Lesotho has no commercial airports accepting international flights. Moshoeshoe I International Airport sits 18 kilometers south of Maseru but handles only charter flights and occasional scheduled regional services to Johannesburg. The airport closed to scheduled commercial traffic in 2020. Every visitor enters Lesotho by land from South Africa.
The Maseru Bridge Border Post connects downtown Maseru directly to Ladybrand in South Africa's Free State Province. This crossing operates 24 hours daily and processes most tourist traffic. Pedestrians walk across the Caledon River bridge. Vehicles queue separately. South African and Lesotho immigration occupy adjacent buildings on their respective sides. Exit South Africa first, walk 50 meters, enter Lesotho second.
Sani Pass links KwaZulu-Natal to Mokhotlong District through a 2,873-meter-high mountain pass. The road climbs 1,332 meters over nine kilometers of switchbacks. The South African side remains unpaved. Four-wheel-drive vehicles only. The border post operates 08:00 to 16:00 daily but closes entirely during snow and heavy rain. No walk-through pedestrian crossing exists.
Other border posts include Caledonspoort near Butha-Buthe, Ficksburg Bridge near Maputsoe, Maseru Gate Bridge near Maseru, Makhaleng Bridge near Mohale's Hoek, Qacha's Nek Gate near Qacha's Nek village, and Ramatseliso's Gate near Quthing. Operating hours vary from 06:00 to 22:00 at major crossings to 08:00 to 16:00 at remote posts. Vehicle searches occur randomly. Fruit and unprocessed meat face confiscation at entry.
Minibus taxis run between Ladybrand and Maseru for 20 to 30 rand or 20 to 30 maloti. Taxis depart when full, typically carrying 15 passengers. No fixed schedule exists. Private taxis charge 200 to 400 maloti for the same route. Shared taxis from Johannesburg to Maseru cost 250 to 350 rand and take six to seven hours including border formalities.
Lesotho's currency is the loti, plural maloti, abbreviated LSL or sometimes M. One loti divides into 100 lisente. The loti pegs to the South African rand at exact parity under the Common Monetary Area agreement signed in 1986. One rand always equals one loti by treaty obligation.
South African rand circulate freely throughout Lesotho and vendors accept rand identically to maloti. Banks exchange rand to maloti at par with no commission. Maloti do not circulate in South Africa. Visitors departing Lesotho must exchange remaining maloti to rand before crossing back or accept the notes as souvenirs. Banks in Maseru exchange maloti to rand at par. Banks elsewhere in South Africa refuse maloti entirely.
The Central Bank of Lesotho issues banknotes in 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 maloti denominations. Coins exist as 1, 2, 5 maloti and 10, 20, 50 lisente. The 200-maloti note entered circulation in 2010. King Letsie III appears on current banknotes. King Moshoeshoe I appeared on earlier issues.
ATMs exist in Maseru, Teyateyaneng, Leribe, Mafeteng, and Mohale's Hoek. Standard Lesotho Bank, Nedbank Lesotho, and First National Bank operate ATM networks. Machines dispense maloti only, never rand. Daily withdrawal limits range from 2,000 to 5,000 maloti depending on the bank and card type. International Visa and Mastercard debit cards function at most ATMs. American Express and Discover cards do not work. ATMs empty on weekends and public holidays in smaller towns.
No ATMs exist in Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Butha-Buthe, or Thaba-Tseka town centers. Travelers heading to mountain areas must carry sufficient cash from Maseru. Mobile phone networks reach most lowland towns but coverage drops in mountain passes and high-altitude areas.
Credit cards see acceptance only at hotels serving foreign tourists, car rental agencies, and certain Maseru restaurants and supermarkets. Spar and Shoprite supermarkets in Maseru accept Visa and Mastercard. Street vendors, minibus taxis, guesthouses, and restaurants outside Maseru operate cash-only. No chip-and-PIN infrastructure exists. Signature verification remains standard where cards work at all.