Lesotho travel guide

Lesotho, the ‘Kingdom in the Sky’, is a tiny, proudly independent country completely surrounded by South Africa. Its nickname is apt – not one of its 30,000 sq km lies below 1000 m and many of its peaks reach as high as 3480 m. It is dominated by the Maluti Mountains, which cover three-quarters of the country, with the dramatic Drakensberg escarpment forming the eastern side and the border with KwaZulu Natal. This region of lofty landscapes has been declared the Maluti Drakensberg Transfrontier Park. To the west the land flattens out somewhat into what is known as the Lowlands. Here are most of the kingdom’s towns, the small capital of Maseru, the richest agricultural land, and it is where the majority of the population lives.

Lesotho’s mountain scenery is markedly different from any of South Africa’s landscapes: the mountains are more rugged, the lower slopes drier and the villages maintain a traditional subsistence lifestyle. Tourism is still in its infancy here, and heading even a little off the beaten track will allow a fascinating insight into time-honoured Lesotho customs. Herder boys roam the mountains and farmers travel on horseback, wrapped in traditional blankets. The country’s lack of fences also provides excellent hiking conditions, while trekking with mountain ponies opens up some of the most remote areas of the country.