Zulu War Battlefields

**Hobo-Ken** · 26-11-2009, 03:28

Planning a trip to SA with Mrs HK and 2 x LOCONs (9 and 12) in Apr 10. Grateful for any ideas on tours of Rorke's Drift / Isandhlwana. Anybody know, based on experience, who the interesting / inspirational guides are, now that sadly Mr Rattray is no more?

All ideas appreciated - fairly limited budget though (!). Thanks in advance.

**GordonBrown** · 26-11-2009, 07:32

I recommend Fugitives Drift, David Rattrays place. I was there last year and the Rattray passion is alive and well. I drove from Durban and the hire car I had been upgraded to was an Audi A4 with sport suspension! Not recommended for the three hour drive. You don't need a 4x4 but don't get anything with sports suspension.
Its expensive but we did all the add on tours and stayed 4 nights so you get to have some great dinners with the different people coming through. The staff join you at night and there are some great story tellers. Do it.

**Bubbles_Barker** · 26-11-2009, 07:40

http://www.campaigntrails.co.za/

I did Rorke's Drift, Islandwana and Ladysmith/Spioen Kop with them this year - really, really good. Nicki Von der Heyde was our guide and very informative she was too.

**gloworm** · 26-11-2009, 08:34

I did Rorkes Drift a good number of years back, it must have been about 40 miles of dirt track driving then, didn't do the Golf much good but it got there and back, glad it was a hire company wagon though.

The 'Missionary Station is still there in rebuilt format, the mealie maize sack walls have been marked out with stones and there was a bit of a museum there too. Makes you wonder how they managed to hold up against the odds with so few...I shall refrain from mentioning the viciously sharp slices of mango

Wandering round and scratting about I came up with a few cartridge cases which obviously came home with me. Well worth the trip if only for the atmosphere and sense of History.

**Awoljon** · 26-11-2009, 08:48

Originally Posted by Hobo-Ken

Planning a trip to SA with Mrs HK and 2 x LOCONs (9 and 12) in Apr 10. Grateful for any ideas on tours of Rorke's Drift / Isandhlwana. Anybody know, based on experience, who the interesting / inspirational guides are, now that sadly Mr Rattray is no more?

All ideas appreciated - fairly limited budget though (!). Thanks in advance.

Hi there! Ladysmith can be quite a good starting point. There is a museum about the wars that went on around there, especially the siege of Ladysmith. It is one of the bigger towns around involved with the battlefields route and also centrally located to get to most of the locations that don't have accomodation.
From the museum you can get a lot of information about nearby tours and guides.
I used to grow up in Ladysmith and my mom works for the borough there, I can ask her to get a few contact numbers of the people who are running the Battlefields route.

**Dirtyfilthymech** · 26-11-2009, 08:49

I will be doing these tours over the Christmas period 17th through till 4th I would like to do at least 2 nights. I will be looking at http://www.fugitivesdrift.com/ but wont book till im down there just in case i can get anything cheaper, i will let you know.