"Mystical treasures of our ancient past"




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This particular site lies in a tributary stream valley of the Hololo river just off the main route from Butha-Buthe to Oxbow and Mokhotlong.  Access is by means of a newly constructed concrete road and is passable for all vehicles.

The Liphofung “place of the eland” cave occupies an important place in Lesotho history. This is the smallest of the reserves at about 4 hectares. The cave is in fact a large overhang in the clarens sandstone, which is a typical feature of the Lesotho lowlands region.

  Originally used by the San and other Stone Age people, the walls contain important rock art and a rich archaeological deposit of Stone Age implements. Later, King Moshoeshoe “the Great” used the cave as a stopover when visiting that part of the kingdom.

A small visitor’s centre incorporating a display of Basotho culture and rock art has been developed, along with ablution facilities and a small shop. The site is managed by people from the local community and is proving to be a popular destination with school groups and tourists en route to Oxbow.

Beside the cultural and historical aspects of the site there are also various interesting geological features to be seen, both en-situ and in the surrounding areas.  As the Moteng valley is densely populated it is a great opportunity to view the traditional Basotho way of life.       

The site was developed almost entirely with local labour and artisans. This means that most of the development costs have been ploughed directly back into the local community. This, in turn, has led to a very strong sense of ownership of the development by the local communities.