Travel and Tourism

Travel and Tourism in Lesotho

Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Lesotho.

Practical Information

Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.

Travel Alert Status: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Time Difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Currency: loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Climate: The climate is temperate year round. Rainfall, occurring mostly from October to April, ranges from 24 inches a year over most of the lowlands to over 40 inches a year in the mountains. A windy season during August and September occasionally brings dust storms. Average daytime temperatures are in the high 80°F in summer and can reach 100°F in Maseru. In winter, daytime temperatures average in the mid 60°F and at night sometimes drop to the teens in Maseru. Nighttime temperatures are regularly below freezing in June, July and August. Temperatures in the mountains are even more extreme with snowfalls common in winter. The humidity year round is quite low.
Ethnic Groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
National Holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Geographic Coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Airports: 28

Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical facilities in Lesotho are limited and there is no reliable ambulance service. Specialist care is available in Bloemfontein, South Africa, 90 miles west of Maseru. U.S. Embassy Maseru maintains a list of physicians and other health care professionals, but the Embassy does not guarantee service or provide recommendations. Many medicines are unavailable at facilities in Lesotho; travelers should carry with them an adequate supply of necessary medicines and/or prescription drugs, along with copies of their prescriptions. Lesotho has a very high HIV prevalence, currently estimated at 23 percent of the adult population. Tuberculosis is a serious health concern in Lesotho.
Accessibility: While in Lesotho, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States. The Buildings Control Act of 1995 requires that all buildings be made accessible, but enforcement thus far has been negligible. There are no mandatory standards of accessibility for sidewalks, road crossings, public transportation, and parking areas. There are no free or reduced fares for transport, and very few accessible places of lodging, medical facilities, restaurants, cafes, or bars.