22nd April Sani Pass and visit to Kingdom of Lesotho .

Having arrived at the hotel on a perfect afternoon in Himeville we decided that today we would do the guided tour through the Sani Pass and then travel into the small Kingdom of Lesotho. But we had to confirm our booking on the preceding afternoon and then meet the driver and vehicle at9.30am on the following morning after breakfast. 

That all sounds easy, but our driver arrives with a small vehicle with 3 people and their extensive luggage and proceeds to explain that there is room for Jeanette and I in the rear seats of the vehicle with some of their luggage.  After an initial attempt we decide this is totally unrealistic and Ken explains that we cannot fit and we will cancel.  This then creates a real challenge and Ken says we are not going, but our driver says he can get another vehicle.   

So we wait with a sense of expectation and determination, but 2 of the other 3 need heir luggage.  Our driver is relaxed and after 10 minutes, a larger Toyota Land Cruiser arrives and we transfer everything to the larger vehicle and Jeanette and Ken are in the back of the land cruiser.  We then travel 45. Minutes up on Sani Pass road, which is one of the roughest roads you will ever see.  The driver stops for photos before travelling 35 minutes up and down a severely pot holed road before coming to the South African Border where we stop to present our passports.  The road is unbelievably rough and we are constantly flung about, but the scenery is just amazing.  

From the border we have about a 70 minute drive constantly climbing up the Pass before reaching the plateau top.  It is amazing that a road has been carved into the rough terrain. 

We eventually arrive at a border area with a terrific paved roadway into Lesotho on a large road bitumen highway completed by the Chinese in terms of a foreign investment and foreign aid program from the Chinese government.  It is stunning to see this quality road following the terrible rough road up through the Pass on the South African side. 

From here we visit a village with their small round houses, pounded floor and mud walls and thatched roof.  We are then lectured by a young Lesotho lady as to their living conditions, there is also th mandatory purchase of products, but it is an interesting talk, we try some hot fresh bread and are lectured as to their economic activities of sale of water, mo hair and also cattle etc.  Our guide then drives back from the village toward the Hotel and Pub at the Top of the Sani Pass.  We drop off 2 of our party and visit  their accommodations, which turn out to be very good.  Lunch is at the pub, where we enjoy good food and a local Lesotho lager, before taking photos from the outside lounge area, with simply stunning views.

We again take in the views and then wish 2 of our party well, before we commence our return back through the Lesotho Border area and then leave the magnificent highway and return to the very rough pot holed terrain of the South African side of Sani Pass.  We have enjoyed a special day and perfect weather, without any breeze. We come across several areas of ice which never experience any sunshine and at 2,874 metres it is quite high.  We feel the climate change from the warmth down at he village to the cool and windy conditions at the top where there is a very large  area which is the plateau in Lesotho, as well as the top on the South African side of the Pass. 

There are significant civil engineering works on the South African side and there are plans to pave the South African side in 2019, but it is unbelievably windy and steep with many severe pot holes.  But the pot holes in no way diminish the wonderful scenery and the staggering beauty.

We are tKen back to the office to effect payment before becoming dropped off at Premier Hotel.

Yes, we were aware of Suni,Pass, but we had felt that it was beyond us both in terms me and availability.  We had departed at 9.30am and returned at 4.40pm after a terrific day with some great photos.

We thank our guide and the experience of Suni Pass and the dramatic scenery and extravagant ride through really rough terrain, will leave us with many memories.  We had never thought we would visit Lesotho, but it was a terrific day. 

Dinner at Premier Hotel, then we lit the wooden fire in our room and enjoyed a beautiful fire for the next 3 hours.  It is bitterly cold at night but leading to superb clear blue sky days. 

Again we have enjoyed our trip me in this part of the world.