Lesotho is a democratic, sovereign and independent country which has an unusual distinction of being completely surrounded by another country, the republic of South Africa. The Kingdom of Lesotho is one of the three remaining monarchies in Africa.

 

Lesotho lies entirely outside the tropics, at a considerable height above sea level, and is thus a bilharzias and malaria free destination. It has a land area of approximately 30, 555 km2, making it similar in size to Belgium.

 

A land of mountains, Lesotho is the only country in the world which has all its land lying at altitudes in excess of 1500m above sea-level; it is a land of heights and extremes. The mountain, Thabana-Ntlenyana is, at 3,482m, the highest in Southern Africa, while the highest single drop fall in the Southern Africa Maletsunyane is 192m, having the highest abseiling cliff in the whole world at 204m.

 

Often referred to as the "Switzerland of Africa", it is blessed with a beautiful, often snow-capped range of mountains, the Maluti. The kingdom's central position in the heart of Africa's most developed economy of South Africa, is well served by air, rail and road links to all its major commercial centres.

 

Lesotho is only one hour by air or five hours by road from Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa.