Search

home  |  why Aardvark?  |  pricing and planning  |  news and articles |  sitemap

• Countries

  • Africa Map
  • Botswana
  • Kenya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Rwanda
  • Seychelles
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zanzibar
• Activities

  • Game Drives
  • Walking Safaris
  • Riding Safaris
  • Birding Safaris
  • Elephant Safaris
  • Water Based Safaris
  • Self Drive
  • Luxury Train
  • Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
  • Fishing
  • Mountain Climbing and Trekking
  • Private Guides
  • Special Interest
• Honeymoons
• Family Safaris

  • Introduction
  • Accommodation Styles
  • Things to do
  • When and Where
  • Questions and Answers
  • What Now?
• Riding Safaris

  • Introduction
  • About us
  • Riding styles
  • When and Where
  • Questions and Answers
  • What next
  • Riding in Botswana
  • Riding in Kenya
  • Riding in Namibia
  • Riding in South Africa
Beach
• Accommodation
• Contact Us

Fugitives' Drift

Fugitives' Drift Lodge has been attracting and thrilling visitors from all over the world since 1989, and the name “Rattray” has become synonymous with quality heritage tourism in South Africa.

Before his death in January 2007 I met David Rattray at Fugitives'. He had achieved an international reputation with his battlefield tours and overseas lectures and, as my report below shows, I was thrilled to be able to understand more of the history of this stunning area alongside him.

Although he will be sadly missed for a very long time to come, the team he put in place continues this great tradition and oral history of entertaining people with moving, detailed presentations on the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift and our clients who have visited recently have been as excited as I was by their stays.

I wrote the following after my visit:

On my recent whistle stop trip to South Africa our final destination was Fugitives’ Drift in KwaZulu-Natal. We went to listen to the fascinating legendary accounts of the Zulu wars delivered by David Rattray and Rob Caskie. I’m not a confirmed battlefield zealot and I did feel rather like a schoolboy dragged off to a museum. The lodge itself, is where David Rattray grew up and still lives, amongst people whose relatives witnessed the truth of those battles. It is beautifully located and has that distinctive comfortable owner-run feel, the excellent home-cooking, and simple but perfect rooms set the scene.

My scepticism was totally overturned as my head and neck tingled from the words of our great orator, as the battle of Rorke’s Drift was described with a detail and passion hard to find. I confess I left Fugitives’ a changed man, I had become a battlefield zealot, even muttering that it was up there with visiting the gorillas. I would highly recommend it to anyone and to spend a minimum of three nights there, as in addition to the battle tours you can also ride, fish and relax and enjoy some great scenery.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but my short time here was one of the best things I have done in Africa.



>> Back to Newsletter Stories

The content of this website is © Aardvark Safaris unless otherwise stated.