Lesotho ski resort draws winter visitors to Africa’s highlands
Afriski Mountain Resort is bringing skiers to Lesotho’s Maluti Mountains and adding tourism revenue in one of the world’s poorest countries.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
Lesotho’s Afriski Mountain Resort has become a winter draw for skiers from across southern Africa, according to the Associated Press. The resort matters for the small mountain kingdom because it brings visitors and income to a country the World Bank has cited among the world’s poorest.
Set about 3,200 meters above sea level in the northern Maluti Mountains, Afriski is Lesotho’s only fully operating ski resort and the only one of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, AP reported. The resort sits about 80 kilometers from Butha-Buthe, the nearest major town, and opened 25 years ago.
Lesotho’s altitude gives it conditions unusual for much of the continent. AP reported that the country lies entirely at or above 1,000 meters above sea level, and its highlands often fall to minus 8 degrees Celsius between June and August, the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.
A ski economy in the mountains
Afriski’s slopes cover 17 hectares, or 42 acres, around the resort, according to AP. Natural snowfall is not reliable enough to support skiing through the season, so the resort uses snowmaking machines to keep its runs open in winter.
Tourism accounted for about 7% of Lesotho’s annual gross domestic product of roughly $2.6 billion in the previous year, AP reported. Afriski chief executive Theo Ferreira told AP that the resort employs 227 full-time and seasonal workers, almost all of them Lesotho nationals, along with about 30 South Africans, many of whom work as ski instructors.
Ferreira said nearly 70% of Afriski’s visitors come from South Africa, with most of the rest from Lesotho or other parts of southern Africa. Most travelers enter Lesotho by road from South Africa, though international visitors can also fly to Maseru, the capital, AP reported.
The resort can house 420 overnight guests, according to Ferreira. Nearby Butha-Buthe and Mohlokong add more lodging during the busiest periods. Ferreira told AP that the busiest day so far this year brought more than 1,400 visitors, while a 2025 record day topped 1,600 people, including day visitors and overnight guests.
A different draw for southern Africa
Southern Africa is often marketed for wildlife and coastlines, but AP reported that Afriski has helped make ski tourism a growing attraction in the region. Many guests arrive as first-time skiers, taking lessons and learning on the resort’s slopes.
Janco Smits, a student from Cape Town, told AP the resort was “an amazing slope to learn on.” He said early falls were discouraging, but after one lesson he felt confident within an hour.
Thato Ramaphoko, a first-time visitor from Pretoria, told AP that snow was not what he associated with Africa. “When you think of the African continent, you don’t think of snow,” he said, adding that he wanted to see Lesotho’s winter conditions for himself.
AP reported that visitors can also find local food, Maluti Lager and Basotho blankets at the resort. The blankets, known for bright colors and patterns, also appear in local clothing and some ski gear.
Lesotho, a country of 2.3 million people surrounded by South Africa, marked 200 years since the founding of the Basotho nation and 58 years of independence from Britain in 2024, according to AP.
This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.