Lesotho — Overview
The tiny kingdom of Lesotho is encircled by its larger neighbor, South Africa. Made up of mostly highlands, much of the kingdom’s villages are so remote that they can only be reached on horseback, by foot or by light aircraft. Roads have been built by developers to reach Lesotho’s mineral and water resources, but many of the country’s canyons and thatched huts remain isolated.
From Maseru, the capital, most visitors venture into the mountains, where there is an array of activities on offer, from horse riding and trekking to birdwatching and fishing. Bearded vultures and black eagles can be viewed from the Maluti and Lesotho Drakensberg, while Letsie Lake and other wetlands accommodate various waterbirds. Lesotho is the last stronghold of the bald ibis.
Geography
Lesotho is a landlocked country surrounded on all sides by South Africa. It is a mountainous kingdom situated at the highest part of the Drakensberg escarpment on the eastern rim of the South African plateau. Its mountainous terrain is cut by countless valleys and ravines, making it a country of great beauty. To the west, the land descends through a foothill zone of rolling hills to a lowland belt along the border where two-thirds of the population live. Three large rivers, the Caledon, the Orange and the Tugela, rise in the mountains.
