Katse Dam
Katse Dam
4.5
About
The Katse dam, in the Lesotho Highlands, is one of the most spectacular water features in the country. Located on the Malibamatso River, this dam was completed in 1997 and is central to the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The dam is second in size in Africa to Ghana’s Lake Volta and Akosombo Dam. The impressive dam wall is 185m high, 700m long and contains 92 000 cubic metres of concrete.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
119 reviews
Excellent
60
Very good
51
Average
6
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1
Terrible
1
Kita Ki
Pretoria, South Africa4 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
Katse dam bucket list checked! We are glad we used Maluti Tours who made it an unforgettable experience as they know all the unmarked turn off roads and passes and we could sit back and enjoyed the breath-taking scenery. Motebong lodge was basic, but very clean and the dinner was marvellous. The visit at the Katse Botanical Gardens was very interesting. The Katse dam itself is an engineering masterpiece and although the dam wall tour was a bit disappointing, it was still worth the while. This is a highly recommended tour!
Written 25 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dassennaidoo
Johannesburg, South Africa105 contributions
Dec 2022 • Friends
What a road trip to Lesotho. Entrance was via Caledonspoort Border post . This was seamless. The road to our lodge was unmarked and you need a gps. Motebong lodge was very basic as this was once used by the engineers and workers who built the dam. The Katse dam is an engineering marvel. It is best to go down and into the dam wall with a guide. It’s truly an awesome experience. The new road infrastructure into the mountains was really good and reached a peak of 3200m above sea level. We left Lesotho via a dirt road where a new dam is being constructed and left Lesotho via Sani Pass border. Great off road experience. Definitely worth a visit .
Written 27 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marc Derveeuw
Ostend, Belgium404 contributions
Jan 2020
The dam is the oldest of the three dams in Lesotho. Impressive! The dam can be visited in several ways, by just walking around, following some of the trails, or even take a trip on one of the boats. Go to the information center for clarity. Passage over the dam is closed by 5:00 PM. The hotel and lodge has seen its best times, but still acceptable standards with even possibility for camping. There is a project to restructure the whole setup. You have not been to Lesotho without visiting this dam.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Syncro22
Bethlehem, South Africa8 contributions
Mar 2013 • Business
We are a Tour Operator making frequent visits to Katse Dam from Clarens in the Eastern Free State. We always enjoy our visitors reaction on this tour as we climb the three mountain passes in order to reach the Dam, the scenery is totally breath-taking, often we find ourselves above the clouds as we negotiate the Passes. The Bokong Region stretches from the Nature Reserve of the same name beyond the Katse Dam itself. The only place to stay is Katse Lodge, it is ideal for the traveller with comfortable accommodation and the most helpful staff members. They also serve the best trout dishes we have ever come across. There is a tour which takes the visitor inside the Dam Wall itself, a very knowledgeable guide takes the group through and discusses how everything works, at the end of the tour you may be able to go outside on top of the Dam Wall for the most awesome view ever! There are hiking trails in the area and a beautiful Botanical Garden in a natural setting overlooking the Dam. The Gardens are home to the many indigenous plants which had to be removed when the Dam was under construction...they only thrive at the high altitude of the Dam and would quite possibly have been lost had steps not been taken to ensure they had a new home There are boat rides on the Dam (based on sufficient passenger numbers to make it worth while to the operators) so one can expect that the boat doesn't go out everyday. Our guests enjoy a relaxing drink on the deck at the Lodge, the views are stunning and the feeling of peace and quiet begins to sink into to our otherwise busy minds. The road up to Katse from the South African border nearest to Clarens begins with the busy little town of Buthe Buthe where the local people trade their wares, you will find chickens and small livestock, fruit, veg and clothing all for sale at the side of the road...traffic slows to crawling pace as the local inhabitants, taxi drivers and business people jostle for space. Once clear of the town the next village is where we turn for the mountain passes and from here on it is just gorgeous scenery all the way...as you approach the Dam you keep having glimpses of water and mountains as the road twists and turns along the route...eventually you arrive and the magnitude of the whole construction makes you feel so small...you will be able to research Katse Dam on the internet and learn all the specs and see beautiful photos of the area....a trip totally worth while. Remember travelling in Lesotho is not measured in km but in hours...hazards on the roads are so very different from driving in South Africa and the tourist must always read up on local road conditions before heading for the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. This is a stunning destination and the more one learns, the more appealing a visit becomes.
