The Sani Pass is regarded by some as having the most spectacular views in South Africa. Originally a bridle path, it has become a ‘bucket list’ experience that is not to be missed. Walls of sandstone, cascading rivers, and hair-raising bends are just some of the highlights as your 4x4 vehicle takes you through the Barrier of Spears and into the Kingdom of Lesotho.  Visit a living Basotho village and meet its people for a true cultural experience. The highest pub in Africa welcomes you with a hearty lunch and refreshments before your journey back down the pass to Underberg. 

It’s the perfect mix of nature, culture and history; enjoy Lesotho’s natural flora and fauna, driving past Lesotho’s highest peak, dive into the culture of the Basotho people in this historical trading post and take a peek into history by getting to see the beautiful old buildings that pack lots of history into this small village. Lesotho is the only country in the world that is in its entirety above 1000m in elevation, making this an experience that you cannot enjoy anywhere else in the world! This tour ticks all these boxes – nature, culture and history – all in Lesotho, all in one day. 6.30 AM We pick you up from your accommodation in Durban. 2 9.00 AM We arrive in Undeberg, grab a coffee and head up into Lesotho for the day. 3 9.00 AM We head up to the highest pass in South Africa, Sani Pass. We travel through Himeville to the World Heritage Site of the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, following the Mkomazana River up the scenic Sani Valley to the South African Border Post (border formalities) and the Lesotho Border. 4 10.30 AM After the Lesotho border formalities at the top of Sani Pass, we climb even further into the Lesotho highlands, all the way to the top of the Black Mountain pass. 5 11.00 PM At the top of Black Mountain Pass we get a chance to leave our vehicle, climb a short distance to a beautiful viewpoint of Thabana Ntlenyana. 6 12.30 PM We arrive in the town of Mokhotlong and enjoy lunch together 7 1.00 PM We visit a cultural Basotho village OR go horse-rinding into the Lesotho Highlands 8 2.00 PM We make our back to Sani Pass. 9 5 PM We watch the sun go down on the top of Black Mountain Pass before making our way to overnight accommodation DAY 2 1 8.00 AM After a hearty breakfast, we join up with you again for day two’s activities. 2 8.30 AM Choose between a visit to a cultural village, a hike at the top of Sani Pass or Come back down the pass to explore the villages of Underberg and Himeville and its museum. 3 12:15 PM We arrive back in Underberg, in time for lunch, if you aren’t in a hurry we’ll choose the best spot in Underberg to have lunch together. 4 13:15 PM Head back to Durban.

Day One:  Depart from Underberg, or be collected along the route, in a 4x4 vehicle and travel via the Sani Pass, with a stop for early tea at Sani Top Chalet. Travel up Black Mountain Pass for a short walk to a vantage point to view Thabana Ntlenyana, the highest peak in Southern Africa at 3482 meters. Continue on to Mokhotlong via the stunningly beautiful Sehonghong Valley and stop at 10 Riverside for an ethnic Basotho experience, including a visit to the Ngaka, a traditional healer, and the artifact house. Afterward, go to Mokhotlong for dinner and your overnight stay. Day Two:  After breakfast, drive through Mokhotlong, which was once billed as the most remote village in the British Empire. Stop for a short walk down the main road to view the rare Spiral Aloe, the National plant of Lesotho. Travel to St James Mission to see the fascinating ceiling of their church. Drive back up the Sehonghong Valley, looking for the rare Bearded Vulture on the route. Reach Sani Top and go for lunch at the Sani Top Chalet before descending the Sani Pass back to Underberg.

Itinerary Day 1: Depart at 08:00 from Durban and head to the aptly named town of Underberg under the Drakensberg mountains. In our guided 4wd vehicle in Underberg we proceed into Lesotho Via Sani Pass The Sani Pass climbs from 1500m to 2874m ASL. The famous switchbacks overlooking the South African valleys are spectacular. Go on a hike of the escarpment overlooking the Sani Pass or pony trek along the cliffs. Day 2: Climb further to the top of Black Mountain Pass at 3240m ASL. The remote villages of the Sani Top and Mokhotlong areas are some of the most remote villages in Lesotho. Get an inside look at the people living in this tough environment with a visit to a village. Picnic lunch is over a beautiful vista of the Senqu river, which becomes the Orange river in South Africa. An important river for several Southern African countries makes the perfect lunch stop. The route from Sani Top to Thaba Bosiu is often called the Roof of Africa route, we have already conquered the Sani Pass as well as Black Mountain Pass. After lunch we tackle Taeeng pass at 3225m and Motebong pass at 2820m. Along the way you will see Letseng Diamond mine–the world’s highest diamond mine and Afriski Moutain Resort and countless villages and other picturesque scenes. We will head to our overnight accommodation in Hlotse. Check-in at Bird Haven at approx. 18:00. Day 3: Breakfast at 07:00, departure at approx. 08:00-30. We backtrack slightly to visit a riverbed close to our overnight accommodation, where there is evidence of prehistoric life forms. If the river is in flood these ancient footprints are hidden to the world but usually the water levels are low enough for us to look at the Dinosaur Footprints We now leave the main road to Maseru and travel to the Kome Caves, home to modern cave-dwellers, these caves were originally inhabited by clans escaping the Lifqane wars and cannibalism. We make our way to Thaba Bosiu along the back roads which go through many rural villages. Thaba Bosiu is a cultural centre of utmost importance to Lesotho and its history. From Thaba Bosiu we drive into the capital city Maseru for lunch at approx. 13:00, this gives one a good understanding of modern-day city life in Lesotho and its mix with Lesotho’s strong culture. By 15:00, We head back into the highlands of Lesotho going through the Mantsa Pass to highland town of Semonkong. Check-in at Semonkong at approx. 17:30 Day 4: Breakfast at 7:30am Hike/4wd Drive to the Maletsunyane Falls Depart the Lesotho highlands via passes that enter South Africa at Qacha’s Nek. We snake our way through the last remote villages of Lesotho. We cross the Senqu river again–which we first saw on day 1 and then follow it along the Senqu river valleys toward the border town of Qachas Nek. Once back in South Africa we are normally in Matatiele around 13:00 for lunch. From Matatiele we skirt alongside the Drakensberg mountains and return to Underberg along scenic back roads, returning usually around 15:00-16:00

