Fugitives’ Drift: where the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift come to life

One of the reasons people travel far and wide to visit us is because of the movie Zulu. Actually, I believe Zulu was played on television every Boxing Day in England for about 30 years, so everybody of a certain age has seen it and for a lot of people, that’s how they heard about the Anglo-Zulu war. There are also those who have relatives who fought in the battle so there’s a personal connection. But honestly I think the main reason why people visit us is probably because my late husband, David, was such a great orator and the word spread. That and Fugitives’ Drift Lodge is a beautiful property which used to be David’s parents’ farm before we started it in 1989. We’ve got wild animals and the history, so it captures both.

Our six-room Guest House, once a private residence, is charming with a cosy sitting room and original verandas overlooking the bush. It’s perfect for families and small groups of friends. Then the Lodge is a step up in terms of luxury. The standalone rooms are scattered around the gardens for privacy with four-poster beds, floor-to-ceiling windows and large verandas offering the most beautiful panoramic views of the plains. The sparkling swimming pool there is one of the most relaxing places.

Being family owned and run is, I think, our greatest feature. It’s like having people staying with you at home. A British guest once described it as like being at a weekend house party. Not too wild though… Another highlight is being situated in a game reserve. We don’t have the Big Five but we’ve got plains game – giraffe, zebra, impala, bushbuck, kudu. The really lovely thing is that unlike other game reserves where there are things that will eat you, here you can take a walk in the bushveld and nothing’s going to eat you. Most people just take a map from reception and if they’re not back in two hours time, we’ll find them…but they normally find their way back.