Maseru is the capital of Lesotho, sitting in the western lowlands at an altitude of around 1,600 metres. The name means "place of red sandstone," and you can see why — the warm ochre rock defines the landscape around the city. Despite being a capital, it is a small and unhurried place.
The main artery is Kingsway, paved in the 1940s for a royal visit by the British king. Today it is lined with banks, shops, and the everyday bustle of a working African city. You might spot a Basotho man in his distinctive blanket and conical hat on horseback threading through the traffic — a reminder that traditional life is very much still present here. The hat-shaped Basotho Hat Shop on the same street is the place to buy a traditional mokorotlo of your own.
Maseru has few conventional sights, but it makes an easy base for exploring the surrounding highlands. Day hikes into the foothills start practically from the edge of town, and the dramatic Maluti Mountains are within reach. The mountain fortress of Thaba Bosiu, where King Moshoeshoe I founded the Basotho nation, is half an hour east. The city itself is relaxed and safe by regional standards, and the Basotho are famously welcoming to visitors.