Mini Vaca: Katse Dam

After school ended, I visited some friends (Zeke, Sarah, and Brendan) and we went to Katse Dam – the largest dam in Lesotho and a tourist location. We stayed at the Katse Lodge (more like dorm rooms) where the big draw is their trout burgers (the smoked trout and poached trout were also amazing). We were there for two nights so we got an entire day to explore and be tourists!

The first part of the day started out with a slight let down – we couldn’t go on the 9am tour of the dam because we didn’t have a car. There was another tour at 2pm so we just walked around and explored.

Katse Dam – beautiful from every angle

A sign off the side of the road read “Highlands Trout” so we followed the sign and made it to the building.

Me, Brendan and Zeke in front of the Highlands Trout building
(Photo by Sarah)
Once we went inside, we waited. The manager came out and was very friendly. He ended up giving us a tour of the facility and answering our questions. The trout that they raise in Katse Dam is one of the best qualities in the world – they import fish eggs and feed it food that gives it a salmon coloring. Most of it is exported to Japan and it is marketed in Japan as Salmon Trout or just Salmon. Only a small fraction is sold to Lesotho and South Africa, but we got to taste some of that trout at the Katse Lodge. See more at <http://www.highlandstrout.co.za/the-process/>.
Baby fish!
(Photo by Sarah)
We came at the wrong time,
but these tanks are where they keep the small fish
before putting them out on the lake
(Photo by Sarah)

After visiting the fish farm, we went to the town where we found a guy to drive us. So we could take the tour at 2! The tour was actually really neat – we drove to the bottom, where we got to walk inside and see all the walkways and stairways that went through the inside of the dam. Then we drove up and along the top of the dam, making a full loop. 

See more at <http://www.lhda.org.ls/>. Katse Dam is part of Phase 1.

Brendan, Sarah, me, and Zeke in front of the dam
(Photo by Sarah)
Katse Dam sign (for you, Dad!), on top of thedam
(photo by Sarah)
Another view from on top of the dam.
The structure in the water is one of the fish cages.
After the dam tour, we went to the botanical gardens. It is winter, so there wasn’t much to see but there were a lot of little walkways, and a couple of green houses. There was also a building that they said would become a future learning center. 
Exploring Botanical Gardens
(Photo by Sarah)
After a full day of exploring as much as we possibly could and eating as much trout as possible, it was time head back down the mountain. On our way back, it started snowing and we weren’t sure if our rickety old minibus taxi was going to get us safely down the windy mountain roads, but luckily, it did!
Snow on the way home!
Happy 4th of July to everyone!

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