Butha-Buthe

The Sesotho name Butha-Buthe' (meaning place of lying down') derived from the mountain that dominates the town. The original Botha-Bothe mountain was the fortress of King Moshoeshoe until 1824, when he relocated to a new capital.

The Sesotho name Butha-Buthe' (meaning place of lying down') derived from the mountain that dominates the town. The original Botha-Bothe mountain was the fortress of King Moshoeshoe until 1824, when he relocated to a new capital.

Butha-Buthe is about 125km from Maseru in the north of the country, close to the Caledonspoort border post. It has pleasant, tree-lined streets, a hotel, community and administrative buildings, a market place, and a mosque for its significant Indian population.

It is also the starting point for the Roof of Africa Route past Oxbow to Mokhotlong, a road that was recently under reconstruction. There are also mysterious caves used by the San (Bushmen) in the area near Qalo and Sekubu, and some more dinosaur footprints.

The plateau to the east of the town is a delightful picnic stop on the way to Oxbow.