Fugitives Drift Lodge

Fugitives Drift Lodge was amazing! Accommodation fantastic with great views. The staff were very friendly and a member of their team hosts pre dinner drinks around the camp fire before hosting dinner. The food was excellent and the tours to Rorkes Drift, Isandlwana and the grave site of Lt Coghill and Lt Melville were brilliant! The Zulu guides made the whole thing come alive with their brilliant story telling and it was very emotional! Well worth the visit! It really was outstanding! Thank you so much and we will certainly recommend you to all our friends and family!

More than expected … great staff … who genuinely want to help make the experience work … I have travelled extensively … this I have to say was one of places which stands out … nothing was a problem … the tours amazing … I found out so much more than I expected The food … wow … the feel of the place … comfortable … calm … educational … engaging I wish I could have stopped another day … thank you for creating great memories

I came specifically for the purpose of visiting Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana. However, the wonderful experience commenced upon my arrival at the front gate. After a very cheerful welcome, to my surprise, I was handed a note to advise my accommodation had been upgraded from Kwa George to the Lodge. Upon parking my car the excellent service continued. All team members knew my name. My luggage was brought to my room and my car moved to a more appropriate car space. The room was beyond 5 star-spacious, well-appointed with huge bed and a marvelous ensuite with bath and shower. Large sliding doors open to a small verandah where I was able to enjoy watching, nyala, impala, kudu and some rather cheeky monkeys. I also saw giraffe and zebra during my stay elsewhere on the property. I cannot comment more favorably upon the dining experiences - breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner were all superb. Although not a requirement - guests enjoy their meals in a communal way with each other and their hosts. This simply adds to the joint experience of travelling in southern Africa. There are a number of well signposted walks on the property - and the views are spectacular. A small, but well organised museum has a number of interesting exhibits. Then there are the battlefield tours. These were the main reason for my visit. And the guides were terrific. Knowledgeable and passionate are the best way to describe them. The 3 nights spent here are amongst the most cherished and enjoyable of my life. and the 2 days of battlefield tours and enjoying the facilities were brilliant. I look forward to returning and doing tours of other battlefields. I cannot recommend a visit more highly.

We particularly chose Fugitives Drift for our battlefields visit after the fabulous reviews and if anything, even they did not do this beautiful place, the staff and the tours offered justice. As it is getting into off season, it was quiet with just a small group of guests but this meant we were able to enjoy the company of other travellers - both from the UK (as are we) and South Africans. The accommodation is very spacious, extremely comfortable and tremendously clean. All of the staff are friendly and always happy to chat to you but we do have to give a huge shout tout to Grace who truly is amazing - always happy. The company at dinner - preceded by a relaxing drink round the fire pit - was also lively and entertaining, not just from the guests but Dougie Rattray too proving that the owners are personally invested in this adventure too. The food was phenomenal and plentiful, we certainly were never left hungry. We only had a couple of nights so squeezed in both Islandlwana & Rorke's Drift onto one day but we would recommend taking at least an extra day as it is so much information and emotion to be packed into just one. The story telling from all points, from both Mphiwa & Dougie is powerful and draws you in. I don't believe anyone cannot have a tear in their eyes at some, if not all points of the commentary, especially the prayer at Islandlwana. It is a trek to get here and the roads certainly provide a driving challenge at time (we drove from Johannesburg) but it truly is worth it. We also enjoyed the wildlife around the property which was a treat for us animal lovers. Next time - and there will be one - we will spend more time so we can enjoy the property more fully, especially the library and the pool with amazing views. Thank you to everyone at Figitives Drift for making our short stay so memorable.

