Lesotho is a high-altitude country, landlocked by the Republic of South Africa and criss-crossed by a network of rivers and mountain ranges. Lesotho covers an area of 30,355 square kilometres and has a population of 1.9 million (BOS, 2014). The vast majority of the population is Basotho (Lesotho natives) with a small group of Europeans and Asians. The official languages of Lesotho are English and Sesotho. It enjoys a rich history of being famous for peace and stability.

Lesotho is richly endowed in mineral resources such as diamonds and has abundant water reserves. Lesotho has a continental climate with 4 seasons namely summer, autumn, winter and spring. Lesotho is often referred to as “The Switzerland of Africa” owing to its beautiful sceneries especially in winter when it has snowed or in spring when The Alpine Flora of Lesotho such as the Spiral Aloe and the Red Hot Pokers blossom.   

Lesotho’s Highlands are the country’s main tourist attraction with spectacular cliff formations and deep gorges found in the Maloti and Drakensberg mountain ranges. The Sehlaba-Thebe National Park, found in the Drakensberg Range area, has been declared a world heritage site and is home to over 2,500 species of plants and contains the world’s richest concentrations of Stone Age rock art with more than 30,000 individual paintings recorded.

Landmarks in Lesotho include Mount Qiloane and Thaba-Bosiu, a fortress stronghold where the kings of Lesotho are traditionally buried. Thabana-Ntlenyana, at 3,485 metres, is the highest mountain in Southern Africa, whilst Maletsunyane Falls is one of the tallest single-drop waterfalls in the region plunging 192 metres.