Day 1: (Sun) Isandlwana & Fugitive's Drift  (LD)

Make an early start and head inland towards South Africa's famous battlegrounds, where more battles were fought in this remote area of KwaZulu-Natal than anywhere else in South Africa. Your expert Battlefield guide will recount the 1879 battle of Isandlwana, where 24 000 Zulu impis (regiments) took on the firepower of the British troops, and wiped out almost an entire regiment in less than an hour.

Then on to Fugitive's Drift, where all those who fled the Isandlwana battlefield that fateful day fled or tried to, were killed. The graves of British lieutenants Cogill and Melville lie on the banks of the Buffalo River. Visit Rorke's Drift, where a handful of British soldiers, outnumbered 35 to 1, fought off 4000 Zulu's for 12 hours, a battle which saw 11 Victoria Crosses awarded more than in any other engagement.

We return, thoughts lingering with young lives lost and medals won, to our guest house for warm, country hospitality and a delicious dinner before retiring for the night.
Accommodation: Guest House or similar

Day 2: (Tue) Spioenkop  (BL)

After a hearty traditional South African breakfast we make our way to the summit of Spioenkop Mountain. From here your guide will recreate the tragic battle between Boer and Brit which unfolded over 9 days in January 1900. The British occupying Spioenkop's summit were in full view of Boer fire, in this, the second and bloodiest attempt by the Brit's to relieve Ladysmith. Incredibly, both Winston Churchill, then a reporter, and Mohandas Gandhi, a stretcher-bearer, witnessed the battle.

We then continue a little further to visit the spot of the armoured train incident, famous thanks to the fact that Churchill was among those captured. After lunch,we take our leave of bloody battlefields and head for Durban, arriving in the late afternoon.

Thompsons Africa offer a range of day tours and accommodation in Durban should you wish to extend your holiday for a few nights either in Durban itself, soaking up the warm waters and sunshine of this beach destination, or alternatively why not stay on a few nights in Zululand, heart of the Battlefields Route as well as many private game reserves, and an area well noted for excellent Big Five game viewing and a quality safari experience. 

The north coast of KwaZulu-Natal (Zululand) is also noted for its wild and romantic coastline, where turtle tracking at night (to see these huge, rare and endangered creatures is a privilege - seasonal) and deep sea diving and fishing, are just two examples of the allure of this area.  Thompsons Africa based in St Lucia and Hluhluwe offer a range of exciting adventure tours, from turtle tracking, snorkelling packages, safaris into the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and 'other' reserves in the area, kayaking, quad bike rides and game viewing on horse back.

In Zululand, beach and bush merge into one, with protected dunes and coral reefs, wetland areas (the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park - a World Heritage Site) and game reserves intertwine to create a fascinating wilderness just waiting to be discovered. 

Speak to our Internet Consultants to extend your stay in this remarkably beautiful area of South Africa.

Another exciting add-on to your Durban and/or Zululand holiday, would be to 'hop-on' to a quick flight to Port Elizabeth and then jump aboard our fully guided overland tour that takes in the scenic delights of the Garden Route:
Garden Route Splendour - 4 Days
Departing Port Elizabeth, visiting Knysna, Oudtshoorn and ending in Cape Town.

As this tour ends in Cape Town, it's a great opportunity for you linger a few days in South Africa's 'Mother City'.  Cape Town has an exceptional Wine Route, with internationally acclaimed wines and estates, as well as a picture-perfect coastline of impossibly blue waters and powder white sand. 

Thompsons Africa has a wonderful selection of hotels to suit all budgets as well as a comprehensive range of day tours highlighting Cape Town and her surrounds.

Land content only
Departs: Mondays