Lesotho Habitat Guide

Lesotho is in southern Africa and is completely surrounded by South Africa. The River Orange flows through it and the country is mostly highlands with plateaus, hills, valleys and mountains. The Drakensberg Mountains in the east are Lesotho's major chain.

Lesotho’s spectacular and natural countryside has been hardly disturbed by man. The Alpine flora is vivid and rare, especially species like Spiral Aloe (the national flower of Lesotho). The high meadows and crags blossom with a unique gathering of Cape Alpine flowers with splashes of red-hot pokers and larger aloes. The government intends to build a vast Drakensberg-Maluti Alpine Park to protect its rare wealth of flora.

Although Lesotho is an unspoilt country, it is alpine in climate and topography and hence does not have the herds of animals that roam the plains from Kenya to the Cape. The high altitudes support the Rhebok, Mountain Reedbuck and Eland. Baboons, jackals, mongoose, meerkats and rock hyraxes can be seen on pony treks and hikes. Rare snakes like the Berg Adder live in the mountains. They are very shy of human beings, not having encountered too many, but it is wise to avoid treading on them inadvertently.

The bird life is an ornithologist’s delight and brings several of them to the country. Mountain rarities such as the Orange-Breasted Rockjumper, the Sentinel Rock Thrush, the Drakensberg Siskin, the Bearded Vulture, Black Eagle and the Bald Ibis are downright spectacular. Needless to say, the flora, fauna and natural countryside of Lesotho makes it a photographer’s delight!