I have never included Lesotho into any of my major trips - my visits have always been minor ad-hoc affairs.

I have been up Sani Pass several times, but always returned down again. Only once have I actually driven through Lesotho - and that was in winter.

This mountain kingdom is an absolutely beautiful country, but generally bitterly cold, especially at night.  I have spent New Year's Eve up in Lesotho twice, and both times it dropped below freezing. In winter, the snow looks beautiful, but it makes driving - even on tar - very treacherous.

The scenery has actually been enhanced (in my opinion) by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, and of course it has also resulted in a vast improvement in the local infrastructure.

I have never experienced even the slightest problems in my travels in Lesotho.

If you have a South African ID book, it is possible to visit Sani Pass without a passport.

DISCLAIMER: I have to reiterate that this is based entirely on my own experience, which may not be typical. I am 6 feet 8 inches tall (that is just over 2 metres tall), and not of slender build! Hence, it is quite possible people do not threaten me as much as other tourists. It also means that my experiences may not be applicable to others visiting this country.

Except for various stock farming incidents, which have hardly affected any tourists, I do not believe there are any significant safety risks.

Sani pass is a classic mountain climb, and can only be attempted with a 4-wheel drive vehicle - the customs posts (Lesotho at the top, South Africa at the bottom) will not allow other vehicles to pass - even in the summer. The road is very steep requiring most vehicles to drop into low ratio and the hairpin bends cause problems for the poor lock of Landrovers. Ice in the winter just adds to the fun.

However, it is all worth it once one reaches the top at 3 000 metres, and spend the night at the Sani Top chalets. While camping is allowed, it gets below freezing even in summer - and the weather is not always pleasant. The latter is the one problem with Lesotho - when there are storms, the rain or snow makes leaving shelter very unpleasant. However, on a sunny day, the views from almost anywhere are quite memorable.

There road infrastructure used to be almost entirely poor dirt roads. Now virtually every road is tarred - with the exception of Sani Pass.

Lesotho uses the South African Rand as its currency. Apart from the western towns, there aren't many shops or garages for fuel. However, the country is so small, this is not a significant problem. I do not know if you can buy fuel with a credit card, nor the cost - although I expect the cost to be about the same as in South Africa.

Although there are no endemics, this is a good place to find various montane species, including Lammergeier.

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I have no personal contacts in Lesotho.

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