48 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 The Victorian Era THE ZULU WAR THE WASHING OF THE SPEARS This fascinating study of the Anglo-Zulu War takes us to ground that has hardly changed since the memorable events of the period, all set amongst spectacular scenery still populated by Zulu tribes and an abundance of wildlife. As well as visiting the battle sites of Isandlwana, Rorke’s Drift and others that have gone down in British military folklore, we will be discussing the men, armies and tactics of both sides, their problems, successes and failures. We will be in the very capable hands of Ian Knight whose book Zulu Rising received great critical acclaim and adds to his body of meticulously researched books on the war and on Zulu culture. But this is much more than ‘just’ a battlefield tour: Ian has been visiting South Africa for more than 30 years and knows the ground and its people well. We will be staying in comfortable lodges and hotels, and have ample opportunity to observe the local people and customs as well as participating in a game drive featuring many of Africa’s best loved animals such as the elephant, rhino, giraffe, zebra, leopard and antelope. After many years we believe we now have the definitive Zulu War tour nicely balanced with cultural experience – led by an expert who is both an enthusiastic guide and very good company. 7 - 20 March 2018 14 Days with Ian Knight Activity Level 2/3 Essentials Return flights from London, 3 & 4 star hotels, buffet breakfast, lunches, 3-course dinner with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guides throughout. Tour Price: £4495 Single supplement: £525 Deposit: £400 Price without flights: £3895 First annexed by Britain in the Napoleonic Wars, the Cape of Good Hope was in a vital position on the route to the Far East. Although SouthAfricaneverrivalledIndiainimportance withintheEmpire,thebattlesbetweenQueen Victoria's red-coated battalions and the lightly armed Zulu forces have remained vibrant in the memory of both adversaries as few other imperial events have done. In 1879, with Britain at the height of her imperial power, Lord Chelmsford's three columns marched into Zululand on a punitive expedition to teach the Zulu King Cetshwayo a lesson. Two equally professional armies with totally different fighting traditions and weapons met and fought with startling results. At Isandlwana the Zulus inflicted the most humiliating defeat of the Victorian era on the over-confident British battalions. Yet hours later the small number of determined and well-led defenders at Rorke's Drift drove off repeated Zulu attacks and captured the public’s admiration. In the end the rifle inevitably triumphed over the spear. It is a story of arrogance and determination, traditions and innovations, but above all amazing individual bravery on both sides. The old Zulu nation was destroyed – but at the cost of a significant dent to British military prestige. Extension ideas Explore the Wineland towns from Cape Town. Tour the Garden Route. Track the Big Five in Kruger National Park. Day 1 - Depart. Overnight flight from London Heathrow to Johannesburg. Day2–Durban.Internal flight to Durban. The Southern column: Visit Fort Pearson, on a bluff above the Thukela River, and the Ultimatum tree nearby. Overnight in Prince’s Grant on the Indian Ocean Coast. Day 3 – The Battlefields of Gingindlovu and Nyezane. Drive up to the site of the old mission station at Eshowe, converted to a fort by the men of Pearson's column, stopping at the battlefields along the way. Lunch at Fort Nongqayi. Overnight at Shakaland with Zulu dancing after dinner. Day 4 - Shakaland. We drive deep into Zulu country to visit King Cetshwayo's grave. After lunch at Shakaland we are introduced to the culture and customs of the Zulu people and stay a second night. Day 5 - Ulundi, the final battle of the Zulu War. We visit the battlefield and royal homestead at Ondini. Picnic lunch before moving on to Ithala Game Reserve, where we stay for 4 nights. Day 6 - Ntombe Spruit. We walk around this little-known action where a convoy of the 80th regiment was wiped out in March 1879. River permitting, we wade across the stream