Civil unrest throughout 1999 caused some destruction in most of the town centres and the country is still in the process of rebuilding.

Lesotho’s capital is the obvious stepping-off point for a holiday. There are local highlights to visit such as the historic cemetery and the fascinating architecture of the King’s Palace and the Prime Minister’s Residence. From Maseru, you can take many day trips, either independently or by luxury minibus, visiting surrounding points of interest.
Near Maseru, the Ha Khotso Bushmen Rock Paintings make an interesting visit. Also nearby is Thaba Bosiu, a flat-topped hill where the Basotho made a last heroic stand against the Boers. Many of their chiefs are buried here.

The southern region of Lesotho is being promoted for tourism, with hotels at Moyeni and Mohales Hoek offering facilities for horse riding, mountain climbing and hiking. Worth visiting in the district are the Motlejoeng Caves, 2km (1.2 miles) south of Mahale’s Hoek; the dinosaur footprints at Moyeni; the Masitise Cave House and the petrified forest on the mountain of Thaba-Ts’oeu. In the southeast, in the region bordering South Africa, is one of the most beautiful parts of Lesotho - if not southern Africa. It is ideal for trekking. Places of most interest include Ramanbanta, Semonkong (where the Maletsunyane Waterfalls can be visited) and the Sehlabathebe National Park.