Visit Lesotho

Find Travel Guide to Lesotho, Tourism and Travel Information Including Facts, Maps, History, Culture, Transport and Weather in Lesotho, Hotels in Lesotho, Restaurants, Nightlife and Entry Requirements to Lesotho
Lesotho (formerly Basutoland) and a member of the Commonwealth is the southernmost landlocked country in the world. This landlocked independent republic is a democratic government situated within the borders of South Africa and forms part of the Southern African region. This stunningly beautiful, mountainous country offers fascinating travel detour from its larger neighbour. It boasts superb mountain scenery, a proud traditional people and endless hiking trails. The capital city is Maseru. Other major towns are Mafateng and Leribe.

History of Lesotho

Lesotho came into being in 1843 when both the difaqane (forced migration) and Boer incursions into the hinterlands were at their height. Under the leadership of the legendary king Moshoeshoe, the Basotho people sought sanctuary amid the forbidding terrain of the Drakensberg and Maluti Ranges. It was later annexed to Cape Colony in 1871, but in 1884 it was restored to direct control by the Crown. The colony of Basutoland became the independent nation of Lesotho on Oct. 4, 1966, with King Moshoeshoe II as sovereign.
After the king refused to approve the replacement in Feb. 1990 of individuals dismissed by Justin Metsino Lekhanya, the chairman of the military council, the latter stripped the king of his executive power.

Geography

Lesotho a landlocked entirely contained within the country of South Africa covers 30,355 sq km. It is the only independent state in the world that lies above 1,400m in elevation. Its lowest point of 1,400m is thus the highest in the world. Over 80% of the country lies above 1,800m.

Demography

Lesotho has a population of approximately 1.881 million, (2006 counting). The population distribution of Lesotho is 25 per cent urban and 75 per cent rural. However, it is estimated that the annual increase in the urban population is 3.5%. Population density is lower in the highlands than in the western lowlands. Although the majority of the population—60.2 per cent—is between 15 and 64 years of age, Lesotho has a substantial youth population numbering around 34.8 per cent. The annual population growth rate is 0.116%.
Most of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture and about 1/3 of the male labour force works in South Africa in the mining regions and other industries.

Major Economic Activities

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The Basotho are mainly agriculturalists. Many crops are cultivated including wheat, maize, sorghum, peas and beans as well as vegetables such as onions and cabbage. Numerous local medicines / herbs are also gathered as green vegetables, which the Basotho call Moroho. Livestock is equally a source of income for the Basotho. Most families have herds of cattle, Merino sheep and Angora goats who are often looked after of by the youthful boys.

Maseru City

Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It lies on the Caledon River next to the border with Free State province of South Africa. The city was founded as a small British police camp in 1869 and features a temperate climate with hot, rainy summers and cold, dry winters. Daily temperature during summer (December to March) averages at 22 °C. The city experiences winter between the months of June and September. Major public transportation is by minibus and taxis. It also has the country’s Moshoeshoe International Airport.

Weather in Lesotho

Lesotho’s climate is a mixture of temperate and sub-tropical influences, with surprising extremes of temperature ranging from winter minimum temperatures, which can drop below freezing around July, up to summer maximums of over 32°C. Because of its altitude, Lesotho remains cooler throughout the year than other regions at the same latitude. Most of the rain falls as summer thunderstorms. Winters can be cold with the lowlands getting down to −7 °C and the highlands to −18 °C at times.
The best time to visit is usually between April and early May; and late October to November when the spring season just begins and all the environments blossoms with the season. Even May and July are most visited months because it is the snow time in the region.

Entry Requirements to Visit Lesotho

Visitors to Lesotho do not require visas for stays of less than 30 days. Commonwealth citizens, except those from Australia, Canada, Ghana, India, New Zealand, Nigeria and Pakistan, do not require visas for Lesotho. Lesotho belongs to the South African Common Monetary Area (CMA). South African Airways flies regularly between Moshoeshoe International Airport in Lesotho and Johannesburg International.