Land
Lesotho covers an area of 30,355 square kilometres. The entire country is mountainous: even its lowest-lying areas sit at 1,400 metres above sea level, and more than 80% of the country lies above 1,800 metres. It is also the world's southernmost landlocked country, entirely surrounded by South Africa.
Mohale's Hoek, the capital of Mohale's Hoek District in southern Lesotho. The name comes from Mohale, brother of the first king Moshoeshoe I, who was given the area to govern.
A side note
You might associate mountainous terrain with forests, but almost the entire country of Lesotho lies above the tree line, so large trees are scarce.
Climate
Because of its high elevation, Lesotho tends to be cooler year-round than other regions at the same latitude. That said, the strong sunlight makes it feel quite hot. The rainy season runs from March to April, just before summer, and most of the annual rainfall falls during this period.
In and around Maseru, summer temperatures can exceed 30°C, while in winter they can drop to around −6°C. Snowfall is rare, however, due to the dry climate. In the eastern highlands, temperatures can fall to −18°C, with much heavier snowfall.
Along Main North 1 Road (A1) near the center of Lesotho. The elevation here is roughly 3,000 metres.
A side note
In the Maluti Mountains in the northeast lies Afriski, Lesotho's only ski resort and one of just two in all of southern Africa. During the season, visitors — mainly from South Africa — come to enjoy skiing.
Wildlife
Lesotho is home to 10 endangered bird species, 2 introduced species, and 339 bird species in total. It also hosts 17 species of reptiles and 60 species of mammals, including the endangered Sloggett's ice rat (also known as the white-tailed rat). Elephants and hippos are believed to have lived here a few centuries ago, but no such large animals can be found today.
A bird typical of Lesotho, the Southern Masked Weaver.
A side note
Lesotho has an extremely wide variety of bird species, including no shortage of rare ones, making it an appealing destination for birdwatchers.
