Lesotho is taking a different route to showcase its royal heritage, through virtual reality, using a new 360-degree immersive experience, Kings of Lesotho – The Royal Succession Story, which transports audiences through almost two centuries of Basotho history while offering a virtual glimpse of the landscapes and heritage sites that define the Mountain Kingdom.
The experience begins at Thaba-Bosiu, the historic stronghold of King Moshoeshoe I and a site closely associated with the founding of the Basotho nation in 1824.
From there, viewers are taken on a journey through places including Menkhoaneng, Matsieng, Likhoele, Mokhotlong, the Kome Caves, Katse Dam, ’Maletsunyane Falls, Makeneng, Phamong and Makoanyane Square in Maseru.
The experience also introduces audiences to the monarchs who have shaped Lesotho’s royal succession, leading to the current King Letsie III.
Rather than simply viewing photographs or reading about these locations, audiences experience the journey through a VR headset.
Footage from the project shows a participant wearing the headset as the virtual landscape unfolds around him, offering a glimpse into how the experience is designed to make history feel less distant and more immediate.
More than a history lesson
While the project is rooted in heritage preservation, its ability to showcase Lesotho’s landscapes could give it another purpose: tourism. For potential visitors who have never travelled to Lesotho, the virtual experience offers an introduction to the country’s scenery, cultural identity and historical sites.
It cannot replace physically visiting the Mountain Kingdom, but it can provide a digital first look at what awaits. That could be particularly significant as tourism destinations increasingly compete for the attention of travellers who discover places through digital content before deciding where to go.
The project’s organisers hope the technology will create a deeper connection with Lesotho’s heritage rather than simply turn history into entertainment. Project lead Mokhethi Phohlo of MP Multimedia said the technology is intended to honour the country’s heritage rather than replace it.
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MP Multimedia, a Lesotho creative-media company specialising in multimedia production and immersive visual experiences, developed and produced the VR experience. The company worked with the Royal Archives, Museum and Information Centre, which provided historical archival material for the project.
Royal Archives project lead Maneo Ralebitso says the collaboration allows stories preserved in archives to be presented in a contemporary format while remaining grounded in the historical record.
Taking Lesotho beyond the screen
The project also raises an interesting possibility for tourism: whether experiencing a destination virtually can encourage people to visit it physically. The VR journey places Lesotho’s royal history alongside its landscapes, creating a narrative in which the places themselves become part of the story.
A viewer might encounter Thaba-Bosiu through the virtual experience, for example, and subsequently become curious about visiting the historic site in person.
The same applies to locations such as ’Maletsunyane Falls’, ‘Katse Dam’ and the Kome Caves. In that sense, the technology could work less as a substitute for tourism and more as a gateway to it.
The experience launches at the Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Maseru on Thursday, 17 September, in the presence of King Letsie III, members of the Royal Family and invited guests.
It will then be available to the public for free at the Alliance Française de Maseru from 23 September to 4 December, with free touring exhibitions also planned at selected locations across Lesotho.
The project forms part of Futures_Past: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies, an initiative of the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi and the French Institute of South Africa, in partnership with Electric South.
The wider initiative brings together artists, archives and immersive technology to explore new ways of experiencing Southern African histories.
For Lesotho, the real test may come when visitors remove the headset. If the virtual journey leaves them wanting to stand at Thaba-Bosiu, see ’Maletsunyane Falls or explore the kingdom’s landscapes for themselves, then the technology will have achieved something beyond preserving the past. It may have helped sell a destination by allowing people to experience a taste of it before they ever set foot there.
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- Lesotho has launched a 360-degree virtual reality experience called Kings of Lesotho – The Royal Succession Story, showcasing nearly two centuries of Basotho history and the country's heritage sites.
- The virtual journey starts at Thaba-Bosiu and includes locations such as Menkhoaneng, Matsieng, Likhoele, Mokhotlong, Kome Caves, Katse Dam, ’Maletsunyane Falls, Makeneng, Phamong, and Makoanyane Square.
- The project was developed by MP Multimedia in collaboration with the Royal Archives, Museum and Information Centre, using historical archival material.
- The VR experience aims to honor Lesotho’s heritage and serve as a digital introduction to the country’s culture and landscapes, potentially promoting tourism.
- The experience launched at the Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Maseru on 17 September and will be publicly available for free at the Alliance Française de Maseru from 23 September to 4 December.
