America’s most famous highway, Route 66, is not just a road, it’s an icon. We, too, have our own Route 66 right here in KwaZulu-Natal, which marries wonderful scenery with history.
Once the feared Zulu warriors pounded their way through this area, causing clouds of dust to rise in their warrior wake, but nowadays the closest you will come to a warrior is young herdsmen practising their stick-fighting skills. Even then, your chances of stumbling across such scenes are pretty slim.
Without further ado, let’s hit the road. There is lots to see, and you might want to take two or three days over it. Take the N2 north from Durban and turn off at the Dokodweni off-ramp (to Eshowe). You are now on Route 66, which continues all the way to Phongola, through the heart of Zululand.
First port of call is Gingindlovu, where, at dawn on April 2, 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War, the British forces – who were trying to relieve Eshowe that had been besieged by the Zulus for about 10 weeks – were attacked by six regiments of about 10 000 Zulu warriors, under the leadership of Prince Dabulamanzi.
For two hours the battle raged, but the impi was forced to retreat under the withering fire of Gatling guns and artillery, and the next day Eshowe was relieved. A granite memorial on the site of that battlefield, close to the R66, pays tribute to the soldiers who fought and died that day.
The legendary white chief of King Cetshwayo, John Dunn, farmed, died, and was buried in 1895 at nearby Emoyeni. While you will not be able to access the grave, which is on private property, the mood of the journey could be enhanced by pondering a while on the energy of the man who married 48 Zulu wives and fathered 117 children.
Another historical spot, the Battle of Nyezane, is where Colonel Charles Pearson and 5 000 men were attacked as they were taking a breakfast break.
Look over to your right, and you may notice a hill known as Judea where, every October, thousands of pilgrims belonging to the Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe) set up camp for a month of prayer.
The first major town on the journey is Eshowe. Head for the fascinating Fort Nongqayi Museum Village. Iron age settlements, traditional Zulu art and culture, natural and missionary history exhibitions all jostle for attention within the grounds of a fine three-turreted white fort – built in 1883 by the British to house the barefoot Zulu police force (the Nongqayi), who acted as a bodyguard to the resident commissioner, Sir Melmoth Osborn. A restaurant, Adams Outpost in a former settler home, is a good spot to stop for some refreshment. There are several interesting modern arts and crafts on site, so you can spend several hours if the mood takes you.
Eshowe is a good spot to spend the night, as this is also home to the Dlinza Nature Reserve and Aerial Boardwalk, which is particularly lovely in the early morning when sunlight dapples the forest and birds warble contentedly.
King Mpande allowed Christian missionaries into Zululand, and another interesting spot is the KwaMondi Norwegian Mission Station, named after its first pastor Reverend Ommund Oftebro (known by the Zulus as “Mondi”).
King Cetshwayo took refuge in Eshowe during civil strife. He died suddenly here after eating a meal and the cause of his death remains a mystery (though inevitably there were whispers of poison). His memorial marks where he was buried, but after two months his remains were taken by ox wagon into the Nkandla Forest and reinterred.
A couple of crosses in the area also have a tale to tell. The Martyr’s Cross marks the site of the execution of the first Zulu Christian martyr, Maqhamusela Khanyile (for refusing to fight in King Cetshwayo’s army). The Mandawe Cross – a church in the shape of an inverted milking pail, built by the Roman Catholics to commemorate the efforts of early missionaries in Zululand – towers above the Nkwaleni Valley.
If you have time to spare, a short deviation brings you to the Ntumeni Nature Reserve, with magnificent spreading trees, gorges and waterfalls; and if you are able to go further afield, the Nkandla Forest is also a magical spot, regarded as one of the finest examples of surviving mist belt forest in South Africa.
If you deviate along the P230 (dirt track road to Empangeni) you can see the grave of Shaka’s mother, Nandi, and the original site of KwaBulawayo, King Shaka’s first capital, once one of the biggest cities in southern Africa. A short distance away is the Coward’s Bush, used as a place of execution by Shaka.
Stewart’s Farm Zulu lodge is said to be the oldest cultural village in the country, while the Ongoye Forest makes for a pleasant deviation.
At the top of Melmoth Pass, pause to enjoy the view and maybe pick up some fruit or vegetables from local vendors.
Some folk might like to overnight at the famous Shakaland, which was used for the television epic Shaka Zulu in the 1980s. My favourite is Simunye Zulu Lodge, deep in the Mfule River valley outside Melmoth. The accommodation, set on a hillside, has bathrooms set into the rock.
Leaving Melmoth, we find Mtonjaneni, to where a garrison of British soldiers retreated after the Battle of Ulundi. The Mtonjaneni Lodge here is another option for an overnight stay, as it also houses an interesting private museum with many artefacts and memorabilia dating back to the Anglo-Zulu War.
Nearby is a natural spring which was used exclusively as a source of drinking and bathing water for King Dingane. Now it’s often just a muddy puddle… and entails quite a climb.
The Spirit of eMakhosini, a memorial to Zulu kings buried in the valley below, is a particularly lovely and evocative memorial, composed of a giant Zulu beer pot and sculptured horns and tusks of animals once found in the area.
King Dingane established his capital, Mgungundlovu, after assassinating his half-brother King Shaka in 1828. It once housed around 1 700 traditional beehive-shaped grass huts. Here, too, is the grave of Piet Retief and his followers, who were clubbed to death on Dingane’s orders, while being entertained by dancers after signing a land concession between the Zulus and the Voortrekkers.
The Opathe Game Reserve is popular with some, but if history is your game, the nearby Gqokli Hill saw a massive battle between the Ndwandwe and the Zulus in April 1818. About 9 000 men lost their lives in what became the defining battle of King Shaka’s reign.
The last battle of the Anglo-Zulu War took place in 1879, close to present-day Ulundi, where King Cetshwayo had his military capital Ondini. With their vastly superior weapons, the British finally broke the back of the once-proud Zulu army.
King Cetshwayo’s residence at Ondini has been recreated on the exact site of the royal capital, following extensive archaeological excavation, during which the original mud and dung floors of the huts were discovered. The cultural museum on this heritage site is well worth a visit.
There is so much to choose from: the grave of King Mpande and the site of his Nondwengu royal capital; or Ceza Mountain, the stronghold of King Dinizulu and his supporters during the uSuthu Rebellion of 1888. Once a year (usually on the second Saturday in September) you might come across thousands of maidens heading for the eNyokeni Palace near Nongoma to participate in the famous Reed Dance.
Want to see a market where Nguni cattle are on sale? This happens at the Mona Market on the third Thursday of each month.
There are several options for another overnight stop: Amakhosi Private Game Reserve (also known as Mkuze Falls Private Game Reserve); Ithala Game Reserve (requires some deviation); or Pongola Private Game Reserve.
It is now time to turn homewards, down the N2. If you are still looking for things to do, several things beckon. The Umlalazi Nature Reserve, the Amatikulu Nature Reserve, a spot on the Umlalazi River where John Dunn dug a pool so his family could swim in safety, the beauty of the Rafia Palm forest in Mtunzini and The Prawn Shack at Amatikulu, on a deck overlooking the estuary (on weekends).
If You Go...
• Some handy contact numbers: Zululand District Municipality Tourism Office 035 874 5607; uMlalazi Municipality Tourism Office 035 473 3359; Phongolo Municipality Tourism Office 034 414 1223; Ulundi Municipality Tourism Office 035 870 0294.
• For more information see www.visitzululand.co.za - Sunday Tribune