By Minibus Taxi
As with most of Africa the minibus 'taxi' aka combi / Toyota Hiace is the transport of the people.
Be sure you are clear on where the minibus is going there should be a sign in the front windscreen, you'll be asked for money after a minute or two, with money being passed down the minibus. Try to get the front seat by the driver for more leg room. Prices are fixed by the government. There is a risk of overcharging foreigners â ask the other passengers if you are not sure of the price. Be warned, the reason the Minibus taxis are so cheap is because of the way they fit so many people in! Don't be surprised to see kids sitting on laps four or five high, or to told to have large amounts of luggage on your lap or wedged in around you. The Minibus taxis tend to be poorly maintained and are not insured.However, very few accidents involving taxis occur.
Intercity travel by taxi will cost no more than 50 LSL for a single way ticket, and inner city minibus taxi rides will cost you around 2.50 LSL 4+1s will cost you 20 LSL for the whole car, no matter how many are with you, provided its within a city.
Always check the cost of a taxi before you get in.
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Offers flights to NGOs operating in Lesotho and also offers charter flights from Moeshoeshoe I airport in Maseru if you want to reach an inaccessible part of the country
By Regular Taxi
Regular taxis you phone, they pick you up and 4+1s â have a yellow stripe down the side and squeeze in 4 passengers. Always check the cost of a taxi before you get in.
Phone +0026662745199 for Khosana at Comfort TaxisPhone +266 631 66000 for Perfect taxis - well run and partly owned by an English Ex-patPhone +266 584 01360 for a local guy who has a good car and is extremely reliable. Call him Tom Taxi and he will know that you are legitimate and that you know the right fares.
By car
It is also possible to hire a car and travel around. The Sun hotels in Maseru both have hire car places, as does the airport. If you hire your car in South Africa probably cheaper than hiring in Lesotho be sure to get permission to take the car across into Lesotho the hire car insurance may not cover Lesotho.
But it's nowhere near as fun as getting up close to the locals and chatting with them!
You don't need a 4x4 to see the main sights in Lesotho â for the average visitor only the road to Semonkong will need a 4x4. The road is tarred to Mokhotlong via Leribe and is now tarred all the way to Qacha's Nek going south from Maseru. In the towns some side roads are unsealed but you can bump along in a saloon easily enough â If heading off in to the mountains on unsealed roads eg to the Kao diamond mine then a 4x4 is a must. The same goes for Thaba Tseka and going up or down the Sani pass.
When driving it's not advisable to stop at junctions or traffic lights at night â there is a very small chance of something nasty happening.