Page 422 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

420 TRA VELLERS ’ NEEDS

aspect of South Africa’s history,
and many of the local museums
and lodges organize guided
tours. The storytelling skills of
many of the guides, such as
those at Fugitives’ Drift Lodge
(see p388) and Isandlwana
Lodge, are remarkable. These
trips take in some of the
poignant war memorials
dedicated to various conflicts,
including South Africa’s active
role in both World Wars, that are
scattered across the land.
In the 1820s, the ruthless King
Shaka created the Zulu nation
Robben Island, an important historical and ecological heritage site from nothing – building one of
history’s most fearsome fighting
Townships and Cape Town. Tours in and around forces. Rorke’s Drift (see p278) is
Cultural Tours
Durban offer insights into the the site of the battle in which
Soweto (see pp318–20) holds an Indian community, the former 150 British soldiers defended
important place in the heart of townships and the city’s a supply station against 4,000
modern South Africa for its role traditional Zulu heritage. Again, Zulus, thereby earning 11
in the rise of the people’s voices there are many tour operators Victoria Crosses in 12 hours.
that contributed to the demise and Durban Tourism offers its The battle was immortalized
of apartheid. Soweto tours are own insightful half-day tours, in the 1964 film Zulu, which has
hugely popular with visitors – either on foot or on an open- helped to turn the area into a
often a highlight of their top double-decker bus known popular visitor attraction.
exploration of Johannesburg. as the Ricksha Bus. A trip to Other major stops on the Boer
Visitors are accompanied by Shakaland (see p297) also reveals War tour include Ladysmith (see
experienced guides to traditional Zulu society, crafts p278), Mafeking, where Robert
jazz clubs, clinics, schools, and medicine, and is a popular Baden-Powell later conceived
shebeens (bars) and thought- outing for families. and started the Boy Scout
provoking museums. movement, and lofty Spioenkop
Other fascinating tours in and (see p279), strategically sited on
around Johannesburg include Battlefield Tours a 1,466-m (4,764-ft) peak, which
a visit to the Lesedi Cultural As a frontier land, South Africa’s saw the fiercest of all fighting.
Village to encounter Zulu, Xhosa soil has been fought over by Also on the battlefield trail is
and Sotho culture. Contact one succeeding waves of settlers. Blood River (see p278) near
of the dozens of tour operators Battlefield tours (see p278) Dundee, where Afrikaner forces
in Johannesburg such as Vhupo around the historic sites are a defeated a huge Zulu army on
Tours; they all offer a range of fascinating way to explore this 16 December 1838.
half- and full-day guided tours
and pick visitors up from hotels.
In Cape Town, tours visit
Bo-Kaap (see p133) and include
traditional meals and hospitality.
District Six, crafts and education
centres, mosques, as well as the
former townships on the Cape
Flats, are also included on the
itinerary. Tour operators such as
Andulela Experience, Cape
Capers and Cape Rainbow
Tours offer half-day tours
looking at historical and cultural
aspects of Cape Town, from
slave history to today’s social
and environmental projects.
For those with an interest in
what life was like under the
apartheid regime, a trip to the
infamous Robben Island (see
pp146–7) is a must when in Site of the Battle of Isandhlwana, KwaZulu-Natal, the first engagement of the Anglo-Zulu War