At a Glance
- Kome Caves emerge as top cultural tourism site in Lesotho, attracting 2026 Southern Africa travel demand.
- Historic Basotho cave dwellings are still inhabited, offering rare living heritage experience beyond wildlife tourism.
- Community-led tours and sustainable travel drive growing interest from culture-focused global travelers.
Kome Caves, set into the sandstone cliffs of Lesotho’s Berea District, are drawing fresh attention from travelers looking beyond the region’s better-known stops. Once little known outside the country, the caves are now finding a place on travel lists for 2026, appealing to visitors interested in history, landscape and everyday life in the highlands.
The site offers something rare in Southern Africa’s tourism mix: a place where people still live within a historic setting shaped by both nature and human need.
Where history still lives
What sets the Kome Caves apart is the way nature and daily life meet. The caves are not only shaped by erosion and time; they are rock dwellings carved beneath natural overhangs by the Basotho people in the 19th century. Built as shelter during periods of conflict and hardship, several of the caves remain occupied today.
That continuity gives the site a rare sense of immediacy. Visitors are not walking through a sealed-off monument but into a place where history is still part of everyday routine.
Sandstone walls bear the marks of human use, while the surrounding cliffs frame wide views of the valleys below.
Culture over spectacle
Travelers increasingly say they want places that feel real, and Kome fits that bill. Tours are led by local residents who explain how the caves were built, how families lived in them, and why they remain important to Basotho identity. Stories are passed along in a direct, conversational way, offering context that guidebooks often miss.
The appeal lies less in grand displays and more in connection. There are no large visitor centers or polished attractions. Instead, guests spend time listening, walking and observing, an approach that resonates with travelers seeking substance rather than speed.
Growing interest in 2026
Interest in the caves has grown alongside a broader shift toward cultural travel across Southern Africa. While wildlife tourism remains strong in countries such as South Africa and Botswana, more visitors are adding heritage sites to their plans.
Photos and firsthand accounts shared online have helped bring Kome to wider attention, often through personal travel blogs rather than marketing campaigns.
That word-of-mouth growth has made the caves a regular feature on regional itineraries, particularly for travelers passing between Lesotho and South Africa.
Protecting a fragile site
As visitor numbers rise, local authorities and community leaders are focused on keeping the site intact. Efforts are centered on limiting damage to the rock structures and ensuring tourism supports, rather than disrupts, daily life. Controlled access and community-led tours are key parts of that approach.
Beyond the caves, the surrounding highlands offer walking trails, birdlife and views that encourage longer stays and spread visitor activity across the area.
A meaningful stop along the way
A visit to Kome is often paired with time in nearby villages, where travelers sample Basotho food, crafts and music. Together, these experiences offer more than a brief stop for photos. They provide a deeper look at a country that is often passed through rather than explored.
For travelers willing to slow down, the Kome Caves offer something increasingly rare: a place where landscape, history and present-day life are closely linked, and where the story continues long after the visit ends.
