Not to miss

Teyateyaneng

Teyateyaneng, meaning 'Place of Quick Sands', has been developed by Lesotho authorities as a centre for traditional art and craft industries. Generally referred to locally as 'TY', it boasts some of the finest tapestries, tribal wool products and Letlotlo handcrafts gathered in one village.

Maseru

Lesotho's capital has been a quiet backwater for most of its history, expanding rapidly only since the 1970s to its current population of a little over 200,000 people. For a third-world city in the middle of a period of massive expansion, the city manages to maintain a laid-back feel.

Surrounding the capital are 'urban villages' where you can get a first-hand look at a more traditional lifestyle. In the town itself, there are several nightspots frequented by expats - mostly aid organisations workers - who might give you advice in return for a beer or three.

Malealea

Set in truly stunning scenery, the village of Malealea, with its mountains, valleys and ancient San paintings hidden in rock shelters, is one of the gems of Lesotho. The best way to experience the spectacular landscape is to take a pony trek or wander on foot through the hills and villages. Malealea is appropriately advertised as 'Lesotho in a nutshell'.

Sehlabathebe National Park

Lesotho's first national park, proclaimed in 1970, is remote, rugged and beautiful, and getting there is always a worthwhile adventure, especially if you're into wilderness, seclusion and fishing. The rolling grasslands, wildflowers and silence provide a sense of complete isolation.

Isolated is what you'll be apart from the prolific birdlife (including the bearded vulture) and the odd rhebok. Hiking (and horse riding from Sani Top or the Drakensbergs) is the main way to explore the waterfalls and surrounds, and angling is possible in the park's dams and rivers.

Thaba-Bosiu

Thaba-Bosiu is the evocative mountain stronghold of Moshoeshoe the Great, who first occupied the place in 1824. Good views from here include those of the Qiloane pinnacle (inspiration for the Basotho hat), along with the remains of fortifications, Moshoeshoe's grave, and parts of the original settlement.

Thaba-Bosiu means Mountain at Night, perhaps a memory of when the sight was first occupied. Another legend suggests that Thaba-Bosiu is a hill in daylight, but transformed into a mountain after dark. There's an information centre at the base of Thaba-Bosiu; an official guide will take you to the summit.