Battlefields Tour - The Day of the Dead Moon - Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift

Day 1
The Battle of Isandlawana - The Day of the Dead Moon
From Durban airport we will drive inland to the Battlefields of KwaZulu Natal passing through scenic rural landscapes and communities along the way. On arrival at the lodge there will be time to settle into our luxury suites before lunch is served. This afternoon a guided tour to the Isandlwana Battlefield is included.

The events of that fateful day, 22 January 1879, when over 20 000 Zulus defeated a small but well-armed British force at Isandlwana, can only be described as horrific. The British had severely underestimated the strength and discipline of the Zulu army and the battle was to be the bloodiest in British history. Over a century has passed and with the benefit of hindsight and much research, the facts are now presented in such vivid detail that as we listen, we are sure to be spellbound as we relive the drama and futility of the predicament in which the British found themselves. The fact that a handful of soldiers managed to escape to safety across the swollen Buffalo River is incredible. As the group leaves the scene of the battle, haunting images of the slaughter that took place on this seemingly peaceful hillside swirl in our minds as the magnitude of the horror, the fear and the bravery can only be imagined. We return to the lodge engrossed in our own thoughts.

Day 2
The Battle of Rorke’s Drift – True Grit
After a hearty breakfast we pack up, bid farewell to our hosts and return to the battlefields. At Rorke’s Drift we pick up the epic saga. It is the morning after the events of the night of the 22 January 1897. Ninety-six British soldiers have spent 12 hours fighting off attack after attack by a force of 4000 Zulu warriors. The details of this living nightmare are well recorded and are now told to us blow by terrifying blow, once again conjuring up vivid images in our minds. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded, earning this battle the distinction of having the highest number of VC’s ever awarded in a single engagement. Many of the men who returned to Britain were released from military duty and found themselves unable to continue a normal life. Once again, we are sure to be struck by the bravery of these men and the futility of war.

We return to our Microbus and continue to the next destination, excitedly discussing the battle or maybe driving in silence as we contemplate what we have learned over the last two days.

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