Lesotho (pronounced le-soo-too) is a mountainous kingdom completely surrounded by South Africa. It's roughly circular in shape and about the same size as Belgium. Lesotho's forbidding terrain and the defensive walls of the Drakensberg and Maluti ranges have given both sanctuary and strategic advantage to the Basotho (the people of Lesotho). All of Lesotho exceeds 1000m (3280ft) above sea level with peaks reaching to well over 3000m (9840ft). The tourist slogan, 'kingdom in the sky', is not far wrong, as Lesotho has the highest lowest point of any country in the world. To the west, the land descends through foothills to a lowland belt along the border where two-thirds of the population live. Three large rivers, the Orange, the Caledon and the Tugela, rise in the mountains.

For many, southern Africa's most impressive endowment is its flora, and Lesotho can claim a significant amount of credit for that, with a spectacular diversity of plantlife.

Incredible thunderstorms are common during the summer in Lesotho, with deadly lightning strikes reported every year. Eighty-five per cent of rainfall occurs from October to April, while snow occurs in the highlands from May to September. Despite the incredible storms, Lesotho usually boasts clear blue skies and more than 300 days of sunshine each year.

Compared with South Africa, Lesotho is a fairly inexpensive place to travel. The cheapest rooms are nothing spectacular, but for a few dollars more, you can sleep in private-bathroomed, air-conditioned comfort. Meals also start off very very cheap and progress up to just plain cheap. If you're in the capital, Maseru, staying and eating at the low end of the market and walking everywhere, you could scrape by on about US$10 a day. The slow but far-reaching bus network will cost between US$0.50 and $4 per trip. Car hire (available in Maseru but cheaper in South Africa) is around US$40 a day for a small car. If you're travelling around in a hire-car, staying at up-market hotels and eating steak, you could go through US$140 a day at a stretch.

The currency, called the loti (plural: maloti), is at a fixed value against the South African rand, and rands are accepted everywhere. If you're coming from South Africa, there'll be no need to change your money. When cashing travellers cheques, you can request rand, which saves having to convert unused loti later. Credit cards are accepted in the capital, but travellers cheques and cash are required for many purchases.

Tipping is mandatory in South Africa, and the practice is fairly common in Lesotho as a result. About 10% is the norm. When added to the GST of 10%, your bill can end up a lot more than the quoted price.

Weather is probably the main consideration for travellers deciding the best time to go, and if you don't mind getting a little wet, it doesn't much matter. Nearly all of Lesotho's rain falls in the summer, between October and April. It's beautiful and warm when the sun comes out, but mountain areas can be foggy and freezing.