Live Lesotho

27/02/2023

Live Lesotho would like to announce that we will no longer be involved with the organisation and management of the Roof of Africa and the Retro Roof, with immediate effect. After successfully completing a 4-year contract with LORA (Lesotho Off Road Association) to organise the Roof of Africa, our contract was up for renewal at the end of Jan 2023. Despite the best efforts of all parties, over an extended period of time, the negotiations concluded on the 26th of Feb, and have unfortunately not been successful. As a result, Live Lesotho will no longer be involved with the Roof.

We are aware of premature statements and opinions that are circulating around our negotiations with LORA and our involvement with the Roof of Africa. However, these are not our official statements nor position on this matter.

“This event has always had the competitors and the riding community at its heart, and we’d like to thank each and every one of them for their determination, courage and spirit to take on the Roof!” says Charan Moore, Founder of Live Lesotho.

“We’d also like to thank everyone that has supported and contributed to making the Roof of Africa the success that it is today including the sponsors, the Basotho people, the government of Lesotho, the media, LORA and our team at Live Lesotho, your commitment is appreciated,” Charan concludes.

17/03/2020

In these crazy, crazy times - with so much uncertainty and fear - there is still so much goodness. Thank you Paul Geddes for sharing this insanely inspiring story:

Man, WE LOVE LESOTHO.

To try cut a long story short.

Three of us went off for a ride down the Ribaneng Valley in Lesotho on Friday at 11:30. Nothing too hectic – flowing, easy ride. No GPS needed as our friend Alex Vowles knows this route very well - after all, he has ridden in Lesotho for over thirty years.

After about three hours of riding the beautiful valleys started looking all too similar and we were running out of fuel and day light.

Our plan was always to get ourselves to Malealea Lodge for fuel and a Coke.

Well, we only just made it there at 17:30. We quickly bought all the fuel we could for R300: 6 litres each and 4 litres for Alex that we could carry back to him as he didn't make it all the way to the lodge - he had run out of fuel 12 kilometres back. We knew we were in trouble and needed to move quickly as the sun was setting. With no GPS we checked a road on Google Maps that could take us to the tar road and down to Ramabanta where we started from…

Shouldn't be too hard in the dark on a road.

Ha Ha Ha.

Don’t trust Google.

We should have checked out street view.

That so-called road would have made a 4x4 puzzle in the daylight.

The only light we had was on Alex’s bike. Yes. We always pack torches and lights but not this one time for the "quick" ride down the valley. Alex rode behind us, and myself and Dennis tried riding side by side where we could without falling into holes. If you know Lesotho, it is literally, pitch black, as in the video.

No light anywhere.

We didn’t manage too well, but we kept moving forward, staying positive and not giving up - we kept it together even when we lost Dennis in a massive erosion gully.

At about 20:30 we were puzzling around in circles next to a river and saw a small light on one of the hills. It went off and on and slowly came closer.

It turned out to be a young girl, Angelina, from the village on that hill.

She told us there was no road here and we should stay the night or go back the way we came. She said the rocks were too big the way we were going. This is not something that scares us in the daylight but we only had 13% battery on the phone, little fuel (again) and the lady on Google was telling us we had 38 kilometres to go.

We then made the call to take the locals up on their generous offer and stay the night with them. We were expecting just a rondavel room or a Shepherd hut as we were in the middle of nowhere in the Maluti’s.

We were more than pleasantly surprised.

Angelina and her Mom treated us like royalty. They took us in at their house. Gave us blankets and water. We chatted for a while to the three people that could speak English and the other forty faces that were in complete disbelief of what they were seeing.

They loved every moment, as did we.

Then out of nowhere we were served the most amazing plate of pap, morogo (Spinach) and scrambled eggs.

We assumed we would be making use of the couches to sleep on but we were shown into another room with a double bed and single mattress on the floor.

Amazing.

We tried to decline, thinking we were taking their beds, but they insisted we use them. As we were getting into bed the heavens opened. Lightning, hail and heavy rain.

All while we were cosy in our room.

We got very lucky.

In the morning, after a great night’s sleep, we were served Mabele porridge (Sorghum). Even with sugar. And then as the sun rose, while we got dressed into our wet, stinky riding kit again one of the men in the village sang us a few songs while he played his traditional guitar made out of a 5 litre oil can and some wire.

What an amazing experience.

The smile on that man’s face I will never forget.

So, so happy and content.

And then as we were we leaving we were even offered some Colgate.

Wow.

We only had R7 on us as the rest was used for fuel but we took Angelina's phone number and will be sending the family a good sum of money via Shoprite to say a big thank you for what they did for us.

We then left in the direction we came in to try find another road. Alex ran out of fuel, again. Dennis and myself carried on a bit but then thought it would be better to put all our fuel together to at least get one of us home. So, we emptied his fuel into mine and then I carried on only to also run out of fuel on the dirt road. I managed to get the help of three locals so that they could push and I could walk. If you have ever tried walking a distance in full kit, you'll know it ain't easy, especially on Lesotho roads and hills.

Not far to the tar road they said. Only about 1km...

Waaaaahaaaaa, ya right. More like a 6km walk. I had no other choice.

I was humbled once again chatting to locals on the road. One lady was walking the same distance just to buy her 6-month-old formula while the baby was on her back. She wasn't complaining - just laughing at me.

When we got to the tar road and the Spaza shops I thought we were sorted.

Nope.

Nobody had fuel.

Sold Out.

