Lesotho's mountains are the source of two of the main rivers of South Africa, the Orange (or Senqu) and the Tugela and these mountains are home to one of the highest single drop waterfalls in Africa, the Maletsunyane Waterfalls at Semongkong ~ Semongkong meaning 'The Place of Smoke' after the haze that the 610 footwater drop creates as it plummets into a spectacular gorge.

This mountainous topography has led to a fragile ecology within Lesotho as the soil level is very thin, and, although most families grow some of their own vegetables, overuse of limited natural resources has resulted in soil erosion and to some extent desertification as much of what soil there is is no longer arable.

Lesotho is divided into four main geographical areas, with 59% of the country being mountainous, the foothills of the Maluti mountains accounting for 15% of the landmass, the lowland region covering 17% and the Senqu Valley from the Senqu or Orange River to deep into the mountains accounting for the remaining 9%.