The town of KATSE is drab and boring, with uniform box-like houses arranged in an uninspired suburban manner. But the massive dam really is impressive, even if you aren't usually interested in engineering. To find out more, make for the blue pre-fab visitor centre (Mon-Fri 8am-noon, 1-4pm, Sat & Sun 8am-noon), just before the town and dam, where you can take in a video about the development of the dam, as well as a rather bewildering relief model with flashing lights showing how water will be moved around the Highlands when (or if) the whole scheme, with five separate dams, is completed. The centre can also provide someone to take you around the dam wall and, if you're lucky, into some of its amazing network of tunnels. The wall itself is 185m high and up to 60m thick; it curves inwards for extra strength to such a degree that when you look down from the top, you can't see the rest of the wall, and experience the uneasy illusion of being suspended in space.

 

The only place to stay in Katse is the Katse Lodge (tel 91 0202; up to R100), with functional if well-kept rooms offering fine views of the reservoir and its impressive birdlife, and a surprisingly good restaurant serving a decent selection of inexpensive meals. Unfortunately, the lodge is small and still primarily intended for LHDA workers, so the staff only confirm your reservation a maximum of 48 hours before your arrival, and there's always a good chance that the place will be completely full. If it is, your only other option is to stay at the Agricultural Training Centre (tel 90 0304; up to R100), which is a long drive on a dirt road in Thaba Tseka. At least there's a steady stream of private and public transport from Katse to Thaba Tseka, so you should be able to find something going there, though rarely after 2pm.