Check in at Three Tree Hill Lodge, driving time from Johannesburg's OR Tambo Airport and Durban's King Shaka Int. Airport: approximately 4 hours' drive.
Your package includes all meals, coffees and teas for the duration of your stay.
Today, a half-day (4 hours) tour of the Anglo-Boer War Battlefields at Spionkop. This tour tells of the bloodiest single day of the entire South African War. During January, General Sir Redvers Buller was joined by Lt General Sir Charles Warren, but their renewed attempts to breach the Boer defense line along the Thukela River were unsuccessful. Spioenkop was the highest point on the Boer defensive line and on 23 January 1900, a British attempt to capture it began. Astonishingly, Louis Botha, Winston Churchill and Mohandas Ghandi all played a role in this battle. The result of this battle confirmed that those early disasters of ‘Black Week’ were not merely beginners luck on the part of the Boers. Spioenkop, together with Majuba, are arguably the best known of all the battles between the British and the
Boers.
Afternoon at leisure for optional tours and/or activities.
This morning, a game-walk (1.5 hours) in neighbouring Spionkop Nature Reserve. Alternatively - a Horse Trail Ride (1.5 hours). There are several optional tours and activities on offer at this lodge:
Guided Nature Walk
Mountain Bike Rides
Tour to Battle of Colenso & Churchill's Capture site
Tour of Ladysmith Siege site; Battle of Caesar's Camp & Wagon Point
Leave Three Tree Hill Lodge after breakfast, and drive via Dundee, to the heart of the Anglo-Zulu War Battlefields. You may wish to make an optional stop at the Talana Museum in Dundee. This superb museum has exhibits from the battlefields area with. Continue to Fugitives' Drift. Check in at your lodge. In the afternoon, relax - maybe catch up on the history of the area to prepare yourself for the tours tomorrow.
Your package includes all meals, coffees and teas for the duration of your stay.
After breakfast, a guided tour of Isandlwana:
The Battle of Isandlwana, during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, has been the subject of conjecture and controversy for 140 years. It is arguably the greatest defeat that the British Empire was ever to suffer in her entire colonial history; in two short hours a modern British army was destroyed. But, was this truly a British defeat? Is it explained away by incompetence, failings in supply, or overconfidence? Or, was it due to the astounding leadership and motivation of the Zulu forces? Calling on the old Zulu stories of the battle to recreate the events of the day, your guide will explain how this battle was won, giving insight to the brave warriors and Zulu chieftains who fought and died in defence of their King and country.
Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, a tour of Rorke's Drift: The Battle of Rorke’s Drift, fought immediately after the Battle of Isandlwana, is famous throughout the English-speaking world. Here, at a small mission station, 139 British soldiers were attacked by 4000 Zulu warriors. The result was a British victory which saw the award of more Victoria Crosses than in any other battle in history. The story of Rorke’s Drift is an incredibly tragic story; one of human courage and sacrifice. The unspeakable suffering endured by the warriors and soldiers on such a tiny area is confounding.
Check out after breakfast, and make your way back home.
