Day 62: New Oxbow Lodge – Masoba-Soba Lodge (Sanipass) 

It was pretty cold last night, temperatures approaching freezing. So we pulled out all the stops and – for the second time – turned on our heating cube briefly before going to sleep. You can only do that if you are connected to shore power.

Today we continue towards Sani Pass and the border to SA, but we want to stay another night in Lesotho, otherwise the route might be too long with the border crossing.

Pass #1: Mahlasela (3,220 m). Pass #2: Tlaeeng (3,275 m), the highest pass in the South African region. Pass #3 Kotisephola (3,240 m).

We pass Afri Ski, where in winter a lift serves a 1.5 km long ski slope. Pretty bizarre.

The next “sight” on the route is the Letseng Diamond Mine with huge spoil heaps and a hut village for workers.

A little further on, a new large bridge is being built – we assume with the support of South African engineers, because there are suddenly a lot of white people. The pillars are pretty impressive.

We ignore the hike to the highest point in the South African region, the Thabana-Ntlenyana – 11 km is too far and we are suddenly hit by hailstorms.

The region towards Sani Pass and the border is becoming increasingly deserted. There are three options for camping, each one completely basic, completely deserted and windy and cold on the high plateau at around 2,800 m.

We decide on the Masoda-Soda Lodge and Campsite. That means: we can park, sit in the unused bar area, have a toilet and maybe, maybe a warm shower. Let's see how the night goes and maybe it will be a few degrees warmer in the Drakensberg on the South African side? A little crazy, this one...