Camping picnic for tourism lovers

’MAPALO NKHELOANE

MASERU – In an attempt to promote tourism in Lesotho while having fun on the side, four Basotho men: Thapelo Ntsane, Liketso Mosala, Montoeli Moleli, and Lebenya Makakole in partnership with Econet plan on hosting a festival called Africa Picnic and Camping (APICA) at the Ramabanta Trading Post on March 1-3.

The festival was first initiated in in 2017 with a weekend camping at Ha Mofoka Mountain Peak and it featured performances by the likes of Mango Groove and Apolo Ntabanyane.

Ntsane points out that the turn-up was not much of a success as the festival had only just been introduced but they opted not to giving up.

This year the three day-long festival aims to among many promote tourism in Lesotho, familiarise Basotho with camping for most of them still have a mentality that the activity is reserved for certain individuals only.

Ntsane indicates that the plan is to host the festival several times in a year rotating places.

He further shows that the festival’s target audience is all Africans hence its name; Africa Picnic and Camping and in the future the festival shall rotate among all African countries starting with Lesotho’s neighbour – South Africa.

The festival promises activities such as horse riding, quad riding and other outdoor games. Even though the festival shall be graced by several local and international music performances, Ntsane emphasises that that it is not a music festival but a camping and picnic festival therefore music is just extra bonus to keep people lively.

The international line-up therefore comprises of Nathi and Beatenberg while the local one includes the likes of Ts’epo Ts’ola, Maleh, Sir Schaba and Zagro Djs.

Ntsane says Basotho’s safety is their priority hence they have partnered with safety and medical departments to secure the well-being of people who shall make it to the event.

“I therefore urge people to bring along things like camp chairs, blankets, solar lights, camping tents, cooler boxes and all that is needed so that they could experience fun that is out of this world,” Ntsane says.