Fugitives’ Drift Lodge and Guest House, KwaZulu-Natal 5-9th May 2024, Peter and Jennifer Lockyer, Chalet 4 Earlier this month, we had the privilege to stay at the Fugitives Drift Lodge and Guest House, which stands in some 5,000 acres of KwaZulu-Natal, we stayed for four nights. We had a five hour taxi ride from Durban, the driver, a Zulu kept us engaged in interesting conversation. He was well versed in politics and South Africa. It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere. So, in South Africa it was autumn, even so it was a warm 28 degrees, with blue sky and no rain. Our reason for travelling to the Lodge was to visit the battlefields of the Anglo/Zulu wars of 1879: Particularly Rorke’s Drift, made famous by the film Zulu, and Isandlwana an American film known as Zulu Dawn. To travel and stay at the Lodge you don’t have to be an historian, you will enjoy the views, tranquility, and the ‘airs of mystery’. The road surface changed as we approached the Lodge and became a dirt track. We arrived at the security barrier, and we were expected. It wasn’t long before we started seeing zebras, and giraffes, one with a baby, the mother was very inquisitve peering at us down her long nose! We arrived at the Lodge and were given a warm welcome (well, they have entertained British Royalty, in the past!) Our suitcases were whisked away, and we were taken for lunch at the splendid Harford library named after Henry ‘Charlie’ Harford. (The library can be seen on an on-line video at their website). For lunch we were hosted by ‘Amazing Grace’, the lovely, front of house lady, who looked after ‘service’ and us so very well. One day she sang for us, so very beautifully. We had a most enjoyable lunch, with probably the best views in South Africa. From the Lodge, the ground drops away steeply, down to the Buffalo river which cuts its way through the bush. The river features in so very much of the history of the area. In fact two army officers are buried there fugitives from the Zulus. They were the first two men to be awarded posthumous Victoria Crosses. They are buried in the grounds of the Lodge, not so very far from the river. The mountain of Isandlwana could also be seen on the horizon, with a heat haze giving it an eerie appearance. After lunch we went to our accommodation, chalet no 4, it was very big, and well stocked The shower was massive, as was the outside one. We had drinks with the other guests around a burning brazier at 1900, and at 1930 dinner was served and we sat down with the other guests in the main dining room, surrounded by African artefacts of war and peace. The food and service was to a very high standard. I sat opposite Douglas Rattray, the son of the owner Nicky Rattray. His conversation was interesting and lively. In fact for most of the meals, we were lucky to have a senior member of the staff or Nicky or Douglas sit with us. The next day we were shaken at 0600 with a cup of tea and biscuits. Breakfast was at 0650, a full South

Our stay at Fugitives Drift was amazing. On our drive into the reserve we saw Zebras. We were upgraded to the Lodge and it was perfect - the views were stunning. We went on two tours, Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana and also a walking tour. Our guides were so knowledgable and brought everything to life - very moving. The library on site is fascinating. All staff were so friendly and the food was so nice. Thank you to everyone for an amazing experience.

We have travelled the world! We have stayed at some amazing places - and some not so amazing. I can honestly say that Fugitive's Drift Lodge is up there with the most perfect. I'm not sure I can think of anything to fault. We were due to arrive in time for lunch (FDL is all inclusive) but, due to road conditions we were delayed. I phoned and asked if they could possibly make a sandwich for us on our arrival. In fact, they had left lunch out and it was all delicious. All the staff were wonderful and seemed determined to make our stay totally special. The food was constantly absolutely fabulous. When we chose to go out for a day, they wanted to pack us up a lunch - but we were happy to eat at a local cafe. There was communal dining (for those who wanted) and we met many interesting people, at least one member of staff ate with us. Our bedroom was vast and absolutely beautiful. It had a stunning view and a very large balcony. When it became too hot to sit out - we opened the large picture window doors and sat indoors on the comfy seats with a breeze blowing in. It is located in its own game reserve. We went on battlefield 2 tours, arranged from the lodge: one to Rorke's Drift and the other to Isandlwana. Our guides were superb, telling the story and making the battles come alive. We were so sorry to leave. I'm not naming any of the staff - they were all fantastic and I don't want to accidentally miss anyone out.

Fugitives Drift Lodge is a remarkable place to stay. Its proximity to Fugitives Drift, Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift make it the perfect location for visiting the battlefields but it is so much more than a convenient hotel. The staff are incredible: friendly, helpful, irrepressibly cheerful and nothing is too much trouble. The rooms are large and comfortable with incredible views across the bush revealing many animals - no Big 5 but that isn't the attraction here. The food is awesome with the option of dining at a private table or with the other guests and owners. Definitely take the latter option: the owners, like the staff are wonderful people, full of knowledge, wit and enthusiasm and I defy you not to enjoy Doug's delightful humour. A small museum is fascinating and informative and whether you have a deep knowledge of the Zulu War and its most famous battles or just a passing interest the tours from the Lodge are truly awesome, the passion of the guides infectious.

We had a fantastic stay here. The battlefield tours were amazing. The guides were great and made it very real. We had a lovely room at the Lodge with fantastic views. We enjoyed the drinks and long dinner table and met lovely people. Not to forget the giraffes zebras and other wildlife. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Well worth the trip to get here.