Subeng River Dinosaur Prints

Subeng River dinosaur footprints. Alamy Stock Photo / Ariadne Van Zandbergen

Just over two hours from the city of Maseru, the narrow Subeng River in northern Lesotho has been home to a series of fossilized dinosaur prints for hundreds of millions of years. The reward for wading across the shallow water is a chance to get up close and personal with the tracks of several types of dinos, including the unique three-toed prints of the chicken-sized Lesothosaurus.

The fossilized footprints were first identified as dinosaur tracks in 1955. Footprints from at least three species of dinosaurs, possibly more, can be found at this site. In the preserved tracks, you can see that some had five toes on their feet, while others had three. By placing their hands down on the rocks, a visitor can instantly bridge the gap between the Cretaceous and the present.

Know Before You Go

The Subeng River rises quickly during the rainy summer months, obscuring several varieties of prints altogether. If possible, it's best to plan your visit during the dry wintertime. Bring a pair of boots if you have them, or a towel if you plan on going barefoot.