Qacha's Nek

Qacha's Nek sits on a pass at around two thousand metres on Lesotho's southeastern border, established in 1888 as a police post to control the route through, and it is known for something unexpected: a stand of Californian redwoods planted around the turn of the twentieth century that has grown into mature trees, far from anywhere else the species grows. The border crossing into South Africa is at the town. The pass is named for a chief who used the route, and the town grew at the point where the road crosses from the Lesotho side into the Cape.

Background

The town has been the camptown, or capital, of Qacha's Nek District since 1888. It stands 1,980 metres above sea level, just two kilometres short of the border with South Africa, and had approximately 15,900 people in 2016. Its 900 mm of precipitation per year is the highest annual rainfall of any district capital in Lesotho, and summer temperatures average 17 °C. On the way in from Maseru stands the lefika-motho, or "man-rock", which resembles a man's head wearing a cap. One of the district's two hospitals is in the town, and the Sehlabathebe National Park, where the Sehlabathebe water lily grows, lies about 2 hours away by tar road.

Source: Wikipedia, "Qacha's Nek"

The main sights

• The redwood stand - mature Californian sequoias planted around 1900.
• The pass position - the town at around two thousand metres on the border.
• The 1888 foundation - the police post the settlement grew from.
• The border crossing - the route through into South Africa.

When to go

September to April is the milder season. Winter brings snow to the pass. The border post keeps set hours.

What to expect

The town is small with limited facilities. The border post closes at night. Roads in from the Lesotho side are long and rough.

Nearby

Mount Moorosi is west, and the South African border is south.

Key facts