The horse is a source of pride in Lesotho and the Basotho are renowned as a nation of horsemen.
For generations, the sure-footed Basotho pony has been bred as the ideal form of transport in the rugged mountains. Even today, the pony is still the most effective means of reaching the more inaccessible mountain villages.
Pony trekking holidays on the hardy Basotho ponies are immensely popular and a fantastic way of exploring Lesotho’s beautiful rugged terrain as the bridle paths that criss-cross Lesotho are barely wide enough for vehicles but the ponies effortlessly dodge obstacles and loose rocks.
The oldest Sesotho word for horse is “khomo-ea-haka”, which means “livestock called haka” (Hacqua is Khoi for horse). There is no original word in Sesotho for horse, and by the 1950’s the word “pere”, derived from the Dutch and Afrikaans “perd”, was common. Read more
Picturesque Lesotho is a perfect destination for adventure tourism. You won’t find the Big Five in any of Lesotho’s parks and reserves, and the wilderness attraction here is predominantly geared towards hikers and pony treks.
