Mokhotlong

Mokhotlong is a city and seat of Mokhotlong District in the mountainous northeastern part of Lesotho. It is the first major city with an airport along the road from South Africa across the Sani Pass, near the Maloti (Drakensberg in South Africa) Mountains. The name of the city is a word in Sesotho, the language of the people of Lesotho, meaning "Place of the Bald Ibis."HistoryMokhotlong’s role as a police post first brought people to this part of Lesotho in 1905. It developed into a trading center for the people of the Highlands region. However, it was preserved from major development by its separation from the rest of the country. Not until 1947 was radio contact established with Maseru, the capital city.In the next few years an air strip was built and a road cleared through town to link Mokhotlong to the rest of Lesotho. Even so, Mokhotlong continued to be outfitted with provisions and supplies by pony trek from Natal, South Africa, via Sani Pass.Geography and climateAn hour and a half drive north of Sani Pass, Mokhotlong is located 270 km from Maseru and 200 km from Butha-Buthe. The source of the Senqu River, Lesotho’s largest river, is near Mokhotlong, impacting the landscape throughout the town and surrounding district.Mokhotlong experiences a subtropical highland climate (Köppen climate classification Cwb) with warm summers and cool, dry winters.