Fugitives Drift Lodge

After over 4 hours transfer from Durban airport we arrived to the warmest of welcomes by the owners and their team. A quick but tasty lunch and we were off on the 1st of our battlefield tours, Rourke's Drift. The narration was detailed and passionate, painting the scene as faithfully as if you had been there. On our return to the lodge we were shown to our lodge, luggage already installed, where we marvelled at the view. Beautifully appointed, our lodge boasted 2 huge showers and a bath with a view! Pre dinner drinks and canapes served around the bouma allowed for pleasantries with fellow guests before dinner. Dinner is a set menu, plentiful and tasty. Day 2 started early with breakfast before heading out for our 2nd tour. It's hard to say we enjoyed the tour which centres on huge loss of life on both sides but the narrative is informative and respectful of the subject. Another delicious lunch, afternoon tea and dinner followed. Two nights does not do justice to this amazing oasis of peace. Special thanks to Grace for your joyful appreciation of life!

An absolutely outstanding place. Everything about this lodge is perfect. We came here for the Battlefields obviously but this establishment is worthy of a trip on its own merit. The only negative would be the dirt track road you have to drive up for 30 minutes to get here, it's okay, even in our VW Polo rental car it was okay as long as you take your time but from the moment you arrive the place is fabulous! Every single member of staff is completely on their game, I've been fortunate to stay in many fine hotels but this was easily the best and the most friendly and genuine service we've ever received. It would be impossible to single out any one member of staff as all of them are exceptional. The views around the property are gorgeous and then there's the bonus of the game, such as giraffe and antelope that are roaming around. You receive full board here and breakfast and lunch are lovely but when it comes to the evening meal they really excel. We stayed 4 nights and every course, of every dinner was exquisite. Meals were served communally and we loved that too as fellow guests were all friendly and interesting too and it was so nice to spend the evening making new acquaintances. There's a lovely little pool on the premises, which we used several times plus there are various areas such as a small museum and a charming library area to pass some pleasant time in. Drinks are reasonably priced and always served with the broadest of smiles. Finally, the reason we came here was for the proximity to the Zula war battlefields and the lodge run 2 excellent tours from here both of which were also fabulous and highly informative, you do pay separately for these but they were worth every penny. There was also a free walking tour each afternoon which we also enjoyed. I really can't say enough positives about this property, it really was a perfect stay and we were sorry to leave. (BTW, they even washed our rental car for us on the day of departure!) 100% recommended

Fugitives Drift is an absolute must if you are interested in military history, if you like wildlife or even if you just love to relax in an amazing setting. The staff are all incredibly friendly and genuinely care about their guests and the accommodation and food are fantastic. I wish I could recall everyone’s names as I would mention them all, but Grace and Stuey were incredibly kind and helped care for my wife who fell ill while we were there. And of course spending time with the owner, Doug, was both hilarious and enlightening, not to mention his ability to change a wound dressing! The battlefield tours of the Zulu wars are amazing and really bring to life these historic events. We simply loved our time at the lodge.

I always wanted to go to see Rourke's Drift and my wife though not so keen as me was interested to see it after seeing the film for the first time. The Lodge an absolute gem, we could not have asked for more, the welcoming staff, awesome service, incredible food were all superb. The lodge accomodation was luxurious and immaculate. We can thorougly recommned it.

This was a fabulous experience for my wife and I. Wonderful food and wonderful staff. A very friendly almost family feel to the whole lodge. A member of staff or the owner sat with us for lunch and dinner every day. There is no background music other than the beautiful singing of Grace who looks after everyone at mealtimes. The tours of the battlefields are led by people who really know what they are about. We cannot imagine how this could be improved in any way.

Fugitives Drift Lodge is set in the most scenic setting in the heart of KwaZulu Natal. The staff and beyond friendly and helpful and the food is amazing, not to mention the luxurious accommodation. We went on the Isandlwana tour, led by a Zulu whose grandfather had actually fought in the battle, and Rorke's Drift tour, led by the very charismatic Doug Rattray. Both tours were narrated excellently and knowledgeably with just enough drama to bring the battles to life. If battlefield tours are your thing, this is a must do.