Community Excursions

On this tour, we will show you how we live. You will see our homes. You will see the communal tap from which we collect our water. You will see how local women brew beer and sell it out of their huts. You will see us working our fields, perhaps with a tractor, but most likely with our cows. You will see our horses, many of whom are sturdy and robust, while others appear more drawn. Fragile. You will see our schools. Our preschool children may dance for you. It is not because they have to, but because it is fun. It is not to endear your sympathy or to coax open your pockets. It is simply because they are children. 

Along the way, you will see poverty, but we hope that doesn’t stop you from seeing everything else. From seeing hope and resiliency and laughter. From seeing a people, like you, who work hard every day.

We offer different versions of this tour based on how long you would like to walk and what you would like to see. The tours range from 1 to 3 hours. Of the portion of the fee, 65% goes to the guides and 35% goes to the Malealea Development Trust to fund various projects that support our community immensely. An MDT staff member will introduce and close the tour, so you can ask as many questions about their work as you like. You may also read more here.  Malealea Development Trust

Included in the 2 hours village tour is a visit to a traditional beer brewer and having a talk with the local chief.  The 3 hours village tour will take further to Basotho cultural museum

You should not give any money directly to anyone along the tour because they have been paid in your fee.  If you feel moved to give money, we ask that you save all donations for the MDT at the end of the tour, and then specify what you would like the money to go towards. The staff of the MDT has dedicated their lives to figuring out systemic causes and fundamental solutions to Malealea’s problems. They know the people here and are always thinking about the big picture. They are the most appropriate channel for your money, should you want to help, and they can always use support. Again, we invite you to read more about their work on their website.

The reception office also gladly collects school supplies, clothing, and books for the community library on behalf of the MDT.

You can book this tour at any time at our reception office  and they will coordinate with the MDT and the guides for you.

When assistant reception manager Ntate David Mokala was training for the Olympics in Germany, he was staying in Five-Star hotels – plush, sterile rooms, spas and swimming pools, turn-down service and dazzling continental breakfasts. For the first few months, it was heaven. But David, who had never before left Lesotho but who nevertheless was fascinated by culture and had dreamed of owning a cultural museum since he was in high school, began to feel frustrated. It had dawned on him that this was not how most German people lived. 

He was friendly with a few of the riders who were training at the same facility, so he started to visit them. At the end of a hard day of drills and high jumps, he would travel to where they lived, join them for a meal, and spend the night. He met their families and saw their homes – less glitzy, but somehow more impressive than his hotel suite. He was grateful for this exposure to “real” German life.

The next time he traveled abroad it was to Botswana to visit friends. He was amazed to observe their different approach to herding animals. In Lesotho, people tend to their animals all day, while their fields remain open. If an animal ruins a field, the owner of the animal is held responsible. In Botswana, the onus is on the owners of the land. Animals roam freely. He couldn’t wrap his head around it, or many of the other practices so completely different from what he knew. It thrilled him.

While working at the Lodge, he reflected that he had learned the most about the cultures he had visited when he joined locals in their homes. He doesn’t feel as though he has properly been to a new country until he has journeyed to its rural corners and stayed amongst its people. He wanted to give our visitors that same opportunity.

David and his wife, Me Manthabiseng Mokala (the office administrator for the Malealea Development Trust), have opened their home to our guests for two years now. You can have a meal with them and spend the night, discussing culture, politics, and any other facets of Basotho life. David can tell you about his experiences as half of Lesotho’s almost-Olympic equestrian team or regale you with historical tales about Zulu and Basotho prophets, while Manthabiseng is an expert on this community and the humanitarian work of the Trust.

When demand is high or David and his wife are unavailable, the Malealea Development Trust has a list of other wonderful families who have experience hosting visitors.

Please speak to reception if you would like to try this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience life as we do. Let us know if we can arrange a meal for you or if you would like to bring food to share. The homes are in the local village and are about a 20-minute easy walk from the Lodge.

We can arrange to accommodate solo travellers or groups of up to six people.

Basics:

Contact us to find out more about this option. 
1-6 people.

If your travels have left you with questions you cannot answer, if you’re wondering whether you are on the right path, or if you’re seeking meaning in a dream or relief from an unexplained discomfort, our Sangoma may be able to provide the clarity you need.

Who is the Sangoma?

Sangomas are highly venerated in our culture for their ability to divine answers through spiritual guidance. At Malealea, you can arrange an appointment with the Sangoma through our reception office to consult the spirits for insight and direction.

Step into the Sangoma’s hut and leave the outside world behind for a time. It is a cocoon of enlightenment, where answers await those who seek them.

As the sun sets behind the majestic Maloti Mountains, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, Malealea comes alive with the sound of music. Each night, the tranquil atmosphere of our lodge is enriched by the performances of The Malealea Band and Sotho Sound, who alternate to share their unique, heartfelt melodies.

These talented local musicians play “family-style” music on iconic, homemade Basotho instruments. Their violinists, who are herd boys by day, carry their instruments into the fields where they care for their animals. Surrounded by the open landscapes, inspiration strikes, and new songs are born—later perfected and shared with the band to perform for you.

Music is not just an art here; it’s the heartbeat of the Basotho people. Join us for an evening that transcends entertainment, offering a genuine connection to the spirit and culture of Malealea.

It was January 20, 1986, and torrential rain poured across Malealea. Determined to check on the state of his newly planted crops, Ntate Faneuel Musi trudged through the mud and wind, driven by a growing sense of fear. As he neared his fields, his worst fears were confirmed: the water rushing downhill was carrying away unthinkable amounts of fertile soil.

When he reached the path to his land, his progress was stopped short. In place of fertile fields, a roaring river now flowed. It was a donga—a massive ditch caused by erosion—more than 10 meters deep. And it was one of many scarring the landscape.

The Birth of a Revolutionary Idea

Musi was a retired mechanic with a background in engineering, not a farmer by profession. But as he surveyed the devastation, he realized this grave problem demanded a solution. Over the next decade, Musi embarked on a project that would transform his life—and his land—forever.

With nothing more than a sack tied around his waist, Musi began collecting rocks and building over 3000 walls to reclaim the land. These walls were constructed loosely to allow water to pass through while trapping the fertile soil behind them. Once enough soil accumulated, he planted grass and trees to stabilize the ground.

Collaboration and Transformation

Musi’s incredible work caught the attention of Mick Jones, who introduced him to GTZ (now GIZ), a German NGO. They helped him install an irrigation system, making Musi’s home the only one in Malealea with running water.

What was once barren, eroded land is now unrecognizable—fertile plots and grassy knolls flourish where scars once ran deep.

Carrying the Legacy Forward

Since Musi’s passing in 1996, his son Ntate Albert Musi has managed the farm alongside his mother, M’e Maseretse. Together, they continue to honor Faneuel’s legacy, welcoming visitors to learn about his remarkable achievements.

Albert and Maseretse passionately believe in the importance of protecting and preserving Malealea’s land, and they are eager to share their story with those who visit.