South African
Anglo-Boer-Zulu Battlefields
Anglo-Zulu Battlefields of 1879
Bringing to life the history of the Zulu Battlefields
of KwaZulu-Natal, including the Boer-Zulu
Battlefield of Blood River
when Andries Pretorius
successfully defended an attack on the wagon laager
by an overwhelming Zulu force. The Anglo-Zulu Battlefields
of Isandlwana with the biggest ever defeat
of a modern
British army against the spears of a Zulu
impi, Rorkes Drift when 11 VC's were
awarded to the 24th B coy Welsh Borderers, and Fugitives
Drift when Melville and Coghill died saving the
Queen's colours in Jan 1879. Traveling east we visit
the Zulu capital of Ulundi and the memorial
to the fallen of both sides leading to the total defeat
of the mighty Zulu empire on 4 July 1879. From Ulundi
we visit Eshowe being one of the oldest towns
in Zululand. Our accommodation includes a visit to
an authentic Zulu Village giving you
an opportunity to interact with the villagers. After
your Zulu experience we can visit the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi
Game reserve and a chance of seeing the BIG 5, or
take a Durban City tour. Tours are from and
to Johannesburg/Pretoria, other starting points and
destinations can be arranged to suite your itinerary.
Anglo-Boer Battlefields
of the old Eastern Transvaal
(1899-1900)
After the fall of Pretoria 5 June 1900 we
trace the footsteps of the Boer army through parts
of the old Eastern Transvaal of the ZAR. Starting
in the capital of South Africa Pretoria; we
visit one of the Boer Forts built after the
Jameson Raid in 1896, Winston Churchill's
prison, Paul Kruger house and the British
HQ of Melrose House and the signing of the peace
treaty on the 31 May 1902. Traveling towards the old
Eastern Transvaal we see the Battle site of Diamond
Hill (June 1900) and visit Bergendal (Aug
1900) being acknowledged as the last of the formal
battles and the start of the Guerrilla phase, and
Long Tom Pass where you can still see one
of the old wagon routes used by the early pioneers
like Percy Fitzpatrick, and where Botha managed
to extricate his men and the Long Toms. We also visit
the Long Tom Gun site on this famous pass
while listening to the story of Botha's retreat. Traveling
through Belfast we visit the grave yard where
amongst others lay British Soldiers, then onto
Dullstroom and Lydenburg. Our journey
will also take us to the last residence in South Africa
of the old ZAR President "Paul Kruger" (1825-1904).
Departing from Jo'burg we travel south to Dundee
via Amajuba
to visit the Talana Battlefield
and onto Ladysmith, both Dundee and Ladysmith
have superb Military History Museums. Starting
at the Royal Hotel Ladysmith we visit the Siege
Museum with its excellent diorama of the Ladysmith
field of operation, a short distance away is All
Saints Church which displays the roll of honour
of over 3000 names of British soldiers and sailors together
with the regiments that they served with. To the north
west of the town we visit the site of Whites HQ
with a commanding view of the area. Leaving Ladysmith
we visit the
Churchill memorial to see the armoured
train ambush site which led to the capture of
young Winston on 15 November 1899, and his Pretoria
Prison. Making our way to the Clouston Military
Cemetery and visit the Gun site where the
Boers captured 10 artillery guns from the British at
the Battle of Colenso (15 Dec 1899). From here
we make our way to the killing field of Spionkop
to take a tour of the Battlefield and explain the events
that took place which involved such people as Winston
Churchill and Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
One of the accommodations is on the Battlefield
of Trenchgula near Nicholson's Nek, also
know as the Battle of Ladysmith, we can also
visit the Battlefields of Valkrans, Platrand
(Wagon Hill) and Tugela Heights with the final
push into Ladysmith to break the 118 day siege. On our
travels we also visit the capital of South Africa; Pretoria,
with Paul Kruger house, one of the old Boer
forts and the British HQ of Melrose house
with the signing of the peace treaty in May 1902.
Departing from Jo'burg we travel south down the N3
highway to visit the battlefield of Spionkop
where the South Lancs Liverpool regiment came under
a fire barrage resulting in one of the heaviest loss
of life of the war. We stay over on the Battlefield
of Nicholson's Nek, the grave yard is still on site
and can be visited. Starting at the Royal Hotel
Ladysmith we visit the Siege Museum with its
diorama of the Ladysmith field of operation. Leaving
Ladysmith we visit the Churchill memorial
to see the armoured train ambush site which led to the
capture of young Winston on 15 November 1899. Making
our way to the Clouston Military Cemetery and
visit the "Gun site" where the Boers captured
10 artillery guns from the British at the "Battle
of Colenso" (15 December 1899) . Traveling northeast
we visit the Talana Battlefield and Pete Smiths
farm which is one of the best open-air Museums in the
area. Our overnights stay is in Zululand in the middle
of the Zulu Battlefields. Another early start we visit
Isandlwana with the biggest ever defeat of a
modern British army against the spears of a Zulu impi,
and Rorkes Drift when 11 VC's were awarded to
the 24th "B" coy Welsh Borderers, & Fugitives Drift
when Melville and Coghill died saving the Queen's colours
in Jan 1879. We visit the Zulu capital of Ulundi
and the memorial to the fallen of both sides leading
to the total defeat of the mighty Zulu empire on 4 July
1879. From Ulundi we visit Eshowe being one of
the oldest towns in Zululand. Our accommodation includes
a visit to an authentic Zulu Village giving you
an opportunity to interact with the "people
of heaven" the Zulu. We end our Battlefields
experience with a relaxing Game Drive in the
Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Reserve with the opportunity
of seeing the BIG 5 of the animal kingdom. We
also visit Durban for a City tour with the old
Victorian spice market, where you can buy your
freshly packed Indian Spices.
Tours can be customized