Ringed by mountains, Lesotho's rugged landscape is one of the most beautiful and austere on the African continent. The entire country is more than a thousand metres above sea level and is fittingly known as the 'Kingdom in the Sky'. Out on the highlands, the sky is mind-bogglingly enormous, and the air crisp and pure. The formidable terrain of Lesotho is created by the sheer walls of the Drakensburg mountain range which form the border with South Africa and the Maloti Mountains which run like a spine through the country.
The stark towering peaks of the highlands give way to deep valleys with spectacular waterfalls and open grasslands, but there are hardly any trees - just a few scattered around the villages. Villages are mainly located in the lowlands and traditional communal grazing means there are no fences. Lesotho's main attraction is its natural beauty, rich flora and cultural heritage. The rugged countryside is spectacular and the visitor can feel that they are discovering the unknown with clean mountain air, blue skies, mountains and valleys providing a memorable scene. Lesotho has a mystical appeal and has relics of time gone by in dinosaur footprints embedded in rocks and there are also more than 400 San rock paintings.
Lesotho is a great destination for those wanting to get off the beaten track and for anyone wanting to get out into beautiful, remote lands where there are no fences, very few roads, and miles upon miles of mountainous scenery to explore on foot or on horseback, with the addition of the friendliness and hospitality of the Basotho people to make this experience particularly special. Most of the Basotho people still live traditional, simple lives in the foothills of their mountainous land. A journey and visit through Lesotho allows you to observe an African country that remains natural and uncontrived by tourism.
Lesotho has an invigorating climate being at such high altitude. Between June and August, there is a lot of snow in the highlands of eastern Lesotho. At this time of year it becomes a popular skiing area mainly for South Africans. In spring (around September), gorgeous carpets of flowers cover the slopes and valleys are full of peach blossom and mimosa. Summer runs from November to January with beautiful warm sunny days and occasional rain and spectacular thunder storms.
Autumn days (Feb - May) are long and warm and great for hiking and pony trekking. Trout fishing is always popular in the river valleys and bird watching is good year round in Lesotho. Most travellers visiting Lesotho combine their trip with locations in South Africa, but a 4x4 car is essential for driving around Lesotho. You won't find quite the range of luxury accommodation here that you will find in neighbouring South Africa, but there are some excellent private lodges and guesthouses.
