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.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
119 reviews
Excellent
60
Very good
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6
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1
Terrible
1
Gideon Ellis
Clarens, South Africa285 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.
Kita Ki
3 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.
Winnie M
1 contribution
Dec 2022
the mountainsare very beautiful and scary that i ende returning back along the way before the dam at a place called Pitseng
Written 11 January 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 Africa86 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.
Worthwhile Tours & Adventure
Pitseng, Lesotho1 contribution
Jan 2022 • Friends
This is one of the beautiful dams I have ever seen in Lesotho. The beauty of the dam and the sorounding mountains provide the best scenery
Written 8 March 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.
Jurgen B
Brussels, Belgium2,848 contributions
Nov 2021
We did not go into the construction but saw it from all around. Beautiful, but not a must in this country i would say
Written 16 November 2021
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.
Nomthandazo Chala
Durban, South Africa29 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
I loved the breathtaking views and scenery of the drive to Katse Dam through Mafika Lisiu Pass right up Katse Botanical Gardens, the highest botanical garden in southern hemisphere. The views of the waterfalls dripping down from the mountain tops are out of this world. Though there are falling rocks here and there and constant reminders about keeping in low gear, the road condition is great. It's an exciting but scary drive, unforgettable experience indeed. If you're lucky enough you may come across Sotho women from initiation scheduled and they will perform some nice traditional songs and dance for your entertainment. Please do leave a little token of appreciation for them. The Katse Dam itself is huge and it also supplies water to South Africa. It is a concrete arch dam on the Malibamat'so River and is Africa's second largest double-curvature arch dam whilst being Africa's highest dam. The tour of the dam will provide you with great information.
Written 16 February 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.
Marc Derveeuw
Ostend, Belgium413 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.
Paresh Mahara
Durban, South Africa18 contributions
Sep 2019 • Friends
Great joint venture and dam supplying water to SA and Lesotho. Tours inside dam was informative but would help if they sold bottled water and little tokens.
Great tourism potential but a long drive to get there and not great accomodation nearby
Great tourism potential but a long drive to get there and not great accomodation nearby
Written 9 December 2019
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.
Morgan M
Kampala, Uganda12 contributions
Oct 2019 • Business
The views seem as though they from a post card or movie of sorts. One of those experiences that are difficult to explain and you only hope for your people to experience them as well.
Written 18 October 2019
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?
No, it's fully operational, infact; come by and witness the overflow
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.
Sion W
8 contributions
Yes by the Kate's lodge looked ok
Stoney S
Stellenberg, Western Cape, South Africa2 contributions
Would like to know if there are picnic / braai facilities at the Katse dam. We will be day visitors.
Stoney S
Stellenberg, Western Cape, South Africa2 contributions
Would like to know if there are picnic / braai facilities at the Katse dam. We will be day visitors.
lfrauenstein
Johannesburg, South Africa80 contributions
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.
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.
Baile T
7 contributions
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.
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