I need to take out quite a bit of cash during my trip. Anyone know cheapest ATMs & daily withdrawal limits for foreign cards at Lesotho ATMs?
Backpackers should know PostBank is technically free-no charge for ATM use. But, fair warning, I found their ATMs empty or offline the most, especially in small towns. FNB and Nedbank always worked, although that 52.75 or 50 loti hurts you each time, so always take out the max you’ll need if heading into the mountains or rural areas.
Used the Stanbic ATM at Maseru border post recently: the 60 loti fee is unavoidable, though the process was quick and reliable with a Mastercard debit. No real difference in limits (5,000 loti per withdrawal), so go for the one with the shortest queue. If you’re coming from South Africa, check your card’s cross-border fees alongside the local charges.
FNB and Nedbank are everywhere in Lesotho’s main towns. FNB charges 52.75 loti, Nedbank 50 loti per foreign card withdrawal, both capping you at 5,000 loti per go. Stanbic Bank has their fee at 60 loti, also with the 5,000 withdrawal cap. I highly recommend withdrawing early in the day as by afternoon, ATMs in towns like Leribe and Maputsoe can be out of cash, especially toward the month’s end.
If you’re traveling through Maseru, Nedbank ATMs will let you withdraw up to Loti 5,000 with a flat 50 loti fee per use. Tried my UK Starling card at the Nedbank near Pioneer Mall and had no problems. Always check the onscreen conversion rates, and try to withdraw the max amount to save on repeated charges. PostBank was the only one with zero fee, but machines were often out of service or busy on weekends.