Qacha's Nek

Qacha's Nek is, since 1888, the capital city or camptown of Qacha's Nek District in Lesotho, only two kilometers from the South African border at 1 980 meter above sea level. It has a population of approximately 8 000 (2004). It is home to Machabeng Government Hospital, one of the two hospitals in the district (the other being the Lesotho Evangelical Church's Tebellong Hospital, which is about 40 km away, across the Orange River). The town is home to Lesotho's first and only Snake Park, which is conveniently situated at the foot of the historic Letloepe hill/rock formation, where the cave of Qacha, the son of Baphuthi's Chief Moorosi and after whom the town is named, is situated. ("Letloepe" means the cobra's defensive hood, and is the alternative name for Qacha's Nek). The locality may be the only place in Africa where California's Redwood trees grow (the area is visible on the photo, the right-hand side of the hill with trees, which is Letloepe hill itself). As one enters the town from Maseru (1 km from the road in the picture), one can see the famous lefika-motho ("man-rock"), which looks like a man's head with a cap on. There are several spots where San paintings can still be found. The Sehlabathebe National Park, home of the Sehlabathebe Water Lily, is about 2.5 hours away by gravel road. The people of Qacha's Nek are called "Melele" (Wanderers), and the colours of the place / district are maroon and white. Other than Sesotho and English, people speak Xhosa and Sephuthi.