Appropriately dubbed ‘the kingdom in the sky’, Lesotho is a mountainous country landlocked in the heart of South Africa. lts forbidding terrain and the defensive walls of the Drakensberg and Maluti ranges gave both sanctuary and strategic advantage to the Basotho (the people of Lesotho), who forged a nation while playing a key role in the manoeuvres of the white invaders on the plains below. Lesotho is an often surprising combination of rapidly developing modernity and ancient culture. lt has managed to avoid many of the recent wars and much of the political instability that has plagued most of the African continent.

May to September, to avoid the rains

Spending a night in a Basotho village on the edge of townships surrounding Maseru Hiking aloung the top of the Drakensberg escarpment Climbing Thaba-Bosiu (Mountain At Night), where king Moshoeshoe the Great established his second mountain stronghold Riding sure-footed Basotho ponies through the rugged and beautiful interior Driving the spectacular road between Leribe and Katse over the Maluti Mountains Following in the fossilized footsteps of dinosaurs Quthing

Read Stories By and About Women in Lesotho, edited by k Limakatso Kendall, containing tales told orally by Southern Sotho women and providing insights into women’s thoughts and decision-making processes in Lesotho

Listen to the lekolulo, a flute-like instrument played by herd boys; the thomo, a stringed instrument played by woman; and the setolo-tolo, a stringed instrument played with the mouth by men

Eat frikkadel (fried meatball) or koeksesters (small doughnuts dripping in honey)

Drink locally made joala (sorghum beer) or maize beer

Dumela (hello)

Poverty; landlocked by South Africa; rainmaking rituals; mountains; the ‘kingdom in the sky’

The Basotho are traditionally buried in a sitting positing, facing the rising sun and ready to leap up when called; the famous Basotho pony is the result of crossbreeding between short Javanese horses and European full mounts

Much of the folklore puts common sense into practice: toasting fresh fresh rather than stale bread is bad (because it causes rheumatism); when working at straining beer, take an occasional drink (or your hands will swell); a spider in a should not be molested (it’s the strength of the family); a howling dog must be must be silenced immediately (or it will bring evil).