01Free
The 30-second card
CurrencySouth African Rand · R · ZAR; Lesotho Loti · LSLSource: Unicode CLDR · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United States passport
No visa needed · up to 180 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
A prepaid Vodacom or Ezicel Buddie SIM costs under M50 in Maseru and pays off on a longer stay.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 2 of 5: Cash covers most payments; cards work only in some places.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Lesotho
South African Rand · R · ZAR
Rand works everywhere; take change in rand, as maloti are hard to use in South Africa, nearly useless beyond.
Banks in most towns have cash machines, but not outside towns: stock up before heading into the countryside.
Foreign bank cards may not work in local ATMs, so withdraw cash in South Africa before crossing.
Buy crafts in Teyateyaneng or Hlotse rather than the capital for more choice and lower prices.
Collect South African Rand in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day
Sat, 26 Dec 2026 · Boxing Day St. Stephen's Day
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day
Thu, 11 Mar 2027 · Moshoeshoe Day
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Workers' Day
Thu, 6 May 2027 · Ascension Day
Tue, 25 May 2027 · Africa Day/ Heroes' Day
Sat, 17 Jul 2027 · King Letsie III's Birthday
Mon, 4 Oct 2027 · Independence Day
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Lesotho say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise increased caution
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Level 2 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 16 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 16 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 10 Dec 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 10 Dec 2025 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Hepatitis A, B and routine shots if unvaccinated; typhoid, rabies by trip. Altitude sickness in parts.
Vaccinations
Hepatitis A and B shots are advised for unvaccinated travellers, plus routine vaccines; consider typhoid and rabies depending on your trip.
Altitude
Altitude sickness can affect visitors in parts of the country.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
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What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $2.6 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $1,089Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | diamonds, garments, wool, power equipment, bedding (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 2.4 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 24 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 60.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2014 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 30,355 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summersSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountainsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | parliamentary constitutional monarchySource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +266Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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