Hike Light, Explore Deep - Slackpacking in the Maluti Mountains

The Maluti Mountains have a special kind of charisma and draw you in. Thank goodness for slackpacking, otherwise the secrets held in them would remain hidden.

The range stretches across Lesotho and into South Africa, creating some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the region. Around the eastern Free State and Lesotho, the landscape is dominated by sandstone cliffs, grassy slopes, high plateaus and deep valleys. It is seriously beautiful walking country.

The Malutis reward walkers who take their time and that’s why they really suit slackpacking. With a light pack you have more time to stop and gaze at sandstone cliffs as they flush pink in the changing light. Or jump into an icy stream. Or watch horses pick their way along slopes that look impossibly steep. If you want high-altitude mountain scenery, without the usual accompanying load, this is the place to go.

Slackpacking in the Malutis offers a wide range of options, from easy days combining walking with cultural tours (this is the land of the Basotho, of San rock art and dinosaur fossils)  to proper mountain days with a strong sense of exploration. Depending on the route and accommodation, you can move between guesthouses, lodges or trail stops while the bulk of your luggage travels ahead. Just the way we like it!