Malealea Lodge, Mafeteng District

Malealea Lodge grew out of a trading station that English trader Mervyn Smith opened around 1900, converted into a lodge by Mick and Di Jones in 1986. It sits in the village of Malealea, in the Makhaleng River valley of Mafeteng District, about 80km from Maseru.

Accommodation spans rondavels and larger rooms, standard en-suite double or twin rooms, and Basotho huts for backpackers (with or without linen), plus a camping area — a genuine range of budgets under one roof. Three communal self-catering kitchens serve self-caterers, and the lodge has run entirely on solar power since 2016.

The lodge is the area's base for Basotho pony trekking, day and overnight, alongside guided hiking, mountain biking and village walks into the surrounding gorge country. The local band Sotho Sounds performs at the lodge's coffee shop and bar most nights, and the kitchen serves home-cooked and traditional Basotho meals.