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Major city · Lesotho

OxbowOxbow, Lesotho

Go for 1–2 nights if you want a high-altitude lodge with skiing (Jun–Aug) or summer hiking; skip if you only have 3–5 days and prefer Semonkong or Sani Pass.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Oxbow is a high-altitude area in northern Lesotho, known for AfriSki, one of Africa's few ski resorts, and the New Oxbow Lodge. The skiing is limited (one main slope, a beginner and an intermediate run), but the setting at 3,010 m offers hiking and mountain biking in summer. Most visitors come as a side trip from Maseru or on a northern Lesotho loop.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
LSL
Best months
Jun–Aug (skiing), Oct–Apr (hiking)
avoid Jul–Aug (peak ski season, book ahead)
Airport
MSU
Nights
1

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Oxbow: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 7Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive befor…
  • Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
  • Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
  • Southern Africa ↗A rental car may leave its home country only with the rental company's cross-border letter, the registration papers and paid road taxes at each post; driving into Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique or Angola without them ends at the border.
  • Southern Africa ↗Across the subregion, plan every road leg to arrive before sunset: livestock, wildlife, pedestrians and unlit trucks make night driving the main cause of serious visitor accidents.
  • Lesotho ↗Check visa and entry rules for your passport on official Lesotho government sources; you also need South African entry to reach it by road.
  • Lesotho ↗Taking a South African rental car into Lesotho needs a cross-border letter from the rental company; Sani Pass needs a 4x4.
  • Lesotho ↗Border posts have fixed opening hours; smaller posts close earlier than the main Maseru bridge.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Oxbow123 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Oxbow, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • SIM or eSIM, a weekVodacom SIM cardcheckLSL 20
  • Budget bedNew Oxbow Lodge double room, a night, per roomLSL 800
  • Mid-range bedNew Oxbow Lodge double room, a night, per roomLSL 1,200
  • High-end bedNew Oxbow Lodge double room, a night, per roomLSL 2,000

A day, not counting the bed: Budget LSL 500 · Mid LSL 1,000 · High LSL 2,000

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

AfriSki ski resortHighest restaurant in Africa (3,010 m)Summer hiking and mountain bikingNew Oxbow Lodge
Airports
MSU Moshoeshoe I International Airport (Maseru) (About 3 h drive to Oxbow; rental car with high clearance required)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Best

    20°C (68°F)

  2. Feb

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    18°C (64°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    15°C (59°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    12°C (54°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    10°C (50°F)

  7. Jul

    Care

    10°C (50°F)

  8. Aug

    Care

    12°C (54°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    17°C (63°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  12. Dec

    Best

    20°C (68°F)

Best: Jun, Oct–Apr. Mixed: Jul–Aug. Month by month →

Warmest Jan (20°C (68°F)), coolest Jun (−2°C (28°F) low), wettest Jan (10 rain days), driest Jun (3). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Oxbow: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

20°C (68°F)

8°C (46°F)

10 rd

Feb

19°C (66°F)

7°C (45°F)

9 rd

Mar

18°C (64°F)

6°C (43°F)

10 rd

Apr

15°C (59°F)

3°C (37°F)

7 rd

May

12°C (54°F)

0°C (32°F)

5 rd

Jun

10°C (50°F)

−2°C (28°F)

3 rd

Jul

10°C (50°F)

−2°C (28°F)

3 rd

Aug

12°C (54°F)

−1°C (30°F)

4 rd

Sep

15°C (59°F)

2°C (36°F)

5 rd

Oct

17°C (63°F)

5°C (41°F)

8 rd

Nov

19°C (66°F)

6°C (43°F)

9 rd

Dec

20°C (68°F)

7°C (45°F)

10 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a high-clearance vehicle (4x4 recommended) to reach Oxbow from Maseru or the South African border. Once there, walking covers the lodge and ski area.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Maserugo

Door to door: About 3 h

Drive via A1, about 3 h

Capital for supplies and the Basotho Hat.

Semonkongovernight

Door to door: About 5 h

Drive via A1 and A2, about 4–5 h

Maletsunyane Falls and pony trekking; too far for a day return.

Katse Dam

go

Door to door: About 3 h

Drive via A1 and B8, about 2.5 h

Engineering tour and mountain lake views.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

New Oxbow Lodge

The main lodge; book ahead for ski season. Phone: +27 51 933 2247 (South Africa number).

AfriSki accommodation

On-site at the resort; check availability for your dates.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
LSL 500–800 excl. bed (check)
Mid
LSL 800–1,500 excl. bed (check)
High
LSL 1,500+ excl. bed (check)

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
New Oxbow Lodge double room1 × 1 night × LSL 1,200LSL 1,200
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × LSL 1,000LSL 2,000
Ski rental (skis, boots, poles), one day2 × LSL 300 · checkLSL 600
Vodacom SIM + 1.7 GB data2 × LSL 70 · checkLSL 140
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeLSL 394
Trip total≈ LSL 2,167 per person per day, bed includedLSL 4,334

check

2026 estimate in maloti (LSL); flights and car rental excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Ski lift pass (one day)checkLSL 200–400
Ski rental (skis, boots, poles), one daycheckLSL 300
Meal at AfriSki restaurantcheckLSL 100–200
Vodacom SIM cardcheckLSL 20
Vodacom data 1.7 GBcheckLSL 50
Vodacom data 3 GBcheckLSL 80

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Oxbow is a remote mountain area; drive in daylight only, carry extra fuel and water, and check weather before setting out. The main risks are altitude (3,010 m), cold nights and livestock on the road.
  • AfriSki has snow only from June to August, and off-piste snow for a fraction of that — check conditions before booking.
  • No WiFi at AfriSki; buy a Vodacom SIM (20 rand, then 50 rand for 1.7 GB or 80 rand for 3 GB).
  • The lodge phone number is a South Africa (+27) number; you may incur roaming charges.
  • Ski equipment (skis, snowboards, mountain bikes) can be rented on site.

Emergency numbers

Police
123
Ambulance
121
Fire
122

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

OxbowOxbow, Lesotho

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Ho aterese ena, ka kopoTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police123
  • Ambulance121
  • Fire122

Embassy

Most embassies are in Maseru; check your country's consular services before travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Maseru → Oxbow, drive: about 3 h, high-clearance vehicle (check)
  • AfriSki ski rental, one day: about LSL 300 (check)

Say or show

  • Lumela — Hello (loo-meh-lah)
  • Kea leboha — Thank you (keh-ah leh-boh-hah)
  • Ke bokae? — How much? (keh boh-kah-eh)
  • E / Che — Yes / No (eh / cheh)
  • Ntloana e hokae? — Where is the toilet? (ntloh-ah-nah eh hoh-kah-eh)

Sesotho is widely spoken; English works at lodges and AfriSki.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Oxbow. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Aug (skiing), Oct–Apr (hiking) · avoid Jul–Aug (peak ski season, book ahead) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 3 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Place pages for AfriSki and New Oxbow Lodge with verified opening hours and prices.
  2. Ski season calendar with snow conditions and rental rates.
  3. Driving directions from Maseru and South African border posts (Caledonspoort, Ficksburg).

Meanwhile

Back to Lesotho

Sources

Ask about Oxbow

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