Written 2 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carine R
Johannesburg, South Africa21 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
Sundowners on the Katse Lodge stoep had a great view. Bal headed ibises flying past was a bonus. There were two groups of people so the lodge was fully booked. Luckily we had camping gear with us, so we camped at the camping site above the dam wall - safe, and with hot water. Katse Lodge staff friendly and took a la carte orders even though they prepared a dinner buffet for the 2 groups.
Written 23 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ollie-and-Jess
Bristol, UK28 contributions
Dec 2013 • Couples
am, 1Went on the Dam tour on Christmas morning. Very interesting learning about the structure and seeing inside. The information center was also informative. The guide spoke good English and was very happy to answer all our questions.
Tours seem to start at 9am, 11am and 2pm from the information center (blue roof building about km before Katse village). Costs R10 pp.
Tours seem to start at 9am, 11am and 2pm from the information center (blue roof building about km before Katse village). Costs R10 pp.
Written 5 January 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tebogo m
7 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
The people are friendly and the view of Katse Dam from the lodge is spectacular. What I was disgusted about is that on two occasions. 1st incidence happened in the afternoon when asked for a whiskey glass at the bar and the barman reached for a glass only to bring out a glass so dirty even a blind person would've seen it.
2nd incidence I had to use the wine glass which was on the table and it was dirty. I asked our waitress to get me a clean glass and I waited for about 10 minutes if not more, I got up from our table and went to unoccupied table to find a clean glass so that I can have drink. After eating our meal we wanted dessert and our waitress was just standing there idling not checking on us to see we needed something. Eventually I said to my husband we must go to our room and only now the waitress could give us attention because she wanted us to sign.
When we getting ready for bed there was crumbs on the bed from the rusks we had in the morning, mind you there was a lady who made our bed.
Katse lodge is going down mainly because of maintenance, it is not being maintenaned. I doubt the capabilities of the manager.
2nd incidence I had to use the wine glass which was on the table and it was dirty. I asked our waitress to get me a clean glass and I waited for about 10 minutes if not more, I got up from our table and went to unoccupied table to find a clean glass so that I can have drink. After eating our meal we wanted dessert and our waitress was just standing there idling not checking on us to see we needed something. Eventually I said to my husband we must go to our room and only now the waitress could give us attention because she wanted us to sign.
When we getting ready for bed there was crumbs on the bed from the rusks we had in the morning, mind you there was a lady who made our bed.
Katse lodge is going down mainly because of maintenance, it is not being maintenaned. I doubt the capabilities of the manager.
Written 16 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PurpleHaye5
Frodsham, UK47 contributions
Mar 2015 • Solo
I took a day trip from Clarens to the Dam - fantastic journey and superb scenery, especially when you are in the heart of the mountains.
Border crossing at Caledonspoort was easy and painless, a short queue so through in about 15 mins - just the 30R road tax to pay on entry to Lesotho. Good roads all the way, only one or two potholes when crossing the Mafika Lisiu pass. Don't expect much in the way of tourist facilities between the border and the dam, I only saw one petrol station so set off with a full tank - but the unspoilt beauty is part of the attraction!
I travelled on a Saturday and met very few other cars - although lots of locals, especially the youngsters who are expecting to be provided with sweets from the tourists.
It's quite a long drive for a day trip but well worth it when you get into the mountains
Border crossing at Caledonspoort was easy and painless, a short queue so through in about 15 mins - just the 30R road tax to pay on entry to Lesotho. Good roads all the way, only one or two potholes when crossing the Mafika Lisiu pass. Don't expect much in the way of tourist facilities between the border and the dam, I only saw one petrol station so set off with a full tank - but the unspoilt beauty is part of the attraction!
I travelled on a Saturday and met very few other cars - although lots of locals, especially the youngsters who are expecting to be provided with sweets from the tourists.
