t miss the local bread, a bit like South African roosterkoek but much lighter and totally delicious. 

Things to do at Semonkong
Pop in at the Activity Adventure Hut beside the main lodge buildings and you’ll quickly realise how much there is to do around Semonkong, from hiking and pony trails to cultural activities and – the star-turn for the brave of heart – an abseil down a waterfall. You’ll run out of days long before you run out of things to do.
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1. Maletsunyane Falls and abseil 

This is one of the favourite tourist attractions in Lesotho. When we visited Maletsunyane Falls in 2018, the drought meant that the water volume was considerably less than it had been in 2012, but still enough to reach the pool below in a thin but continuous 192m stripe – except when gusts of wind turned it to spray. This is one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in Africa. There’s a steep path to the bottom, where you can swim in the pool in summer. The pool may freeze in winter but the waterfall keeps going, spraying the surrounding rocks with ice and forming an ice cage over the pool.

It’s down these falls that Semonkong Lodge operates a 204m abseil. According to the Guinness Book of World Records it’s the longest commercially operated single-drop abseil in the world. The day before your abseil, the guides will give you some training about the techniques and equipment on short cliffs near the lodge. You may get wet from the spray during your abseil down Maletsunyane, so wear quick-drying clothes or bring a change otherwise you’ll be hiking out of the gorge in soggy pants.

2. Mountain biking
Bring your mountain bike or hire one from the lodge to enjoy some thrilling rides into the surrounding mountains. Choose from gravel roads for the less experienced or take to the horse trails and contour tracks for something more technical and challenging.

​3. Pony trekking 

The lodge has access to some 50 sure-footed Basotho ponies from the local community, ideal for both novices and experienced riders. One of the most popular treks is to the Maletsunyane Falls (see point 1), but you can also go to Mount Qoang, the highest mountain in the area, to see Lesotho’s national plant the spiral aloe. If you’re an experienced rider, go for a gallop through Polateng.

4. Hiking
The mountains around Semonkong Lodge beg to be hiked. Routes vary from easy to more difficult, like to the bottom of the Maletsunyane Falls, where you can swim in the pool, or to the Matsoku Falls. Talk to the guys at the Activity Adventure Hut about overnight hiking options too. Although you don’t have to hire a guide for your day hikes, it’s a way to invest in the local community and show the value of tourism.

5. Blanket presentation

Visit the home of charming Mme Masetho (Elizabeth) Letsie, who works at the Lodge, for a blanket presentation. She’ll tell you about the secret language and cultural significance of the iconic Basotho blanket that’s worn with such pride in these parts. Many of the patterns are based on daily life, such as the maize cob or wheat patterns, which symbolise fertility and prosperity. She’ll explain that how a blanket is worn can tell people a lot about you. For instance, men and women wear the blanket differently, and you can tell by the way a woman wears her blanket if she’s married or has had a child.

6. Donkey pub crawl
Climb onto the back of a donkey and head up the hill to the village to visit a Basotho home that brews traditional beer, and some of the local shebeen bars. Interact with the locals (your guide will help to facilitate this) and experience their music and dancing. This activity is most fun if you’re part of a group.

7. Semonkong town tour 

Take a local guide like Julius Thabang Maphokoane and walk the streets of Semonkong village. See the mill where people bring their maize to be ground, a brewery, tiny iron shacks that line the streets selling gumboots, balaclavas, plastic buckets, handcrafts, fruit, sweets and more as everyone tries to eke out a living. Visit a craft centre where a carpenter makes coffins and furniture, a woman with a hand-cranked sewing machine makes clothes, and a leather worker mends shoes and saddles. Visit a blanket shop to admire some of the colours and styles (see point 4) or simply feel the buzz of walking among a melee of donkeys, ponies and wheelbarrows where you can set up your beatbox in the middle of the road and dance without being run down – even the cars and taxis just go round you. As a way of supporting the local economy you can also enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant.

8. Rock climbing
Given all the mountains surrounding Semonkong the area offers lots of rock climbing opportunities whether you’re looking for something easy or challenging. Bring your own climbing equipment and hire a guide to accompany you to one of the sheer basalt cliffs that range from small up to 200m.

9. Fly fishing 

Go catch-and-release fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout in the rivers around the lodge with a local fishing guide. Note that fishing season is closed between May and August.

10. 4x4 drives
Take to the hills if you want to put your 4x4 through its paces. If you’re worried about getting lost, take a guide in your own vehicle for a few hours as you visit places of interest like Phororo viewpoint, Tsenkeng or Ha Seng.

11. Visit the local wool shed

Wool and mohair are among Lesotho’s major exports. Check at the lodge if it’s sheep shearing time, which usually happens in spring or early summer. Ask a guide to take you to the local wool shed to see the shearing, grading and baling.

​12. Watch the passing parade 

Enjoy lunch like toasted sandwiches on local bread and a Maluti beer on the patio at Semonkong Lodge. Watch people pass by on the road in front of the lodge with their donkeys, ponies and sheep. Keep an eye out for the bald ibises that nest in the cliffs opposite.

13. Spot the Semonkong Big Five
On your hikes, pony treks and 4x4 drives in the mountains, see how many of Semonkong’s Big Five you can spot: the spiral aloe (Aloe Polyphylla), bald ibis, bearded vulture (lammergeier), grey rhebok and of course the Maletsunyane Falls (see point 1).

​14. Visit the Duck and Donkey Tavern

Have a drink in the Duck and Donkey Tavern at the lodge. Built to simulate a rondavel with thatched roof, it’s a convivial place to chat to the staff and other guests. There was no dry white wine when we visited, but plenty of red wine and a great selection of gins.

​15. Horse races in winter
If you visit in winter, you may have two treats in store. First, you might experience snow at Semonkong. Second, ask if any traditional horse races are scheduled so you can experience the thrill and excitement of the races in a country obsessed with horses for both sport and transport. 

​I lost my heart to Lesotho on my first visit; now I’m even more deeply in love. Semonkong may be straggly and muddy or dusty, and you couldn’t exactly call it tourist-pretty, but it’s the real deal. Isn’t that what travellers are always looking for?

Original post by Roxanne Reid: Read Hear