Tourists from near and far have descended on the Southern African country of Lesotho, which is entirely surrounded by South Africa, to experience a winter wonderland as snow capped mountains revive a decimated tourism industry due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The country which is a high-altitude, landlocked kingdom encircled by South Africa, is criss-crossed by a network of rivers and mountain ranges including the 3 482m-high peak of Thabana Ntlenyana.
The South African Weather Service predicted two winter systems to pass through the Southern African region days ago, with parts of the Afriski Snow Resort reporting 15cm to 20cm of snow.
The owner of the nearly two-decade-old Afriski Resort, Pieter Peyper said because neighbouring South Africa has been badly hit by the pandemic, with 2.6 million recorded Covid-19 cases, the country remains and is on most country’s red lists, which adversely affects Lesotho’s tourism numbers.
The Afriski Resort, which is a five hours drive from Johannesburg, offers skiing and snowboarding during the winter months of June, July and August.
Pre-Covid-19, the Afriski Resort usually hosts music festivals, mountain sports competitions and altitude adventures, but due to the ongoing pandemic, now in its second year, numbers have dwindled.
According to reports, numbers fell to virtually nothing last year (2020) and are still only half the usual 17 000 this year, according to Peyper.
The Snow in Lesotho. pic.twitter.com/NXrZ1xCwNT
— Sophie Mokoena (@Sophie_Mokoena) August 14, 2021
What a beautiful scene to wake up to this morning. So much SNOW! ❄️❄️
— AFRISKI (@SkiAfriski) August 15, 2021
🎥: Tony Matlosa, Afriski Mountain Resort, Lesotho #Snow #Afriski #SkiResort #Lesotho @visitlesotho @GetawayMagazine @TheReporterLS @TheCitizen_News @eNCA @News24 @IOL @SnowReportSA @planetski pic.twitter.com/ZOyy4izoVy
This is what the REAL Lesotho Sky looks like after fresh snowfall during the past weekend 🤩❄🌨 #Lstwitter #Lesotho #LesothoSnow #visitlesotho @visitlesotho pic.twitter.com/4oWa8yHWt5
— LesothoSky (@LesothoSky) August 16, 2021
Breakfast in the slopes.
— SothoGirlDiaries (@mapitso_thaisi) August 17, 2021
📍@SkiAfriski , Lesotho 🇱🇸 pic.twitter.com/upDDatI2HY
African News Agency (ANA)