Daytrip to Thaba Bosiu and Visit to the Royal Graves

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Having visited the tourist information centre opposite the Basotho Hat in Kingsway in Maseru, I was recommended by the lady there to go to Thaba Bosiu and to see the Royal Graves. She gave me directions to the market close to the Roman Catholic Cathedral, where I would find the minibus taxi to Thaba Bosiu - fortunately the service terminated there.

The minibus trip cost M12 each way (approx EUR 1.10) and the minibus appeared tardis-like - at one point there were 18 passengers in the bus (this exceeded the seating capacity by about 40-50%) and it took about 35 minutes including stops along the way to let passengers jump on and off to get to the destination. A couple of Peace Corps volunteers (James and John) from the US were doing the same trip - so they let me join them on the hike in Thaba Bosiu. At the tourist information I had to pay M10 for the hike - this seems to be an honesty process - but I would never resent paying this small amount.

I had thought the "easy" climb up the hill was all the trip would entail. At the top we met a local elder who explained the significance of the hill - which had been difficult to climb. It is custom to take a stone up the hill and plant it on the pile at the summit. From there on, it was an easier way across the grassy and sandy plateau to the Royal Graves. Here all the Kings of Lesotho are buried - mainly in tumulus-style stone graves, although Moshoeshoe II is buried in a far grander tomb. He died in a traffic accident in the late 1990s. From the plateau there are excellent views across the valleys as well as towards Qiloane - the mountain that gave the inspiration for the Basotho hat.

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