Maletsunyane Falls

About this place

Maletsunyane Falls is a 192-metre waterfall on the Maletsunyane River in Lesotho, near the town of Semonkong. The water drops from a basalt ledge into a deep gorge, sending up spray like smoke, which gave the town its name, Semonkong, meaning «place of smoke». It is one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in southern Africa. The falling water makes a booming echo in the basin, and local legend says the sound is the wailing of people who drowned there. The site held a Guinness record for the world's longest commercially operated abseil, at 204 metres, run by a lodge in Semonkong. You see a sheer dark basalt cliff with a long white ribbon of water dropping into a deep pool at the bottom of a green gorge, where the river continues between the slopes. High grassy plateaus surround the gorge. Near the town the river runs between rocks and trees under a stone bridge. It is about 3 km by road from central Semonkong and about 83 km from Maseru in a straight line. The path to the viewpoint is fairly easy, but the cliff edge is dangerous, so keep back. The highlands are cold, so bring warm clothes.