Mafika Lisiu Pass

Lesotho's highest tarred pass

Mafika Lisiu Pass was engineered to move construction materials (e.g. fly-ash, cement) up to the Katse Dam site in all weather. The design won an international engineering award. What was built to haul goods has become one of the most dramatic drives in Lesotho.

On the western side, deep valleys fall away from the road edge, waterfalls cut through the rock face, and cliffs rise on either side. At the summit (3,091 metres above sea level) there's a proper viewing point looking out over the valley below, and a built-up hairpin bend that shows its work. In winter, snow and black ice mean the right vehicle matters. This is not a pass you rush.