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BATTLEFIELD TOURS
South Africa is a country rich in diverse cultures and is steeped in history including great battles between settlers, tribes and colonists. Some of the most famous of these battles have become popular attractions for visitors to the regions. Kwazulu Natal is perhaps the more frequented battlefield region of South Africa and is home to the infamous Rorke’s Drift, Isandlwana and other Anglo-Zulu sites. Even if history is not your particular passion, the tales of these great battles are brought to life with passionate expert guides, that it will leave you in awe of the warriors and armies who fought in them. The Battlefield regions are also rich in scenic beauty, fabulous accommodation and other great activities including horse-riding, safaris, hiking and more.
Herewith a brief introduction to some of the more famous battles:
Isandlwana (22nd January 1879)
Sit on the battlefield, mesmerised by the remarkable story of this fantastic Zulu victory. One of the earlier encounters between the great Zulu warriors and the British Empire, this battle remains the worst military defeat for Britain at the hands of a colonial force. It was on the other hand, a great tactical victory for the Zulu nation. With an army force of approximately 1200 soldiers, the British faced an unstoppable wave of an estimated 12,000 Zulu warriors – a bloody battle with exceptional tactics on the part of the Zulus… The battle of Isandlwana stunned the world.
Rorke’s Drift (22nd January 1879)
On the same day as the Battle of Isandlwana raged, nearby 139 British soldiers were attacked by 4,000 Zulu warriors. It is an unbelievable tale of an iconic battle where the 2nd battalion held off the Zulu attack with such bravery and force, that victory was finally theirs despite all odds. The battle saw the most Victorian Crosses awarded than any other battle in British history.
Battle of Spionkop (24th January 1900)
Situated on top of a hill with views that redefine ‘big sky country’, the tour tells of the bloodiest day of the war, played out by a cast seldom challenged. On that hill were Louis Botha (the 1st Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa), Winston Churchill (voted the most famous Briton of the 20th century) and Mohandas Ghandi (the future Mahatma). The result of this battle confirmed that those early disasters of ‘Black Week’ were not merely beginners luck on behalf of the Boers – Spioenkop is arguably the most famous of all battles between the British and the Boers.
Frontier Battles (1800’s)
This is a story that must be heard - of frontier wars, pioneering spirits and heroic people bound together by indomitable determination and gritty humour. During the 1800’s the intrepid British Settlers, German immigrants, Dutch entrepreneurs and European explorers left their shores to begin a new life on the Southern most region of the African continent – region of the spiritual San people and mighty AmaXhosa. What awaited them in this region of wide horizons eclipsed their wildest imaginings… Join historian Alan Weyer of Spirits of the Past Tours on a thrilling journey back in time to these great battles.
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