Lesotho Packing List Tips by CatherineReichardt Top 5 Page for this destination

Pack your thermals!

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: For fear of sounding like your mother (I am someone's), I highly recommend that you do not venture into Lesotho without packing your thermal underwear!

Regardless of season, Lesotho can get very cold - we were recently there in early January (midsummer) and got caught up in a major hailstorm, which dropped the temperature within minutes by 20¢ªC. At such altitude, it's difficult to warm up again once you've got cold (especially if you got wet into the bargain), and you really need something dry to change into that will help to conserve your body heat.

Thermal underwear has the virtue of being both toasty warm and packing into virtually no space. In case of emergency, it can be pressed into service as pyjamas, leggings or a T shirt, and is an invaluable addition to your case ... I never travel without mine!

First prize is genuine ski stuff but even standard department store stuff will do (if you're passing through South Africa in winter, look for well priced thermal vests and long johns in Woolworths).

Come equipped with a UV filter for high altitude

Photo Equipment: I will prefix my comments by stating that I am not a photographer's backside and what I know about the technical side of taking pictures could be written on the back of a postage stamp with space to spare ...

However, do yourself a favour and do not venture into a high altitude location such as Lesotho without some sort of UV filter for your camera. For fear of stating the obvious, at altitude, the UV is much stronger than at sea level, and as a result, your photos can suffer as a result of excessive glare.

This is not an expensive piece of equipment, but will make the world of difference to your photos, so consider this an 'essential' rather than a 'luxury'!