Lesotho

The only country entirely above 1,000m. Bring a jumper

Lesotho is the only country in the world entirely above 1,000 metres, and its lowest point is the highest low point of any nation. It is completely surrounded by South Africa, mountainous throughout, and cold enough in winter to have a functioning ski resort, which is not what most people expect from southern Africa.

The Sani Pass is the classic approach, a rough 4×4 road climbing to 2,876 metres from KwaZulu-Natal, with the highest pub in Africa at the top. Once you are in, the Maloti mountains are a landscape of grassland, deep valleys and villages where the Basotho blanket, worn as a coat, is genuine everyday dress rather than costume.

Pony trekking is the distinctive activity, since horses remain real transport in a country where roads often do not go. Semonkong has Maletsunyane Falls, a 192-metre single drop with the world longest commercial abseil next to it. Thaba Bosiu is the mountain stronghold where the nation was founded, and Sehlabathebe is a remote UNESCO-listed park of rock arches and pools.

Annual events and festivals

• Morija Arts and Cultural Festival (Sep-Oct) — the main cultural event, with music, poetry and traditional games.
• Independence Day (4 Oct) — marks 1966 independence from Britain.
• Moshoeshoe Day (11 Mar) — honouring the founding king, with commemorations at Thaba Bosiu.
• Moshoeshoe Walk (Mar) — a multi-day hike retracing the king journey.
• Kings Birthday (17 Jul) — a national holiday.
• Famo music gatherings (year round) — accordion-driven Basotho music, deeply rooted and occasionally controversial.
• Initiation season (winter) — traditional coming-of-age schools in the mountains, private to communities.
• Roof of Africa Rally (Nov-Dec) — one of the toughest enduro motorbike races in the world.
• Snow season, Afriski (Jun-Aug) — the only ski resort in southern Africa.
• Christmas (Dec) — a peak time for returning migrant workers from South Africa.