Dust Trails Africa

09/09/2026

Our first Dust Trails Africa Tribe meet!

All of us who have ridden with DTA have something in common: an adventurous spirit, curiosity about the world and a love of exploring it by motorcycle.

Twelve people joined us in person. Madeleine called in from Holland, Jan Helge from Slovakia, and of course Charlie joined online to chat with everyone. Some travelled over the internet. Others arrived on bikes.

The longest journey was Edgar’s. He rode 650 kilometres on his KTM to join us – apparently he had heard the pizza was good. Today he rides all the way home again. Thank you, Edgar!

And the pizza really was very good. A big thank you to Hans Kristian and .KOST for feeding us, and to Motor for letting us use the shop.

A great first gathering. If you have ridden with DTA, you are already part of the Tribe. If not, come and ride with us!

06/09/2026

SAFE, CARED FOR, AND CHALLENGED
IN THE RIGHT WAY.

That is how one of our riders described travelling with Dust Trails Africa.
Our customers talk about remote trails, spectacular mountain passes, well-prepared Honda CRF300Ls and riding that develops their skills.
But most of all, they talk about Charlie, the personal guidance, the good company and being challenged without being pushed too far.

Small groups. Lightweight bikes. Real off-road riding through South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique.
Seven TripAdvisor reviews. Seven five-star ratings.

Come and experience the Africa most travellers never see.
[email protected]
Dust Trails Africa
www.dusttrailsafrica.com

04/09/2026

Sani Pass is one of the great legends of African adventure riding.

The climb takes us through loose gravel, rocks and a series of tight hairpins. With every turn, the valley drops further below. Then comes the final steep section before we reach the Lesotho border at 2,876 metres.

The pass began as a route used by people and pack animals crossing the Drakensberg. Later, jeeps carried passengers and supplies between South Africa and the remote Lesotho highlands. Today, riding it still feels like a proper achievement.

But one man always puts our efforts into perspective.

We meet him almost every time, walking up and down the pass carrying firewood. Trees are scarce on the high Lesotho plateau, so the wood must be collected lower down and carried back up the mountain.

We sit on motorcycles and think the climb is challenging. He does it on foot, carrying his load.

Reaching the top brings relief, excitement and one of the finest views in southern Africa. But it also leaves us with a little humility.

Come and ride Sani Pass with us.

03/09/2026

Semonkong means “Place of Smoke”, named after the mist rising from the nearby Maletsunyane Falls.

It is also the trading centre for the surrounding mountain communities. People travel in from remote villages to meet, trade and barter, buy supplies and load goods onto horses and donkeys for the journey home.

We ride into Semonkong on some of our Lesotho trips. Once the motorcycles are parked, we occasionally swap horsepower for donkey power and join the local donkey pub crawl.

Riding a donkey between the village bars may sound like a tourist invention, but it gives us a very different view of Semonkong. We meet the people, play some pool and experience the humour and everyday life of this remarkable mountain community.

Certainly one of the more unusual evenings on a Dust Trails Africa tour.

Come and ride Lesotho with us.

02/09/2026

Thamathu is a small Basotho village high in the mountains of eastern Lesotho. There is no electricity, no mobile coverage and no quick way in or out. Reaching it means rough tracks and a long ride through the mountains.

The food for our stay comes from South Africa. Supplies are carried over the mountains by donkeys. It requiers some planning and gives you a different appreciation of what appears on the dinner table.

Daily life follows rhythms that have changed little across generations up here in the mountains. Oxen pull the plough, shepherds tend their animals and donkeys remain an essential form of transport.

For us, it is a complete detox from modern life. No electricity or mobile phone covereage up here. We stay in simple rondavels, eat together and become part of village life for a short while.

Travelling here also brings responsibility. We keep our groups small, and make sure our visit supports the village. Sustainable tourism is not about arriving, taking photographs and leaving. It is about travelling carefully, buying locally, showing respect and contributing to the community that welcomes us.

Thamathu is not arranged for tourists. That is precisely what makes the experience so valuable.

Come and ride deep into Lesotho with us.

01/09/2026

St Bernard’s Peak is one of the old mountain lodges of the southern Drakensberg.

Middle Valley Farm was established in 1890, when this was a remote borderland between the Cape Colony, Natal and Basutoland — today’s Lesotho. Life here was shaped by livestock, horses, harsh winters and long distances.

The thatched cottages were built in 1948, and the farm later became known for horseback expeditions into Lesotho.

Today, Brad and Sarah-Jane are rebuilding St Bernard’s as a mountain retreat. They previously ran a game farm, where Sarah-Jane managed the meat side of the business.

The food is sensational. Meats unlike anything most of us have tasted before, and dinners that are always a real treat after a long day’s riding.

We arrive on motorcycles rather than horses, but the reason for coming remains much the same: to travel deep into the mountains and enjoy genuine farm hospitality.

Come and ride the Drakensberg with us. Get in touch [email protected]

01/09/2026

Unusual motorcycle adventures

01/09/2026

31/08/2026

Semonkong means “Place of Smoke”, named after the mist rising from the nearby Maletsunyane Falls.

But Semonkong is first and foremost a Lesotho trading post. People travel in from the surrounding mountains with sheep, horses and donkeys. They trade animals, collect supplies and load what they need for the long journey back to their farms and remote homesteads.

It is simple, busy and raw. A place serving the people who live in these mountains.

We ride into Semonkong on some of our Lesotho trips. Once the motorcycles are parked, we occasionally swap horsepower for donkey power and join the local donkey pub crawl. We ride between the small local bars, meet people and experience another side of village life.

It is certainly one of the more unusual evenings on a Dust Trails Africa tour.

Come and ride Lesotho with us.
[email protected]

30/08/2026

Semonkong means “Place of Smoke”, named after the mist rising from the nearby Maletsunyane Falls.

But Semonkong is first and foremost a Lesotho trading post. People travel in from the surrounding mountains with sheep, horses and donkeys. They trade animals, collect supplies and load what they need for the long journey back to their farms and remote homesteads.

It is simple, busy and raw. A place serving the people who live in these mountains.

We ride into Semonkong on some of our Lesotho trips. Once the motorcycles are parked, we occasionally swap horsepower for donkey power and join the local donkey pub crawl. We ride between the small local bars, meet people and experience another side of village life.

It is certainly one of the more unusual evenings on a Dust Trails Africa tour.

Come and ride Lesotho with us.