I knew where Lesotho was on the map, but never dreamed that I would ever visit this tiny landlocked country embedded in South Africa. Lesotho is also known as the “Mountain Kingdom”, from the time King Moshoeshoe (pronounced “Mashwayshway) united the Basotho tribes and defended his united kingdom from the European invaders.

I stepped out of a cool spring day in Chicago and into a sunny, mild Autumn day in Maseru, the capital city. The leaves are starting to turn color here, signaling the advent of Winter. Lesotho has natural beauty…a variety of tree species (including fir and deciduous), amazing mountains, streams and waterfalls. The tourism infrastructure is still developing, but in my view, sometimes the best time to visit a country like this is before it is “transformed” to meet the tastes of Western visitors and loses the charm that makes it most appealing. This is an easy visit from Johannesburg and well worth the visit.