KwaZulu Battlefields, South Africa
A trip to this corner of South Africa is an adventure for history buffs young and old. The rolling grasslands and rocky outcrops of northern KwaZulu-Natal set the stage for several of the country’s most significant battles and each site along the Battlefields Route has its own tale to tell. For more than seventy years from 1830 to 1902 three imperious, yet vastly disparate nations - Zulu, British, and Voortrekkers – engaged in a bitter and merciless conflict that shaped South Africa's future.
The Vootrekker victory against the Zulu at Blood River in 1838 paved the way for the establishment of the Republic of Natalia. Four decades later, the British battled against the Zulu at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift and were embarrassed at the battles of Ladysmith and Spioenkop during the second Anglo-Boer War.
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Getting there
Most of the KwaZulu Battlefields are situated in the northwestern corner of the province of KwaZulu-Natal and within the triangle formed by the towns of Ulundi, Ladysmith, and Vryheid. Ladysmith is a 3 1/2 hour drive from Johannesburg and a 2-hour drive from Durban. From Johannesburg take the N3 south to the N68 for Dundee and Vryheid. For Ladysmith, take the N11 Ladysmith/Bergville exit from the N3. From Durban, take the N3 north to the N11.
Getting around
Self-drive one or more the routes developed by the Battlefields Route Association.
When to travel
Summer and early fall (December-March) are the best time of year.
Travel health & child safety
Malaria-free.
Things to keep in mind
South Africa is more child-friendly than many European countries.
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