Lesotho eSIM

Lesotho is a separate country from South Africa even though it sits inside it, so a plan whose country list says South Africa only does not include Lesotho. Always read the country list before you buy, or pick a regional plan that names Lesotho explicitly — that is safer than assuming from the map that the two behave as one market.

Sani Pass is a steep gravel climb that needs a 4x4, and coverage along it comes and goes. Download the whole route offline, check the forecast before you start because fog and snow can close the pass, and tell the lodge at the top roughly when you are coming up, so someone knows your plan if you are out of contact on the climb.

Harder, but striking: this is one of the few places in southern Africa with real snow and a small ski area. Between June and August highland temperatures drop below freezing, and some roads become slippery or close. Drive in daylight only, pack genuinely warm clothing, and allow more time than your navigation app suggests for mountain sections.

Most plans here start when the phone first connects to a network at the destination, so you can install in advance at home and switch it on after landing. Each plan page states its own rule.

No. The eSIM is a second line, so you keep your home number for SMS OTP. Turn off roaming data on the home line and set the eSIM as the data line.