Entirely surrounded by South Africa and sometimes mistaken for one of apartheid's ill-conceived semi-states, the aptly named "mountain kingdom" of Lesotho (pronounced Lee-su-tu) is in fact proudly independent and very different in character from its dominant neighbour. Whereas the Rainbow Nation next door is, in many respects, distinctly European, laid-back Lesotho prides itself on its staunchly African heritage. Few people in this fabulously beautiful and rugged land speak English or Afrikaans, though language isn't a barrier when the inhabitants – the Basotho – count among the most hospitable people in southern Africa. Another refreshing physical (and psychological) contrast is the almost total absence of fences, which means you can hike into the upland regions at will.

Travelling almost anywhere in Lesotho is an adventure: there are no motorways or slick city liner buses here (or, indeed, too many timetables), though the tarred road network is good, covered by rickety minibuses held together in some cases by little more than prayers. For the Basotho, ponies are the preferred method of transport, particularly in the highlands. You can do the same from pony-trekking lodges all over the country – a day trek or, better, a longer ride incorporating a night in a remote Basotho village, is the way to experience the country.

Lesotho is one of only a few countries to lie entirely above an altitude of 1000m, earning its nickname of "The Kingdom in the Sky". Even the sandstone Lesotho lowlands – which form a crescent along the country's western rim – would be highlands anywhere else. It's here, amongst weirdly eroded peaks and isolated hills, that you'll find all the nation's major towns, including the busily practical capital of Maseru, with its very African mix of new glass buildings and dusty streets, and a host of smaller, mostly nondescript settlements which began life as tax-collection centres for the British administration. Lowland attractions include the weavers of Teya-Teyaneng, extraordinary caves at Mateka, rock paintings at Liphofung, and the mountain fortress at Thaba Bosiu, established by Lesotho's founder, King Moshoeshoe I.

At around 1400m above sea level sandstone gives way to basalt, the dark grey rock – thrown up by volcanic eruptions several million years ago – which forms the bulk of the ruggedly beautiful Lesotho highlands, an extended mountainous area characterized by plunging valleys, remote villages, improbable roads and inspiring vistas. Once up the steep, twisting roads which lead into the mountains you can visit the engineering masterpieces of the Katse and Mohale dams, ski in the Maloti Mountains, fish from rivers everywhere and, above all, wander through the countryside, dividing your time between remote villages of simple stone-and-thatch huts and the peaceful solitude of the mountains. Three protected areas in particular are worth the effort of getting to: Ts'ehlanyane National Park and Bokong Nature Reserve, both in the Front Range of the Maloti Mountains and linked by a 39km hiking and horse-riding trail, and the exceedingly remote Sehlabathebe National Park in the east of the country, offering gloriously rugged hiking terrain.