Scroll down to view the map & video. This is a provisional video consisting entirely of Google Earth animations. The pass will be filmed in real time as soon as time permits, after which this video will be upgraded. It is recommended to watch this video in HD. (Click on the "quality" button on the lower taskbar of the video screen and select 1080HD.) Wait a few seconds for the video to display.....

[Video cover photo: Google Street View] 

FULL-SCREEN MODEMODE: Click PLAY, then pass your mouse over the bottom right corner of the video screen. The outline of a square will appear. Clicking on it will toggle Full Screen Mode. Press ESC to return to the original format.

Note: Google Earth software reads the actual topography and ignores roads, cuttings, tunnels, bridges and excavations. The Google Earth vertical-profile animation generates a number of parallax errors, so the profile is only a general guide of what to expect in terms of gradients, distance and elevation. The graph may present some impossible and improbably sharp spikes, which should be ignored.

Digging into the details:

Getting there: To approach from the west (in the direction we have produced it) head south-east from Maseru (border post) for 20 km and turn left at the fork at GPS S29.404374 E27.561634. Now drive east for 11.5 km to arrive at another fork at GPS S29.424105 E27.673373 where you must keep left and continue heading east for 22 km to arrive at the western start of the pass. 

To approach from the east, head east along the A3 from Mohale for 18 km to arrive at the eastern start of the pass.

Pass Description: The pass starts at its western end at a river crossing and immediately sweeps into a wide 100 degree left hand curve. For the next 2 km the road remains on the southern side of the river bisecting the village of Fosi. Be careful of children, livestock and pedestrians here. The gradient is gentle for this section at around 1:20

Looking west from the second hairpin / Photo: Google Images

At the 2.1 km mark, things change where the road enters a sharp 90 degree left hand bend, which marks the start of the more exciting part of the pass. The gradient ramps up to 1:8 as the next straight heads directly into the north. At the 2.4 km mark there is a double hairpin (chicane) with each of the corners having a turning arc of 180 degrees, but the turning angle of the first one is much tighter than the second one. The views from the second hairpin are magnificent.

Once through the double hairpin, the gradient kicks up a notch to 1:7 as the road climbs incessantly into the east along the southern side of the mountain. At the 4.1 km mark there is a big change in heading as the road swings into the south via an easy right hand curve of 90 degrees. It forms a big U-shaped bend as the gradient levels off with the road skirting a side ravine.

Once through the apex of the sharp left hander in the side ravine, the road follows the eastern side of the stream and soon swings back into the east and begins climbing once more at around 1:9. Most of the bends along this final section before the summit are of a gentle nature.

The summit of 2332m ASL is reached at the 6 km mark at a small side stream. The descent on the eastern side is easy but be aware that another U-shaped bend of 170 degrees, similar to the previous one follows, which requires a reduction in speed.

Once through this last side ravine, the road swings north, then gradually changes heading into the south-east as it follows the southern side of another river. The pass officially ends at the 8.2 km mark at the confluence of two rivers at an altitude of 2295m. Continue for 18 km to reach Mohale.

Fact File:

Route Map:

Use these powerful features to get the best use out of the map:

• Choose either Map View or Satellite View (overlaid on the map detail.)
• Zoom in and out; rotate in any direction.
• Use the Get Route feature (directly beneath the map): type in your address to get a personalised route straight from where you are to the pass, with time and distance included.
• Detailed written and printable directions.
• Drag the 'little orange man' icon onto the pass for a complete 360° tiltable "street view".

Route files:

||Click to download: Lekhalo La Molimo Nthuse Pass (God Help Me Pass)  (Note - This is a .kmz file which can be opened in Google earth and most GPS software systems)