ABOUT LESOTHO:
Lesotho, the Mountain Kingdom, is a stunningly beautiful mountainous country. The best mode of transport is often the Basotho pony, and pony-trekking has proved to be one of the most popular activities for the tourist market.

It is wholly landlocked by South Africa and makes an interesting detour when travelling in South Africa, although it is worthy destination in its own right. When you cross over the border from South Africa, you know you are in a very different place. It is the highest (or least lowest) independent state in the world - its lowest point is 1400m above sea level, and no other state is wholly above 1000m. Getting around can be tricky and time consuming. The best option is to get a hire car, or better still a 4x4 (please see our section on fully equipped 4x4's for your trip).

Lesotho has a very proud history dating back to the early 19th century under the legendary King Moshoeshoe the Great. During this time, uprisings and subsequent forced migration amongst the various tribes within southern Africa (called the difiqane) and incursions into the continent?s interior by the Boer trekkers squeezed the Basotho people into this mountainous region. Here, under Moshoeshoe, they successfully kept out invaders from the Zulu Kingdom and Boer farmers looking for extended grazing land.

In times of trouble, Moshoeshoe used to gather all his followers into mountain strongholds - firstly Butha-Buthe and then Thaba Bosiu. The latter is only accessible by one or two narrow paths, which were easily defended by angry Basotho with rocks, spears and boiling water poured from above.

Moshoeshoe could not hold out forever though, and eventually Lesotho (then known as Basotholand) was annexed by the British Government. Independence was fully regained in 1966. It is now officially called the Kingdom of Lesotho and is a constitutional monarchy: effectively a democratic country, with King Letsie III holding a largely ceremonial function.

Lesotho has little in the way of natural resources, other than water and some gem stones, and is thus prone to famine, and is a very poor country. Its largest export is labour to the cities, farms and mines of South Africa.

Despite all this, the Basotho people have retained much of their traditional culture. Many of their customs, rites, music and superstitions are unchanged from the time from Moshoeshoe. Tapestry and rug weaving is practised widely in Lesotho. These are fantastic works of art, as well as being useful, and are therefore ideal souvenirs to take home with you, with every purchase contributing to the local economy.

Reading:
To find out more about Lesotho or to bag a few books for your trip, please take a look at the Mud Hut's reading list...