No Skiing at Afriski this Winter

The sole ski area in Lesotho says it will be open this winter but won’t offer skiing or snowboarding.

In an online statement the centre posted, “We regret to inform you that Afriski’s ski slopes will not be open for the Winter 2023 season. This is the first time since 2009 that Afriski is not able to provide a winter adventure.”

No explanation for the decision was given but various separate press and online statements included problems the centre faced with local police and Lesotho government departments and with its electricity supply being adequate for its needs this winter.

Afriski is one of two small commercial ski areas in southern Africa, the only continent with ski resorts in both the southern and northern hemispheres.

The other area, Tiffindell in South Africa, has not operated for the past three seasons through the pandemic. There were reports last year that it might reopen for winter 2023 later this year, but its operators current plans are unknown.

Both ski areas rely heavily on snowmaking, creating runs up to a kilometre in length for ski seasons of up to 3 months from early June to late August.

Thanks to their altitude and usually reliable cool winter temperatures with overnight lows below freezing, the snow thaws slowly and can be topped up overnight. Both also receive some natural snowfall and occasionally heavy falls, but rarely enough to allow a reliable ski season on natural snow alone.