The Bikes
As we all know the trusty Honda CRF 230 is no longer produced so we have to keep our fleet alive and well. This is the perfect weapon for Lesotho and the bikes are literally “bomb proof”. They will get you from the Start to the Finish line in great shape.
Hotels & Accommodation
Lesotho’s accommodation is all Mountain Lodges and each have unique characters and personalities. Remoteness is something that typifies these lodges with some being close to 3000m in elevation. Great Food, Pubs, Open fire place and comfy accommodation is the order of the day.
Sunday, 6th October
Group will be collected from Maseru airport and transferred to Ramabanta Lodge some 1 hours’ drive away. This is the gateway to the home of the Roof of Africa and famous passes like Baboons, Black Neck and Bridal Path await. A traditional South African Braai and the riders briefing with a great Goody bag including jackets and riding shirts are well received by all.
Monday, 7th October
The typical day on Ride 4 Change is a nice morning ride which caters for all skill levels and then after lunch we introduce the riders to the Lesotho Extreme. This is optional and one can just chill out at the hotel if you wish. An incredible start as we follow some of the Bronze route on sled paths up the Ribaneng Valley. Included in this day 2 is the famous Baboons Pass and once we summit our overnight is back to Ramabanta for Night 2 and some Cold Maluti Lagers.
Tuesday, 8th October
A big day as we wind our way up and up all the way to the place of Smoke called Semonkong. The lodge is one of the highlights and at just on 2700m it will take your breath away. This is our highest point of the whole trip and a visit to the Mantsunyane Falls is one of the highlights.
Wednesday, 9th October
After breakfast we take the back 4 x4 jeep track from Semonkong all the way to Mantsonyane. The vistas as we climb close to 3000 meters elevation is mind blowing to say the least. We exit onto the main tar road and have a 40km scenic tar route all the way into Thabo Tseka and the wonderful Clan Lodge.
Thursday, 10th October
Our target for Day 4 is to ride to Katse Dam some 50 km away and on arrival go on a tour of the Katse dam. The tour takes us into the bowels of the 70 m wide dam wall. We visit a local crèche and hand out some sweets, crayons, coloring books etc. and head back to the Katse Village and Orion Lodge. This is a relatively easy day.
Friday, 11th October
In 2023, this is the pass that we slept in, but in 2024 we are going to do in reverse. We will have an early start and it will be a full day in the saddle so everyone be prepared. Team work and keeping the wheels turning is the trick to getting out the other side before nightfall sets in. Our home is Thaba Bosiu.
Saturday, 12th October
We are aiming for the Pony Trekking station of Malealea Lodge but between the riders and home is the magnificent Ribaneng gorge which follows the Makhaleng River all the way into Malealea. This is a famous pass used by the Roof of Africa in the early days and our final stop and finish line for Ride 4 Change 2024.
Sunday, 13th October
It’s time to bid farewell and enjoy an hour’s drive to Maseru Airport to catch connecting flights home.
