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BATTLEFIELDS - KWAZULU NATAL
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| Battlefields Route: KwaZulu
Natal was host to some of South Africa's most significant battles, extending over more
than 200 turbulent years. It was here that the Voortrekkers were confronted by Zulu
armies, and where the mighty British Army was defeated by the power of the Zulu nation.
The Battlefields area is also famous for the successful resistance of the Afrikaner nation
to the threat of British Imperial Colonisation during the Anglo-Boer Wars. Every town,
historic building, battlesight and memorial in the Battlefields region has a fascinating
tale to tell, an event to commerate or a poignant memory to recall ... |
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BATTLEFIELDS DESTINATIONS
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 BABANANGO |
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 Babanango: The name Babanango translates
as 'Father there it is', indicating the high hill which is a landmark of the area.
Originally part of a land grant to European farmers in 1885 by King Dinizulu, Babanango
remains a centre of agriculture and is ideally situated as a base for visitors wanting to
... more » Babanango Info |
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| COLENSO |
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 Colenso: Several major battles were
fought in the area during the Anglo-Boer War. Exhibits relating to the war can be seen in
the Robert E. Stevenson Museum. Nearby, the Blaauwkrantz Monument serves as a reminder of
the massacre of Voortrekkers by Zulus in 1838. On the banks of the Thukela ... more » Colenso |
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 Dundee: Nestling in a valley of the
Biggarsberg mountains, Dundee was originally a farm. Surrounded by peaks; Indumeni (Where
the thunder rolls), Mpati (Place of good waters) and Talana (Shelf for precious items)
rich coal deposits attracted merchants and fortune hunters. Dundee remains a ... more » Dundee Info |
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| ESHOWE |
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 Eshowe: Eshowe is the oldest town in
Zululand and is situated around the Dlinza indigenous forest. Eshowe derives its name from
the tranquil, whispering breezes blowing through the trees. On a plateau protected from
the sub-tropical humidity affecting surrounding areas, it was for centuries a popular ... Eshowe » |
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 Lower down in the valley from Van Reenen’s Pass, and in the heart of
the Anglo-Boer War territory, Estcourt is a fairly large town that serves as the gateway
to the central Drakensberg, together with Winterton just 40 kilometres to the north.
Initially known as Bushman’s River, due largely to its ... more » Estcourt Info |
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 Named after a valley in Argyleshire by Scottish settlers during the late
1800s, the town has a proud railway history the first train arriving on 4 September 1889.
Attractions include Carl Landman's House, a fine example of houses built by the
Voortrekker leader who fought at the Battle of Blood River. |
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 Greytown: Often referred to as the
‘jewel of KwaZulu-Natal,
Greytown lies in the forest-clad, rolling hills of the Natal Midlands, a picturesque
little town originally settled during the 1850s and subsequently awash with buildings of
note, scenic drives and Boer history. Greytown originally enjoyed ... more » Greytown Info |
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 Isandlwana: Isandlwana, in Zulu, means
"something like a little house." The spur sits on a gradually rising plain
approximately 16 km from Rorke's Drift. Because of poor roads and the unwieldy wagons, it
took Lord Chelmsford 10 days to make the passage from Rorke's Drift to the foot of
Isandlwana ... more » Isandlwana Info |
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 Ladysmith: The siege of Ladysmith
involved numerous battles between the British and Boers. Anyone interested in the
Anglo-Boer War should visit the Ladysmith Siege Museum for insight into the Battles of
Colenso, Spioenkop, Vaalkrans and Tugela Heights. Guided tours to nearby battlefields are
... more » Ladysmith Info |
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 Lüneburg is essentially a farming community and its centre offers little by
way of attraction (unless you include the two incredibly beautiful churches) which form
the nucleus of the community, the town’s butcher and the farm cash store. It’s
what surrounds Lüneburg that makes this part of the ... more » Lüneburg Info |
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| MELMOTH |
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 Melmoth: Melmoth, known as the gateway
to the Zulu Highlands, is a picturesque, little town just 200 km north east of Durban and
90 km from the coastal town of Mtunzini. Referred to, in the SA edition of Trivial
Pursuit, as having the cleanest air in the country, Melmoth was a ‘gold rush’
town, founded in ... Melmoth » |
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 Newcastle: Deeply involved in the
Anglo-Boer War, Newcastle today is the largest town in northern KwaZulu Natal and shares its name
with a further 27 sister Newcastles worldwide. It is awash with history and some fairly
original ways to spend one’s time. Newcastle was originally known as ... more » Newcastle
Info |
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| PAULPIETERSBURG |
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 Paulpietersburg: The roots of this
picturesque town in the foothills of Dumbe Mountain lie in a piece of the then Transvaal
Boer Republic surveyed in 1888. The demarcated land was named in honour of Boer president
Paul Kruger and Voortrekker hero Pieter Joubert. Paulpietersburg played its ... Paulpietersburg
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| Rorke's Drift: In 1879 Rorke's Drift was
the setting for one of the most famous battles of the Anglo-Zulu War. The main attractions
of the Rorke's Drift Battle Museum are a fine model and audio-visual depiction of battles
fought in the region. Over the past 30 years, the fame of Rorke's Drift as a ... more » Rorke's
Drift Info |
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| ULUNDI |
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 Ulundi: The Zulu name, Ulundi, means
"High Place". The town has become the political center of the Zulu people.
Ulundi lies at the hub of the old Zulu kingdom which lost its independence to colonial
expansion. The last battle of the Anglo-Zulu War was fought nearby in 1879. The KwaZulu
Cultural Museum ... Ulundi » |
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 Vryheid: Even before the town of Vryheid
was created this rich cattle area was very sought after. Already in 1838, the Boers during
the great Trek, fought the decisive battle of Blood River in this area. During the
Anglo-Zulu war, the major battles of Kambula and Hlobane happened here. Close by any ...
more » Vryheid
Info |
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 Winterton: The pretty town of Winterton
serves, quite literally, as the gateway to the central Drakensberg some 14 kilometres
away, and lies in the foothills of these towering giants, a typical pioneer settlement and
one of the largest villages in this area. Almost every lodge and venue in the vicinity
describes ... more » Winterton Info |
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BATTLEFIELDS ATTRACTIONS
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 The KwaZulu Natal hinterland has witnessed some of the most brutal and
significant battles to be fought in South Africa. These historical sites form part of the
KwaZulu Natal Battlefields Route, a trip through 14 historical towns whose surrounding
areas boast the largest concentration of battlefields in South Africa. See Map |
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| SPIOENKOP
DAM NATURE RESERVE |
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 Dominated by the
rugged mountain where Boers and Britons clashed during the Anglo-Boer War, the resort
offers a wealth of outdoor attractions including fishing, yachting and powerboating on the
Tugela River Dam. From the summit of Spioenkop, there are grand views of lush green ...
more » Spioenkop Dam Nature
Reserve |
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« KwaZulu Natal Nature Reserves
| South
Africa Game Reserves » |
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