Need cash when I land, best place in Lesotho? Airport or places in the city?
Best move is to bring South African rand with you before landing. They’re accepted 1:1 with maloti across Lesotho. Use Standard Lesotho Bank or Nedbank ATMs in Maseru for card withdrawals - Visa is safest. The airport counters are fine for taxi money only. Don’t rely solely on Mastercard here, it fails often.
My Revolut Mastercard didn’t work at Moshoeshoe airport’s ATM at all, and the exchange counter charged a huge spread. Later in Maseru, the first ATM I tried was empty, and I had to go to FNB near Kingsway to finally get money out. Rates were fair once it worked, but the stress wasn’t worth it. If you’re coming from South Africa, bring rand cash - it’s accepted everywhere in Lesotho without issue.
I exchanged a bit at the airport to cover my taxi, then used my Wise Visa card at Standard Lesotho Bank in Pioneer Mall in Maseru. Worked smoothly, daily withdrawal limit about 2,000 maloti. A traveller I met at Shoeshoe Backpackers also got cash at Nedbank with his Monzo Visa. Honestly, you don’t need much cash exchange, since maloti are pegged 1:1 with South African rand, and rand notes are accepted everywhere.
At Moshoeshoe I International Airport near Maseru, there’s usually just one small exchange desk, but the rates aren’t great. Most travellers either use ATMs in the city or cross-border in Ladybrand, South Africa. In Maseru, Standard Lesotho Bank, Nedbank Lesotho, and FNB have ATMs that accept Visa cards. Mastercard is less reliable. If you land late, get a little at the airport, but for bigger amounts, Maseru city centre ATMs are your best option.