Few landscapes are as bare as these. In the highlands of northern Lesotho, there are almost no trees, because centuries of grazing and the cold climate have left the hills covered in grass, with rocks, streams and gullies cut into the hillsides, and the Mahlasela Pass climbs over this bare country in a series of long curves. The view from the top reaches across layer after layer of ridge, each paler than the last, until the horizon fades into haze.
The rock is basalt, the remains of enormous lava flows that poured out of the earth about a hundred and eighty million years ago and piled up to form the Maloti and the Drakensberg. Erosion has cut this basalt into stepped slopes and steep cliffs, and streams fed by snow and summer storms run through narrow valleys. This is the source of much of southern Africa's water, and the rivers that begin here flow toward the Indian and Atlantic oceans, which is the basis of the dams and tunnels that make Lesotho one of the continent's biggest water exporters.
On a motorbike, the ride is both rewarding and tiring. The road surface varies, with some good sections and others with broken edges, and the climbs and descents are long, so brakes and tyres get a workout. Mist, hail and rain can arrive suddenly, and the wind on the ridges is cold and sharp, so allow extra time and keep fuel and water in reserve. Shepherds with flocks and the occasional horseman give the road a human scale, and there is little traffic apart from minibus taxis, which stop without warning.
Phuthaditjhaba, about twenty-nine kilometres away, is the nearest town of any size and the place for fuel and supplies, and there is little in the hills apart from scattered villages with small shops. Take your passport and the papers for your bike, as the border posts take time, and carry cash in small notes. In winter, snow and ice make the pass a serious proposition, so spring and autumn are better, and the clear air and long light make for some of the finest riding in southern Africa. Set off early and aim to be off the high ground before the afternoon storms.