It's quite a long drive for a day trip but well worth it when you get into the mountains
Written 30 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
trickbag2016
Johannesburg, South Africa7 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
I would urge you to visit Lesotho and take a drive to Katse Dam in Maseru. The dam itself is not spectacular but the drive to the dam and the scenery on the way will take your breath away. Its amazing and worth seeing.
Written 6 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gideon Ellis
Clarens, South Africa258 contributions
Apr 2023
The Katse Dam in Lesotho is HUGE! It is much bigger than I ever could have imagined.
I knew that the Katse Dam, in its day the engineering project of the decade, was an enormous undertaking. But today, here where I am actually standing next to the dam and looking at the massive dam wall (the highest in Africa) and the deep lake it has created in the mountains, I realised that the surface of the mass of water that I see here is only a minute part of this construction achievement of what is known as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
The LHWP transfers water from the Lesotho Highlands via an incredible network of dams and tunnels to eventually release the water at the As River outfall, just outside Clarens in the Free State Province of South Africa.
Water from the Katse dam is transferred by a 4 m diameter tunnel over a distance of 45 km to the Muela hydropower station and dam. Muela’s high elevation allows a gravity flow water delivery system to South Africa to be released at the As River outfall.
From the As River outfall in the Free State, water flows along the Liebenbergsvlei River and into the Wilge River and finally into the Vaal Dam. From there, water is transferred to the Gauteng Metropolis of Soweto, Johannesburg and Pretoria, supplementing the water supply of South Africa’s industrial heartland in the Witwatersrand.
When completed, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will eventually include five large dams in remote rural areas of Lesotho. It is easy to understand why in the 1990’s when this was under construction, this was the biggest engineering project in the southern hemisphere. The Katse Dam is a crucial part (the back-bone) of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The extent of the Katse Dam project is impressive and simply fascinating leaving me speechless!
We visited the Katse Dam in Lesotho during the end of April 2023. Departing from Clarens, we cleared customs at Caledonspoort 9 km outside Fouriesburg. Once inside Lesotho, we had to pay toll gate fees but since Lesotho is included in the Common Monetary Area with South Africa, SA rand was accepted.
We travelled towards Butha-Buthe and then Hlotse, the headquarters of the Leribe district, where we left the A1 and turned onto the A8. This is a very scenic road and we passed many small villages on our way to Katse. However, the tarred road between Hlotse and Pitseng was not in a good condition and we had to drive cautiously through many dangerous potholes.
From Pitseng, a fairly big town at the foot of the Maloti Mountains, we continued on the A8 towards Lejone. Being our first time in Lesotho, we stopped many times to take pictures and to enjoy the breath-taking nature of the mountains of the country. The one view-point not to be missed, is the viewpoint on the top of the Mafika Lisiu pass (3090 m). This allows magnificent and spectacular views of the Maloti Mountains and the close-by Bokong Nature Reserve. Stunning and unbelievable!
We stopped to chat with a herd boy next to the road He was on his way to his home in a tiny village not far from where we met him. He was friendly and agreed for us to take a picture of him in his traditional clothes which included a blanket and gum-boots. Basotho men wearing gum-boots dates back to the fact that many of them are migrant mine workers in South Africa.
From Lejone it was already possible to see some of the waters of the Katse Dam. We also saw some fish-farms in the dam.
As we continued our journey in a southern direction, the road staying close to the Malibamatso River and the dam, we reached Mamohau. A long concrete bridge crosses the dam from the western side and took us to Mphorosane, on the eastern side of the dam.
We drove in breath-taking beautiful nature, passing many small villages and people.
We continued on the A8 to Seshote, which lies more inland from the dam. Continuing southwards, we left the Leribe district and entered the Thaba-Tseka district. We were now very close to where the Katse Dam wall was constructed in the Malibamat’so River in the Lesotho Highlands.
And then we arrived at the site where the dam wall of the magnificent Katse Dam was constructed! Katse Dam is one of the most spectacular, if not the most spectacular, of all water features in Lesotho.
