Sovereign: King Letsie III
Capital: Maseru
Population: 2.2 million
Area: 30,355 sq km (11,720 sq miles)
Major languages: Sesotho, English (Everyday Sotho Phrases)
Currency: Loti (South African Rands are also used at a 1:1 exchange rate)
Lesotho’s admirable motto: Khotso, pula, nala – Peace, rain, prosperity
Driving Laws in Lesotho
The following info came from a Lesotho vehicle hire company’s website:
Seat Belts
Seat belt laws in Lesotho insist that everyone in a moving vehicle is wearing one. You will be fined if you don’t.
Drinking and Driving
The drink driving laws in Lesotho are the same as in the UK. You must have no more than 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood and there are regular police patrols throughout the year to catch motorists who break the law.
Must Have Documents
There’s quite a range of documentation required:
Speed Limits
The speed limits for Lesotho are as follows:
Open roads: | 80 km/h |
In Town: | 50 km/h |
Minimum Driving Age
You have to be at least 18 to be able to drive in Lesotho. If you’re renting a car the minimum age is 21. If you’re less than 25 years’ old you’re likely to have to pay a premium for your lack of experience and age.
Safety Camera Warning Devices
Detectors for safety cameras are not illegal in Lesotho but we recommend that given the state of the roads you stick to the speed limits.
On the Spot Fines
If you are stopped by the police, do not be tempted to offer to pay a bribe. You’ll find that sometimes you are asked to pay cash when stopped. If you can safely refuse, do so as it prolongs the campaign to stamp out corruption. You should be given a ticket detailing the offence and how to pay the fine indicated.
Child Safety Rules
In Lesotho, there are no specific laws for the protection of children so it is up to you to ensure they are kept safe.
Animal Safety Rules
Drivers need to be alert to the safety of animals on the roads as Lesotho take animal welfare very seriously.
Behaviour of drivers towards pedestrians
Drivers need to be especially alert to the presence of pedestrian crossings on all types of road and should stop and not obstruct a pedestrian who has stepped onto such a crossing.
Drivers should stop and not obstruct a pedestrian who is boarding or alighting from a public motor vehicle.
Drivers should not cut across or obstruct columns or processions of people, such as lines of school children, who are accompanied by a person in charge.
Rules of the Road
Standard international driving laws apply with one or two exceptions:
Towing Regulations
There are no specific regulations for towing but make sure you can see clearly and that the vehicle is securely attached. Make sure your trailer licence is up to date as this normally checked exiting the border.
Speed Cameras
There are no fixed speed cameras in Lesotho and mobile speed traps are rare, usually only used after a speed related accident in that area. People generally drive sensibly and in accordance with road conditions although there are plenty that take advantage of the lax police control on speed!
Using Mobile Phones when driving
Whilst many drivers can be seen on their phones whilst travelling around, it is illegal to do so without a hands free kit.
Parking regulations
Thefts from cars is prevalent in Lesotho so you should try to park somewhere visible and at night, well lit. If possible, use attended parking lots.
Paid parking
You’ll find plenty of free parking but Lesotho is a country where it’s sensible to pay the small parking fees and know that your car and you will be safe. There are attended garages and lots in the main cities, elsewhere just use common sense and park as close as you can to your destination.
Enforcement
Enforcement of parking is rarely done and so you are unlikely to get a ticket for parking except if you seriously overstay your time in a parking garage.
Disabled parking
There is little in the way of concessions for disabled drivers but most people are friendly and helpful and will try to find you a more convenient place to park.
Motor Way Signs
The motorways in Lesotho are called highways and are long distance routes across the country, the main one being the A3. Motorway signs are green with white writing.
Phrases
Lesotho speaks two official languages; Sesotho and English. All signs are in English and everyone speaks the language too!
Traffic Lights
You won’t find many traffic lights in Lesotho and they’ll be in the main cities. The ones you do encounter follow the internationally recognised sequences and so there should be no confusion.
Toll Roads
There are several toll roads in Lesotho, all of them being the main fast highways. Tolls are not expensive but they allow you to use faster and safer stretches of road.
