Thabana Ntlenyana

Thabana Ntlenyana rises to 3,482 metres in eastern Lesotho, the highest point in southern Africa, and its name means beautiful little mountain, which undersells it in altitude and describes it accurately in shape: a rounded grassy dome rather than a peak, rising only a few hundred metres above the plateau it sits on. The walk up is long rather than technical, and the weather is the difficulty.

The landscape

• The summit - 3,482 metres, the highest point in southern Africa.
• The rounded shape - a grassy dome rather than a peak, on a high plateau.
• The plateau - the high ground the mountain rises modestly above.
• The escarpment - the drop into KwaZulu-Natal a short way east.

When to go

November to March is the summer season with the least snow. Winter brings deep snow and severe cold. Weather can turn dangerously fast in any month.

Before you go

Weather at this altitude changes fast, even in summer. The walk is long with no shelter or water. A guide and proper equipment are strongly advised.

Nearby

Sani Pass is south, and Mokhotlong is north.

Key facts