Underberg to Oxbow on Day 1 Around 9:00 a.m., we will depart from Underberg and go toward the notorious Sani Pass, where your journey through Lesotho will begin. Before visiting a Basotho household to learn more about the way of life of the Mountain People of Lesotho, we will first have an early lunch at the Sani Mountain Lodge (The Highest Pub in Africa). You will get to view a lot of the Lesotho Highlands on the way to your overnight lodging, passing the Letsing Diamond Mine and Lesotho's highest pass, Tlaeeng. You will spend the night at the cozy Oxbow Lodge, which is tucked away high in the Maluti Mountain Range and gives visitors a genuine taste of African mountain life. Day 2: Katse - Oxbow On Day 2, we travel to the utterly stunning Katse Dam. You will have the option to get out of the car on the way there and learn more about the Bushmen who lived in this region by looking at their more than 300-year-old paintings. We'll also stop by an Anglican Church job program and sheltered workshop. Young Basotho women have been taught cooking and needlework skills as well as how to spin and weave mohair from the mountain goats that reside in Lesotho since 1911 by the Sisters of the Holy Name. We move back up into the mountains near Katse Dam after descending in height. There, we decide to have lunch in a lovely location. Day 3: Mohale - Katse On Day 3, we will begin the morning with a trip within the wall of the Katse Dam, which is the second-largest dam in Africa and is a concrete arch dam on the Malibamat'so River in Lesotho. After that, you may take in all that Lesotho has to offer, from expansive views of the Lesotho mountains to its distinctive flora and fauna, as you enjoy the magnificent drive from Katse to Mohale. Along the way, we'll stop at a peaceful location to eat our picnic lunch for the day. We will have a leisurely boat trip on the Mohale dam in the afternoon. The Mohale Lodge, where we'll be staying overnight, has a variety of amenities. Day 4: Semonkong to Mohale On Day 4, as we return to Lesotho's capital, we stop at Thaba Bosiu, a must-see attraction. King Moeshoeshoe built and administered the Kingdom of Lesotho from this mountain stronghold in the 19th century, where he also fought several wars to defend his Kingdom. The Kings and Queens of Lesotho are buried here today. We hike up the hill to the graveyard if you're up for it so you can see them. The Maletsunyane Falls is our first stop before continuing on to Semonkong, where we will spend the night. It holds the distinction of being Africa's highest single-drop waterfall at 192 meters. Semonkong to Underberg on Day 5 On Day 5, we leave the Mountain Kingdom via Qacha's Nek and return to Underberg via the Southern Drakensberg's backroads, where the mountains' stunning splendor continues to astound.

From the bustling City of Durban, Tour to Lesotho – “Kingdom in the Sky” The Sani Pass tour into Lesotho from Durban gives you the opportunity to experience an adventure of a lifetime – a comfortable and exciting journey up this famous pass. Starting off in Durban, our tour heads up through the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, to the picturesque town of Underberg, where the real adventure begins. Our luxury Sani Pass tour snakes up the mountain and takes you through a scenic valley along a crystal clear river, making for a breath-taking experience. Your personal Tour Guide will fill you in on all you can learn about the history of the pass and the surrounding area. Feast your eyes on the natural landscape that is dotted with many species of wildflowers, creating splashes of vibrant colors. The road itself is rough which is why only 4×4 vehicles are allowed to traverse it, but because of this and the hairpin bends, you are in for a fun and heart-racing trip. Once you reach the top your senses will be filled beyond your wildest dreams – breathe in the fresh mountain air, drink in the sweeping vistas that are nothing short of majestic, and enjoy this unique African experience in Lesotho – ‘Kingdom of the Sky’.