लेसोथो
Also known as Kingdom of Lesotho, ls, LES, The Mountain Kingdom
Lesotho ( , ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho and formerly known as Basutoland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Entirely surrounded by South Africa, it is the largest of only three sovereign enclaves in the world, the others being San Marino and Vatican City, which are surrounded by Italy. Lesotho is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the highest peak in Southern Africa. It has an area of over and has a population of about 2.3 million. Its capital and largest city is Maseru.
AI overview
Lesotho is a landlocked country in Southern Africa that is entirely surrounded by South Africa, making it one of only three sovereign enclaves in the world. The country is situated in the Maloti Mountains, contains the highest peak in Southern Africa, and has a population of about 2.3 million people with its capital in Maseru.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Weather now
cached 6h ago3°clear sky
23% 1.8 m/s OpenWeatherMap
7-day forecast
via Open-Meteo
Country
- Capital
- Maseru
- Population
- 2,116,427
- Region
Travel guide
Get in
thumb|375px|A map showing the visa requirements of Lesotho, with countries in green having visa-free access. Others can apply for an eVisa
See
thumb|The Lesotho Highlands Semonkong Falls — these falls near Semonkong drop 200 m in single plunge! In summer, you can swim in the pond below while in winter the pond freezes over and an ice enclosure develops around the falls. Katse Dam — an impressive dam towering 185 m in a narrow valley Dinosaur footprints — well-preserved footprints of these terrible lizards exist around the country; the most accessible are near Moyeni & Morija Rock art — found in many places throughout the country, the most impressive found within Liphofung Cave.
Do
Pony-Trekking especially at either Malealea, Semonkong, or at the Basotho Pony-Trekking Centre — whether you are a seasoned pro at horse riding or a complete novice, pony-trekking is an extremely enjoyable way to see the Lesotho countryside. These organized tours give you access to parts of the country which you wouldn't see from your car. The exceptionally sure-footed Basotho Pony can take you through far-off villages and atop daunting mountains. Skiing — at Afriski, Oxbow during the winter.
Eat
thumb|Maseru There are many Western style restaurants in Maseru. For a more traditional meal, why not befriend some locals and see what they cook you?
Sleep
Lesotho hosts dozens of hotels, lodges and guesthouses.
Stay safe
It is risky to walk in Maseru alone at night. During the day, at least the main roads of Maseru are safe to walk alone.
As with pretty much everywhere else in the world, you may find friendly chats with locals turn in to veiled requests for money — stick to your principles and only give to registered charities.
At night time, it is the norm to drive through red lights. This is more just to hasten your journey (the police won't care), and a precaution against carjackings.
Stay healthy
The HIV/AIDS incidence rate in Lesotho is the 3rd highest in the world at around 25% or 1 in 4 people infected. Even more worrying is the prevalence rate of around 50% for women under 40 in urban areas.
Gallery (51)
On the map
6 mapped locations
Connections
Categories
1966 establishments in AfricaCommonwealth monarchiesCountries and territories where English is an official languageCountries in AfricaCountries in Southern AfricaEnclaved countriesEnclaves and exclavesLandlocked countriesLeast developed countriesLesothoMember states of the African UnionMember states of the Commonwealth of Nations