Lesotho traverse West-East

[marakasmalan]

Hello folks,

I am working in Maseru on Thursday, once done I will set off for the West to east exiting at Sani Pass.

Information is somewhat scarce and I gather conditions are not to great. The weather looks OK for the weekend.

Where I do need some information is on camping & campsites. I'm taking one of my technicians along on a 'field trip', as he is fluent sotho speaking. Campsites with facilities will be a benefit as monster (22 months old) is going along. Wildcamping is not a problem, but facilities does make it easier. Given the current conditions I do not wnt to venture too far off the main roads, and I take it then wilcamping is not a great idea?

Any suggestions on good routes, campsites etc would be appreciated.

Regards

[Jules]

We stayed at St James Lodge in the Mokgotlong Region which was not to bad it is about 2 -3 hour drive from Top of Sani, another nice place is Chalets in the Sky but I do not know where presies this is. Check website www.stjameslodge.co.za

You will not make St James from Maseru in one day me thinks, maybe travel to Afriski from Maseru and then Sanipass maar jy gaan moet ry

Shalom

[Herrie]

You can also stay at Afri-Ski.

Afri Ski
Lesotho
Tel: 058 303 6831
Fax: 088 058 303 6831
Mail: info@afriski.net
www.afriski.com

[Marino4x4]

Hi

I think it is going to be beautiful this time of the year with all the snow. Sommer jaloers.

Just make sure you do not travel to far in a day. If you stick to the A1 north road, you will probably be able to reach St James. I am not to sure with all the snow. If you want to take "shortcut" through Lesotho, make sure you plan accordingly. You will probably average 10-15 km/h in these sections. Some of the roads might be closed, so make sure from the locals if you can travel on the road. I know there are lodging at Letseng Diamond mine, but do not have contact information for you. Some of my colleagues have stayed there.

Hope this helps and enjoy it.

[ricster]

Please be aware of what happened last weekend with the 28 odd cars stuck in Lesotho.

SAFETY ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE !!!!
read on the 4x4 community forum about some of the guys stranded there

1) Take warm blankets/clothes to keep in the car
2) Take several days "survival food" incase you are stranded and need to survive for a few days till rescue or road clearing vehicles arrive
3) Take sufficient petrol/diesel to be able to idle your vehicle for as many hours as possible for warmth. ( check for diesel anti gel additive to prevent diesel freezing or solidifying)
FULL RECOVERY GEAR !!! including tyre pressure gauge to drop your tyre pressure to 1.5 bar to allow best possible grip on the ice ( many cars slid off the road this last weekend possibly due to excessive speed sometimes 10Km/h can be too fast !!!! and some slid just due to bad luck, and some probably due to lack of patience)

I mention all this purely as a suggestion. I assume you know all this anyway, but maybe someone else is reading this and may have overlooked this detail...... life is precious !!

[Peter Connan]

Cedric, some good advice there.

Looks to me like it might well be a good idea to sit tight when in doubt, and also to take a koevoet or pick to break up the ice.

Fortunately, Marnus drives a petrol car, so the gelling is not an issue.

[ricster]

yeah absolutely.... if conditions are such that its not safe to continue driving, find a safe place to stop, and hold up till conditions improve and make your survival experience a positive experience that you can tell others how well you survived, how well you ate, and how uncomfortable you probably slept....

BTW ... if you do get stuck, do not apply the handbrake as it may freeze in the locked position, making for a difficult pull away !! And put newspaper under/around the wiper blades to stop them freezing to the windscreen. the newspaper will work its way off as you operate the wipers if it doesn't all come off.

[Tinus lotz]

better idea :idea: :idea: :idea: :idea:
skip the ice !!!!!straight to moz and bake in the sun!!!!!!
you people make me worry with all these things>>>>>>but rather be safe than sorry

[marakasmalan]

Hello guys,

Thanks for all the feedback. I have completed the trip and will post a trip report shortly.

As for winter driving, it is always essential to go prepared. In Europe I had a lot of fun, transporting luxury upmarket furtniture, there was always a lot of blankets in the truck. I always took enough fuel for my stove and plenty of food, as one telephone call could change your destination from Dublin to Kiev.

Sometimes I got snowed in on mountain passes. The vehicular traffic would always queue behind the truck until I called it a day. Then you waited for the storm to pass and the council to send the digger loaders and snowploughs to clear the road. 6 to 28 hours, luck of the draw. During this wait my trailer usually became a soup kitchen. What astounded me, is how unprepared people living in those areas could be.

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Regarding the incident last weekend where 28 cars got snowed in:
- It should be noted that he pass between Semonkong and Ramabanta looked much worse, though no rescue operation was required in these areas.
- Had people been prepared it would have been a 24 hour wating period. People not prepared to deal with the elements had to effect that other people like Christo had to put his time, assets (LC or not) and health at stake to assist them.

Snow and ice and cold can be dealt with, one only needs to be prepared:

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Regards