'''Semonkong''' is a small town in central Lesotho. In Sesotho, Semonkong literally means ''Place of Smoke'', which is a reference to the huge 200m Maletsunyane Falls which is close to the town.

Get in

By car

4x4 is realistically the only way to get in apart from hiking or ponytrekking, which is inadvisable without a very reliable guide. If it hasn't been raining you can make it in a saloon car, although you wouldn't want to do it in your own car, with a hire car however...

Semonkong is 120 km from Maseru, follow directions from Maseru to Mafetang, then to Roma, before heading to Semonkong. Journey is about 3 hours in a 4x4, 4 hours + in a saloon.

Semonkong lodge have a free shuttle every tuesday and friday from Maseru to Semonkong they collect you at tourist information in Maseru. Maluti Treks a tour operator has bus from Durban to maseru on tuesdays and fridays as well as tailor made tours to Lesotho vist [http://www.malutitreks.com]

Get around

Semonkong is small enough for it to be possible to get around by foot.

See

  • The '''Maletsunyane Falls''' - 30 min walk from the Semonkong Lodge, the highest single drop waterfall in Southern Africa at 192m.
  • Do

  • Semonkong Lodge offers short (~1 hour) and long (overnight) Pony treks and 4x4 rides through the area. They also offer abseiling next to the waterfall, and bill it as the highest commercial abseiling point in the world according to the Guinness book of records.
  • Buy

    Although there are some shops which sell basic footstuffs, there's not much in the way of other shopping!

    Eat

  • '''Semonkong Lodge''' serves alright food in its bar/restaurant. It is a bit pricey though!
  • Drink

    Sleep

  • Semonkong Lodge", address="Semonkong", phone="+266 2700-6037 or +27 (0)51 933-3106. ookings@placeofsmoke.co.ls. ttp://www.placeofsmoke.co.ls. rom 75 LSL. Good comfy beds, friendly hosts, decent food, fantastic scenery!

    Get out

  • Maseru - Lesotho's capital, and the country's hub
  • Malealea - the other ''big'' tourist destination in central Lesotho