For five days we stayed at the Malealea Lodge and embraced the Lesotho culture and the staggering local beauty. Lesotho is called “The Mountain Kingdom”. Love that. The Lesotho flag represents Peace (white), Rain (blue) and Prosperity (Green). The lodge is in the middle of the Malealea village which is in the middle of nowhere. The village is surrounded by mountains in all directions. Stunning, low key, quiet, humble vibes. My kind of place.
The village just got electricity one year ago. The lodge runs on solar. Villagers get their water from shared spigots. It gives you a lot to think about when you enjoy a hot shower a few hundred yards from a town spigot that sputters because of the drought. Most villagers live in cinder block, stone or metal homes. The lodge employs the majority of the village in one way or another. Their kindness permeated everything.
We stayed in traditional rondavels with thatched roofs. The property was full of trees, flowers, and a labyrinth made out of used wine bottles. Hazel called it fairyland. They had a cheeky weather station. I absolutely love cheeky humor.
The kids and I went horseback riding to some local waterfalls. We saw farmers, shepherds and women on the move. Kids playing. There are far more villagers than visitors, so you’re always bearing witness to their lives. As we got farther away from the village we saw no one. We rode those horses up and down trails that were steeper and bumpier than anything I can ride on a mountain bike. Respect.
One day we went on a guided village tour. I would say it was our first official “walking tour” since we left home. As a family that avoids walking tours, it was perfect. Hazel asked to do the village tour by horseback. How creative! So we were joined by a guide, a horse and a horse guy. We visited a woman that brews and sells beer. Tasted more like kombucha. When a batch is ready, she flies a yellow flag outside her home. The flag is a big bundle of yellow plastic bags. We met the village chief. Learned about how the community is managed, how land rights work, how chiefs are chosen and more. We walked by the village’s simple and humble cemetery. Dates on stones were a reminder that lives can be short. Our guide went into great detail about the events and ceremonies to honor the dead. You must be around birth and death a lot more in a community like this one. We visited the preschool and a handicraft center where local crafts are sold. We were happy to briefly call this village home.
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