The Katse Dam is an arch-dam constructed from concrete. The dam was constructed in the Malibamat’so River in Lesotho just below the confluence of the Bokong River. The Bokong River forms the western arm of the Katse reservoir. Katse is at an elevation of 1 993 m above sea level making it the highest elevation dam in Africa.
The dam wall is a double-curved arch; it curves from side-to-side as well as from top-to-bottom. The wall is 185 m high (second tallest in Africa), 60 m wide at the base and 9 m wide at top. Length of the wall is 710 m.
Katse dam is one of only 30 double-curved concrete arch dam walls in the world. Katse is the second largest double-curvature arch-dam in Africa. Katse is also one of the world’s ten largest concrete arch-dams in terms of volume.
A moveable joint in the dam’s base allows it to flex and the dam’s behaviour is monitored by precision laser instruments inside the dam wall.
Using 2.32 million cubic metres of concrete, the wall was built over a period of six years. During the construction phase, every 40 minutes a truckload of cement and fly ash, transported by road from Ficksburg, was delivered.
Katse dam has a capacity of 1.95 billion cubic metres and a surface area of 38.5 square kilometres.
The dam was completed in 1996 and the reservoir filled with water by 1997. Water delivery officially began on 22 January 1998. The dam currently supplies about 30 cubic metres per second of water to South Africa. The total cost of the project was US$8 billion.
During our visit to Katse Dam, the Visitor’s Centre was closed and the Katse Village was also not accessible due to maintenance work being in progress.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we did not do the Katse Dam Wall tour to get to the inside of the dam wall, nor the Botanical Garden tour.
I knew that the Katse Dam, in its day the engineering project of the decade, was an enormous undertaking. But today, here where I am actually standing next to the dam and looking at the massive dam wall (the highest in Africa) and the deep lake it has created in the mountains, I realised that the surface of the mass of water that I see here is only a minute part of this construction achievement of what is known as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
The LHWP transfers water from the Lesotho Highlands via an incredible network of dams and tunnels to eventually release the water at the As River outfall, just outside Clarens in the Free State Province of South Africa.
Water from the Katse dam is transferred by a 4 m diameter tunnel over a distance of 45 km to the Muela hydropower station and dam. Muela’s high elevation allows a gravity flow water delivery system to South Africa to be released at the As River outfall.
From the As River outfall in the Free State, water flows along the Liebenbergsvlei River and into the Wilge River and finally into the Vaal Dam. From there, water is transferred to the Gauteng Metropolis of Soweto, Johannesburg and Pretoria, supplementing the water supply of South Africa’s industrial heartland in the Witwatersrand.
When completed, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project will eventually include five large dams in remote rural areas of Lesotho. It is easy to understand why in the 1990’s when this was under construction, this was the biggest engineering project in the southern hemisphere. The Katse Dam is a crucial part (the back-bone) of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. The extent of the Katse Dam project is impressive and simply fascinating leaving me speechless!
We visited the Katse Dam in Lesotho during the end of April 2023. Departing from Clarens, we cleared customs at Caledonspoort 9 km outside Fouriesburg. Once inside Lesotho, we had to pay toll gate fees but since Lesotho is included in the Common Monetary Area with South Africa, SA rand was accepted.
We travelled towards Butha-Buthe and then Hlotse, the headquarters of the Leribe district, where we left the A1 and turned onto the A8. This is a very scenic road and we passed many small villages on our way to Katse. However, the tarred road between Hlotse and Pitseng was not in a good condition and we had to drive cautiously through many dangerous potholes.
From Pitseng, a fairly big town at the foot of the Maloti Mountains, we continued on the A8 towards Lejone. Being our first time in Lesotho, we stopped many times to take pictures and to enjoy the breath-taking nature of the mountains of the country. The one view-point not to be missed, is the viewpoint on the top of the Mafika Lisiu pass (3090 m). This allows magnificent and spectacular views of the Maloti Mountains and the close-by Bokong Nature Reserve. Stunning and unbelievable!
We stopped to chat with a herd boy next to the road He was on his way to his home in a tiny village not far from where we met him. He was friendly and agreed for us to take a picture of him in his traditional clothes which included a blanket and gum-boots. Basotho men wearing gum-boots dates back to the fact that many of them are migrant mine workers in South Africa.
