Skiing Lesotho

Lesotho is in southern Africa and is ordered and landlocked by South Africa, it is an independent entity. This mountainous country possesses a unique African culture that is far removed from its more aggressive neighbor. Lesotho's capital is Maseru and it is a laid-back urban centre with some remarkable attractions; however, people come to Lesotho largely for the incredible mountains and skiing on offer here.

The main areas for skiing in Lesotho are the ranges of the Maluti and Oxbow, and the ski season normally runs from May to September. Afri-Ski Leisure Kingdom offers some amazing skiing and snowboarding opportunities at a 10,000-foot altitude. The terrain stretches across more than 1,000 acres. There are three slopes and two ski lifts, while several alternative activities are on hand in the summer months.

The oldest resort in Lesotho is the mountain resort of Oxbow. Oxbows are located at more than 8,000 feet above sea level and have a healthy vertical of over 2,000 feet. Unfortunately, there is only one trail here, which is open to skiers and snowboarders as well as one ski lift. If you don't have your own ski equipment you can hire from the Oxbow Lodge but they have limited stock so rather hire equipment in Johannesburg from the Ski Deck. The Ski Deck staff advises a couple of dry slope lessons if your skiing is not proficient. They offer specials on lessons during the mid-year period. If you require information about the conditions you can obtain that from, if you've booked way in advance, there is no way of guaranteeing you'll hit snow. But snow or no snow, the area is beautiful and the mountain walks are lovely.

On the other hand, Eagle Rock ski resort offers even more sliding, but they are also a small resort.

The Climate in Lesotho

From around November to March you can experience warm moist summers with cold dry winters from May to July. Higher elevations above 3000m above sea level, experience major snowfalls during winter with extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures. The average rainfall is around 450mm in the lowlands and over a 1000mm per year in the highlands. Rain occurs typically in the summer months. This precipitation, go together with snowfalls particularly in the higher altitudes, contributes to the formation of wetlands, which in turn feed the major rivers in the area.

The Snow Conditions

Snow normally occurs in June, July and August but snow is most common between April and September (but differs from year to year). During late September 1987 the Sani Pass was closed for three weeks by a fall of over a meter of snow, resulting in the starvation of 10 herding boys and 40 000 sheep and goats. The snow on Lesotho slopes is not packed and can often be icy -conditions that can be leg-breaking.