travel tips

was considering making a trip to see the battlefields but wanted to do the whole hog not just Rorkes Drift and Isandlwana,would like to take in Prince Imperial memorial,Hlobane,Kambula,Etc.I would be traveling alone,has anyone done this and advise me who to contact,best time to go,place to stay,climate,security Etc. have googled it and am a bit confused to be honest,cheers

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You will need a guide for Hlobane and Kambula for sure. Sean Friend is excellent.

In terms of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift you could navigate around OK but if you go westwards from Isandlwana to see the sights - then just be careful.

Jamie

You are welcome to drop me an e-mail with your queries and I'll assist you with the planning of your trip as well as accommodation recommendations.
Regards, Ken

Around 6 years ago my wife and I did a self drive tour starting from Durban, and based ourselves at Isandlwana Lodge - website [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] The Lodge provide excellent guided tours of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift by Rob Gerrard - an experience not to be missed.

We never experienced any problems in travelling around Zululand and found the people very friendly and helpful, although this was some years ago and I cannot speak for the current security situation.

JohnB

JohnB wrote:

Around 6 years ago my wife and I did a self drive tour starting from Durban, and based ourselves at Isandlwana Lodge - website [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] The Lodge provide excellent guided tours of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift by Rob Gerrard - an experience not to be missed.

We never experienced any problems in travelling around Zululand and found the people very friendly and helpful, although this was some years ago and I cannot speak for the current security situation.

JohnB

Thanks John,much obliged,appreciate you taking your time to reply,will email the lodge,kindest regards - Steve

Jamie wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

You will need a guide for Hlobane and Kambula for sure. Sean Friend is excellent.

In terms of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift you could navigate around OK but if you go westwards from Isandlwana to see the sights - then just be careful.

Jamie

Thanks Jamie,much obliged,appreciate you taking your time to reply,kindest regards - Steve

Hi Chalkie30 .
I along with all the others who havent been to Zululand are waiting patiently to see what you will
post on your return . Have a great trip , looking forward to seeing your pictures . :lol: .
cheers 90th.

A really useful tool here is 'David Rattrays Guidebook to the Anglo-Zulu War Battlefields', published by Jonathan Ball in 2003 with ISBN no 1 86842 174 0. The guide gives directions to the battlefields and lets you know what to expect when you get there. Some of the spots are very isolated and you may feel more comfortable having a guide with you. Some places like Inyezane, where I was about two weeks ago, have very little to see other than a memorial at a gravesite and you need a guide or a very gook knowledge of the ground to be able to form a picture of what went on in 1879.

A good vehicle, such as an x-trail or similar, from the R33, most of the roads are not tar, rough dirt with plenty of loose chippings, that love saloon tyres, and deeply potholed, Vryheid to Dundee is good Tar, The whole of the roads around Isandlwana, RD is reasonable dirt, then you have about 20 iles of tar towards Babanango-Ulundi, but watch those potholes!!,.

Worth staying in Vryheid for a night, do Intombe, and Khambula day 1, easily done and quite easy access to both battlefields, avoid Khambula after heavy rain as the earth road turns to a morass, hampered by the logging lorries.

Unless its dry, You'll struggle in anything else but a 4WD with low ratio to get to the summit of Hlobane, and you'll need the gate key, as other posters have put Sean friend is very good, and knows the conditions, if the TV mast you can see in Vryhied is in cloud, forget Hlobane. Sean is the owner of the steak Spur in Vryhied, but he beleive he owns another now in PMB, so it is worth organising in advance.

We have never had any problems in KZN, over nine trips, always ensure you have fuel, watch speed limits, make sure you are in your lodge before dark, and beware the Hiace vans with 100 people aboard with one wheel nut....honestly.

If you go North to south, Mtonjaneni Lodge is a must, the museum there is fabulous, and a good point to cover Ulundi, then head off towards the Coastal invasion, do call at the Ultimatum tree, and visit fort Tenedos. Ginginlovu not good if the sugar or mealie is in full crop.

In 2009 I went with Holts Battlefield Tours with Ian Knight as our guide. Takes in all sites realted with the Zulu war and all done with first class accommodation etc. Worth every penny if it is within your price range. Trip of a lifetime...

What could one expect to pay for a trip with Holts Battlefield Tours. Doe's that include accomodation.

1879-2009 wrote:

In 2009 I went with Holts Battlefield Tours with Ian Knight as our guide. Takes in all sites realted with the Zulu war and all done with first class accommodation etc. Worth every penny if it is within your price range. Trip of a lifetime...

Hi what price range are we talking? cheers- Steve

Hi.
I went on the Holt's tour in 2007. The experience was superb. Can't fault it. Accommadation, out of this world. Ian knight, brilliant. If you're going on your own, then your looking at just over £4,000. If a couple, it's going to cost about £7,200.