My unforgettable Swaneng Hill challenge
Mompoloki Rankgate | Tuesday December 16, 2025 11:30
Even after conquering the mammoth Moshoeshoe Walk in Lesotho, which also involves climbing hills, Swaneng Hill has been my best hike this year.
The Swaneng Hill Challenge was established to promote a healthy lifestyle boost cultural and historical awareness. The hike is scheduled to become an annual affair.
For many years, I admired the beauty of Swaneng Hill from the A14 road. I never imagined I would one day climb it or see the amazing view of Serowe from the top.
The walk started at Durantae Land Gardens, just outside Serowe on the way to Palapye, which is also one of the fastest-growing areas in the Central District.
After all the exciting opening activities, we headed off into the green bushes. Because of the recent rains, the vegetation was fresh and beautiful and we walked carefully, mindful of the danger of green mambas that blend into the bushes. On most hikes, you either bump into snakes or see their tracks, so I wasn’t surprised when I saw a large snake print across the trail. I still have many unanswered questions!
As the sun rose, the light gave us a calming and almost therapeutic feeling. Walking past farmers’ homes reminded me of life at the cattle post - boys waking up early to milk the cows at the kraal while the girls cleaned and prepared the fire for morning tea.
Hiking alone gives time for self-reflection, but sometimes hiking with strangers is even better. I joined members of the Tonota Heritage Walk group, and we shared jokes, stories, and took photos of each other as we tackled the trail together.
We soon reached the 10km mark, where we found the beautiful Gambling Authority gazebos, who were sponsoring the refreshments. We enjoyed our drinks and regained our energy and from there, the flat trail ended - it was time to climb.
Villagers along the way encouraged us, and some exchanged jokes with us. We even met an energetic old man who made us laugh and let us ride his two-wheeled donkey cart. It was my first-time riding or even driving one, and the experience was pure fun.
The real challenge started as we climbed the hill. People were breathing heavily, complaining about groin pain, and slipping here and there. I also slipped at one point, but luckily a fellow hiker caught me. The view of Serowe from above was breath-taking and gave us the motivation to keep going. It reminded me of one South African content creator by the name of Bongaz who once said, “It’s a WOW.”
A group ahead of us made the hike more entertaining by imitating soldier salutes, and we responded with laughter. We passed church shrines and even saw clothes, plates, and what looked like someone's car number plates lying around. Soon we reached the famous beautifully cut rocks where the Bangwato paramount chief once took photos.
Then came the toughest part; descending. The walk back down was slippery, and every step had to be taken carefully to avoid injuries. My music box playing as we sang along, made the challenge a little easier. Before long, we were at the bottom of Swaneng Hill, relieved and happy, especially those of us limping from groin pains and blisters.
A few more kilometres and we were back at the base.
We had conquered the beautiful Swaneng Hill Challenge, a hike that was exhilarating, beautiful, amazing, majestic, simple, and yet truly challenging.