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City guide

Maseru

Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District.

Type CityPopulation 330,760

Why go

  • Capital and largest city of Lesotho.
  • Served by Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU).

History

Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the country became a British protectorate in 1869. When the country achieved independence in 1966, Maseru retained its status as capital. The name of the city is a Sesotho word meaning "red sandstones".

Airports

Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) 18 km to the centre
Maseru(Mazenod), A, LS — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 1 airline (South African Airways) · direct flights to 1 destination incl. Johannesburg (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 1 direct destination

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Ficksburg Sentraoes Airport (FCB) 68 km to the centre
Ficksburg, FS, ZA — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Mafeteng Airport (MFC) 59 km to the centre
Mafeteng, E, LS — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Leribe Airport (LRB) 75 km to the centre
Leribe, C, LS — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Ladybrand Airfield 15 km to the centre
Ladybrand, FS, ZA
Outdoor
Monte Carlo Airport 57 km to the centre
Monte Carlo, FS, ZA
Outdoor

Where things are

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Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
October – March

The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.

Shoulder season
April – May, September

Milder and quieter, with better value.

Worth avoiding
June – August

The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU); 9 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MSU has direct flights to 1 destination on 1 airline (incl. Johannesburg).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Maseru. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.