Now I was snookered - Ramabanta (home) was still about 15 kilometres of tar road. I then bribed a local runner, that I had found training, to run down the road and try find me fuel. While I was waiting for him to come back I heard a bike coming up the road.

No ways, it's Dennis? How did he come right now?

While he was pushing his bike through the valley a local came out and asked what was wrong.

When he told him he had no fuel he said, "Hold on, I might have some." Ten minutes later he arrived with a 2 litre of petrol.
Dennis said that he didn’t have any money to offer, “but I'm coming back after I fetch my friend and I'll sort you out then.
The local replied by saying, "No problem. If we meet again so be it. Take the fuel."

We all got home at about 12 pm and then went back to repay all the helpers that saved us.

Where in the world in this day and age would you find a family that takes complete strangers in for the night?

No questions asked and expecting nothing in return. They have so little yet they have so much to give.

This was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

Good, kind, genuine people do exist!

5 star accommodation is my rating on Tripadvisor, that is for sure.

16/03/2020

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Coronavirus now a state of disaster in South Africa.

According to the South African Government, South Africans are now prohibited to attend gatherings with more than a hundred people and should not travel unnecessarily domestically.

Out of concern for the health and safety of our competitors Live Lesotho and LORA have no choice but to postpone the Retro Roof due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

A date for the race will be announced as soon as possible.

If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected]

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but it is our responsibility to be proactive in these uncertain times.

Stay safe.

The mountains will be eagerly awaiting your return.

13/03/2020

🇱🇸🇿🇦‼️PLEASE TAKE NOTICE‼️🇿🇦🇱🇸

There have been rumours that Lesotho is closed to South Africa.

This is not true.

A document has been circulated which was an internal government memo that somehow reached the public and has been misinterpreted - this information affects government officials and International travel only: this includes the issuing of visas to and from Lesotho.

Even though South Africa and Lesotho are separate countries - South African traveling to Lesotho is known as regional traveling and as such is unaffected.

11/03/2020

The Retro is back in 10 days! Entries close in 5.

Will you be a part of the adventure?

For all updates and information.

Have you entered the 2020 Retro Roof yet?

For all updates and information regarding The Original Rally, click the link below to add yourself onto the Retro Roof Group (please note that only Admins can send messages on this group):

https://chat.whatsapp.com/HDAHKRseDqlJQfuYz8ouHm

26/02/2020

All wheels welcome! 🛵🏍🚙

ENTER NOW!

http://roofofafrica.co.ls/retro-roof/

The Retro Roof is open to Motorbikes (Open, 200, Senior and Junior), Quads, Adventure Bikes, Vintage Bikes, Cars (Retro C1, C2, C3 and Side x Side) and the 4 x 4 Sweep Class.

17/02/2020

We are so excited to be a part of this project. Bringing the Original Rally back to the people. Come and adventure through the Maluti Mountains with us.

The Motul Roof of Africa has an impressive heritage in motorsport. Over the years this event has transformed into an Extreme Event, the Mother of Hard Enduro. But we want to keep a small part of the Original Rally intact.

2020 will see the second running of the Retro Roof. Entries will be opening on Thursday 20 February at www.roofofafrica.co.ls

Cars, bikes, quads, adventure bikes, vintage bikes, 4x4's - anything with wheels, welcome.

More info to follow shortly.

09/02/2020

Image from the National Enduro Championship - Round 1 - Captured by Sage Lee Voges for www.zcmc.co.za

Images from the first round of the 2020 National Enduro Championship. Captured by Sage Lee Voges for www.zcmc.co.za

07/02/2020

Image from the 2020 National Cross Country Championship | Round 1 - Lesotho. Captured by Sage Lee Voges for www.zcmc.co.za

The first round of the National Cross Country Championship Series kicks off in the mountains of Lesotho. Captured by Sage Lee Voges for www.zcmc.co.za

07/02/2020

Results for Round 1 of the 2020 National Cross Country Motorcycle Championship can be found below:

http://www.racecontrol.co.za/MultiStageResultsRawHtml.aspx?eventID=10068&View=Overall

06/02/2020

The mountains are calling, and I must go! Final Instructions for the National Cross Country and Enduro can be found below.

http://mailchi.mp/livelesotho/final-information

29/01/2020

The opening rounds to the 2020 National Cross Country and Enduro Championships are around the corner.

We are excited to be hosting both events as a double header 7 & 8 February.

Here is a little taste of what to expect at the events. The recent rains have transformed Lesotho into an emerald green paradise.

Entries are open at www.racecontrol.co.za

20/01/2020

Time to kick off 2020. First up are the opening rounds of the National Cross Country and National Enduro Championships.

Entries are open on www.racecontrol.co.za, links below:

http://www.racecontrol.co.za/UpcomingRace.aspx?eventID=71056&Type=Normal

http://www.racecontrol.co.za/UpcomingRace.aspx?eventID=71057&Type=Normal

13/12/2019

The final day of the “Mother of Hard Enduro” as Wade Young continues to push the pace up front leaving the chasing pack of riders to battle it out for the remaining two spots on the podium.

This is how the curtains of The Motul Roof of Africa 2019 drew to a close...

08/12/2019

The mountian kingdom crowned new champions who all managed to conquer The Motul Roof of Africa 2019

High mountains, sweat, screaming engines and champagne - this is the highlights from final chapter in the 2019 instalment

05/12/2019

Highlights from the opening day of The Motul Roof of Africa with the return of Round the houses that saw bronze and silver tackle a challenging Time Trial and an electrifying Enduro Cross for Gold in the heart of Maseru

Extended edit to follow shortly