The night was cold and misty, and the dirt road slippery from the rain. As I gripped my wheel and peered anxiously into the night, I longed for the journey to end. And end it did and we arrived to a warm welcome from general manager Rodion (Rody) Cantacuzene – a dead ringer for Hugh Grant – and Charles Aikenhead, a military historian and the owner of the newly opened Rorke’s Drift Hotel.
Our first port of call was the Kwa Jim Bar, the Zulu moniker for Jim Rorke’s establishment in the 1800s. Rorke was one of the early settlers in the area.
Aikenhead’s care in selecting the site and design for the Rorke’s Drift Hotel would only be fully apparent in the light of day, but on that cold night we were content to enjoy the warmth of the massive steel fireplace-cum-stove in the open bar, lounge and dining room area.
Smiling Petros Magubane behind the bar was charming and also evidence of Aikenhead’s commitment not only to his vision for Rorke’s Drift Hotel, but also to the aspirations of the local community. Petros is chairman of the Shiyane Communal Property Association, which has a stake in the hotel.
After a few drinks we were treated to an exceptional meal, which made good use of locally produced products. After dinner and a little too much of the recommended house red, we made our way over the wooden decking to our “fort”. Entrance was through two huge metal Zulu shields and the rooms lead off a circular courtyard with a fountain. The spacious rooms were not lavish, but more than adequate, with comfortable beds, a fridge and DStv.
Each room has a high thatched roof (cool in summer, no doubt) with a picture window to show off the view and a French door leading on to a deck. There is also a walk-in shower.
There are seven double rooms built in a round fort layout, with three more “forts” under construction.
Come morning, bright sunshine led us on to the deck where we enjoyed the view across the broad, shallow valley with the pretty Buffalo River curving towards and then away from the spur of the Shiyane Mountain on which the hotel stands. So what to do first? Breakfast, of course, on the decks overlooking the river and the drift that gives the hotel its name.
It was tempting to laze on the deck of the main building or in the comfortable lounge, reading room or around the swimming pool, but we chose to explore the famous battlefields – Isandlwana – where the Zulus dished out a resounding defeat to the British, and Rorke’s Drift Mission Station where, on the same evening, just 100 men held off 4 000 Zulus. It’s paradoxical how the scenes of so much bloodshed are now places of such beauty.
If military conquests are not your cup of tea, a short drive by 4x4 leads to an amazing stretch of river where birders will get stiff necks craning to see the many species nesting on the sheer sandstone cliffs on the opposite side of the river, including 25 nesting pairs of rare Bald-Headed Ibises.
It was with reluctance that we piled in the car for the drive back to Durban, deciding to take the scenic route on Charles’s advice. We headed back past Isandlwana to the spectacular Mangeni Falls and on into more spectacular scenery, up and down mountain passes on our way to Kranskop, and eventually back to city civilisation. It’s dirt road almost all the way to Kranskop, but well worth the drive.
Allow three-and-a-half hours for the drive to Rorke’s Drift via Colenso, Ezakheni and Helpmekaar, and six-and-a-half for the leisurely scenic route back. All in all a delightful experience.
Rates per person sharing with dinner, bed and breakfast is R750. I recommend at least two nights, though with subsequent nights at a 25 percent discount, you may be tempted to stay on. The hotel arranges various excursions and guided battlefield tours. It is also a great conference venue. Extra guests can be accommodated in the restored Lutheran Deanery at the battle site a stone’s throw away. - Sunday Tribune