Emergencies
The emergency number in Lesotho is 123 for the police, 122 for the fire service and 121 for the ambulance.
What to do in an emergency
Fuel Costs
As of June 2021, the average price of 95 octane unleaded petrol in Lesotho is around R13.70 per litre, whilst diesel is slightly more expensive. Prices can vary between the towns and the smaller villages.
The Kingdom in the Sky
The largest of the world’s independent states completely surrounded by the territory of another country
Lesotho in the limelight
Thaba Bosiu Cultural Village
Bokang Nature Reserve
Ha Baroana
Ha Kome Cave Dwellings
Katse Dam
Katse Botanical Garden
Lake Letsie
Leribe
Liphofung Nature Reserve
Malealea
Semonkong
Semonkong Lodge
Maletsunyane Falls
Mount Moorosi
Quthing
Quthing Dinosaur Footprints
Mohale Dam
Morija and Matsieng
Maeder House Gallery and Morija Arts Centre
Afriski Mountain Resort
Roma
Sani Top
Sani Mountain Lodge
Sehlabathebe National Park
Teya-Teyaneng
Tsatsane Bushman Paintings
Ts’ehlanyane National Park
Maliba Mountain Lodge
Qacha’s Nek Snake Park
Morija Museum and Archives
Kome Cave Dwelling
Lesotho Mountain Crafts
Roma Trading Post
Leribe Craft Center
Major Bell’s Tower
English | Sotho |
Apply first aid. | Ho sebedisa thuso ya pele. |
Are you alright? | O ikutlwa jwang? |
Are you hurt? | Na o tswile kotsi? |
Are you very busy? | O qakehile? / O phathahane |
bank | banka |
boots | dibutshe / liela |
buy | reka |
Call someone. | Bitsa e mong. |
cash | money | Tjhelete |
collision | ho thulana |
Come and help me. | Tlo o tlo nthusa. |
Do you understand? | Na outlwisisa? |
doctor | ngaka |
Excuse me | Ntshwarele |
Food and drinks. | Dijo le dino. |
Go well (to a group) | Tsamayang hantle |
Go well (to one person) | Tsamaya hantle |
Good night (to a group) | Robalang hantle |
Good night (to one person) | Robala hantle |
Goodbye | Keep well (to a group) | Salang hantle |
Goodbye | Keep well (to one person) | Sala hantle |
Hello (to greet a group) | Dumelang / Khotsong |
Hello (to greet one person) | Dumela | Kgotso |
helmet | helemete |
Help! | Thusa! |
How are you all? | Le phela jwang? |
How are you? | O phela jwang? |
hospital | sepetlele |
I am well too, thank you. | Le nna ke a phela. |
I appreciate it | Thank you. | Ke a leboha. |
I beg your pardon. | Tshwarelo |
I don’t know. | Ha ke tsebe. |
I don’t understand you. | Ha ke o utlwisisi. |
I live in (insert your town | city | country here). | Ke dula (insert your town | city | country here). |
I must go now. | Ke lokela ho tsamaya hona jwale. |
injured | lemala / kotsi |
Look out! | Hlokomela! |
luggage | morwalo / thoto |
medical aid | medikale edi |
motorcycle | sethuthuthu |
My name is (insert your name here). | Lebitso la ka ke (insert your name here). |
no | tjhe / ae |
pain | bohloko |
pain-killer | sebolayadihlabi / lipilisu |
passport | paseporoto |
petrol | peterole |
please | ka kopo / kea kopa |
private property | seng sa motho |
rest | phomola |
Sit down. | Dula fatshe. |
stop | ema |
Turn back | Kgutla |
Wait a minute. | Ema hanyenyane | Ema motsotsotswana |
water | metsi |
Well, thanks. And you? | E ke a phela, wena? |
What is your name? | Lebitso la hao o mang? |
What time is it? | Ke nako mang? |
Where do you live? | O dula kae? |
Where does it hurt? | Ho bohloko kae? |
Withdraw money. | Ntsha tjhelete. |
yes | ee |