From Lejone it was already possible to see some of the waters of the Katse Dam. We also saw some fish-farms in the dam.
As we continued our journey in a southern direction, the road staying close to the Malibamatso River and the dam, we reached Mamohau. A long concrete bridge crosses the dam from the western side and took us to Mphorosane, on the eastern side of the dam.
We drove in breath-taking beautiful nature, passing many small villages and people.
We continued on the A8 to Seshote, which lies more inland from the dam. Continuing southwards, we left the Leribe district and entered the Thaba-Tseka district. We were now very close to where the Katse Dam wall was constructed in the Malibamat’so River in the Lesotho Highlands.
And then we arrived at the site where the dam wall of the magnificent Katse Dam was constructed! Katse Dam is one of the most spectacular, if not the most spectacular, of all water features in Lesotho.
The Katse Dam is an arch-dam constructed from concrete. The dam was constructed in the Malibamat’so River in Lesotho just below the confluence of the Bokong River. The Bokong River forms the western arm of the Katse reservoir. Katse is at an elevation of 1 993 m above sea level making it the highest elevation dam in Africa.
The dam wall is a double-curved arch; it curves from side-to-side as well as from top-to-bottom. The wall is 185 m high (second tallest in Africa), 60 m wide at the base and 9 m wide at top. Length of the wall is 710 m.
Katse dam is one of only 30 double-curved concrete arch dam walls in the world. Katse is the second largest double-curvature arch-dam in Africa. Katse is also one of the world’s ten largest concrete arch-dams in terms of volume.
A moveable joint in the dam’s base allows it to flex and the dam’s behaviour is monitored by precision laser instruments inside the dam wall.
Using 2.32 million cubic metres of concrete, the wall was built over a period of six years. During the construction phase, every 40 minutes a truckload of cement and fly ash, transported by road from Ficksburg, was delivered.
Katse dam has a capacity of 1.95 billion cubic metres and a surface area of 38.5 square kilometres.
The dam was completed in 1996 and the reservoir filled with water by 1997. Water delivery officially began on 22 January 1998. The dam currently supplies about 30 cubic metres per second of water to South Africa. The total cost of the project was US$8 billion.
During our visit to Katse Dam, the Visitor’s Centre was closed and the Katse Village was also not accessible due to maintenance work being in progress.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we did not do the Katse Dam Wall tour to get to the inside of the dam wall, nor the Botanical Garden tour.
Written 22 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi All.
Seems like Katse Dam Lodge closed down?
We are planning a trip from Sani Pass to Semonkong and then to Katse Dam. Starting via A3, A1 and then A25.
Where can we stay or camp along this route? How is Motebong? I see the reviews are up down?
Does anyone else have a suggestion for places to stay along the above route from Day 1 until the end.
Also can anyone confirm Covid-19 border regulations that we need to do before leaving and also returning?
Written 9 November 2021
Hi. Does anyone know if the Katse Dam daily tour will still be happening during the 60 day maintenance shutdown? And if it is, the degree to which it would still be worthwhile?
Written 6 October 2019
Pajero_Mike
Randburg, South Africa
Hi all, going to Katse Dam via Sani Pass in December 2018. Will be overlanding and would like to know if there is any camping/campsites @ Katse Dam.
Written 15 August 2018
Would like to know if there are picnic / braai facilities at the Katse dam. We will be day visitors.
Written 12 March 2018
Would like to know if there are picnic / braai facilities at the Katse dam. We will be day visitors.
Written 12 March 2018
Goodday to you,
There were no facilities at the Visitor Centre because we wanted to have a snack so we had a bite in the parking area.
Written 26 March 2018
Hi, we are
travelling from Ficksberg, to Katsie dam, what does it cost to cross into Lesotho from SA,and what time are the tours.
Written 24 October 2016
hi John, there is no cost for crossing into Lesotho for South Africans. i am not sure about other countries passport holders.
the Katse Dam tour starts at 10 or 11am. not sure most probably 11. the cost is R10.00 per person for the tour.
Written 26 October 2016
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