Fugitives Drift Lodge
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D31 Rorke's Drift Rorke's Drift, Rorke's Drift 3016 South Africa
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#1 of 3 in Rorke's Drift
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Travellers' Choice
The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 is famous throughout the English-speaking world for the great battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. The spectacular Fugitives’ Drift property, a 5000 acre Natural Heritage Site, overlooks both Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, and includes the site where Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill lost their lives attempting to save the Queen’s Colour of their regiment. Take part in Fugitives’ Drift’s awe-inspiring battlefield tours, which bring the battles of Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana to life, leaving one with a deep and tangible insight into some of the most moving of South Africa’s battlefields. Five star accommodation, world-class battlefield tours, abundant game and birdlife, superb food and wine, and breathtaking views out over Zululand and the battlefields make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Free breakfast
Hiking
Meeting rooms
Gift shop
Non-smoking hotel
Secured parking
Internet
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Outdoor furniture
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun terrace
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Safe
Seating area
Bottled water
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
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HOTEL STYLE
Family
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Zulu
Location
Full view
40Car recommended
Grade: 40 out of 100
0Restaurantswithin 10 km
1Attractionwithin 10 km
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D31 Rorke's Drift Rorke's Drift, Rorke's Drift 3016 South Africa
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579Reviews10Q+A100Room tips
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+1
We stayed at Fugitives Drift for 2 nights with our children aged 9 & 11 years and we had the most fabulous time! My husband had wanted to visit Rorke’s Drift on a previous visit to South Africa when the children were smaller but we never made it so this was a must for him this time! If I am honest I was a little reluctant as I was not sure the children would be interested enough for the long battle tours! How wrong I was. They ended up doing both the tours & it was a highlight of our South Africa trip! The weather was not in our favour but even with rain for most of our stay, it was a fantastic experience that we all thoroughly enjoyed. Everything was wonderful from the tour guides, accommodation, food and staff. We really felt like we found somewhere very special with this place. It was absolute 5* but at the same time we felt we were staying with friends. Doug was so much fun & his lovely dogs kept the children entertained when we were not out walking or on tours. They are still talking about Theo & Titus! We really appreciated the escort out as the weather was very bad and we did not have a 4x4. The family really do go above & beyond here! We will definitely be back. Thank you…
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled
Helpful
Response from Nicky Rattray, Owner at Fugitives Drift Lodge
Responded 4 weeks ago
We so enjoyed having you stay, and thank you for being such troopers with the bad weather!
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Designer_Traveller wrote a review Mar 2022
Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom185 contributions108 helpful votes
This place is glorious. Wonderful staff. Fantastic accommodation. Great food. Stunning location. Fascinating, informative and moving tours of Isandlwana and Rork's Drift by guides who brought the Zulu wars and the events that occurred in the area to life. I'm running out of superlatives but Fugitive's Drift is a must. Like many others, for us this was for us a delayed holiday; thank goodness we persevered.
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Date of stay: March 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Helpful
Response from Nicky Rattray, Owner at Fugitives Drift Lodge
Responded 22 Mar 2022
Thank you so much for your kind words, we are so glad you enjoyed your stay. Thank you so much for coming
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We spent three wonderful nights at Fugitives' Drift at the end of our three week trip (delayed for 2 years!) to South Africa. After driving around WP (and the roads are superb everywhere in RSA, we found), the verdant scenery en-route from Durban airport was a total surprise - it's almost reminiscent of Tuscany. The final stretch is along a well-made gravel road, passing by the iconic hill of Isandlwana and - and now the sense of being somewhere very special really starts - crossing the Buffalo River. The lodge is just perfect, simple yet elegant, and the greeting from Nicky and her family is genuine and warm. Our room was all you could ask - great views from the terrace and a splendid outdoor shower (as well as another inside and a lovely, deep bath!). Having had a 3am start in Cape Town, we were happy just to chill out, cool off in the pool and enjoy the spectacular views from the library. And so to dinner... The food, especially after a week of gorging on chefs’ tables in Franschhoek and CT, is simple but satisfying and the pre-drinks around the boma was a good way to get to know the other visitors and the staff (who are all brilliant). A special word, of course, for Grace - her infectious happiness and her singing add hugely to the atmosphere around every meal time. Next morning we were off early to Isandlwana with our guide and story-teller Bryan. And what a story-teller! He brings knowledge and passion and makes the still, quiet field of Isandlwana come alive with the chaos, horrors and heroism of that day in January 1879. In the afternoon came rain - heavy rain - a good excuse for a rest... On our final day, we headed off for a morning walk, up the hill behind the lodge (following a perfectly marked trail) to the ledge above the Buffalo gorge. We were shrouded in mist, with the occasional sighting of Kudu and the sounds of Zebra hooves. On the rocks we waited for several minutes in the early cool as the gentle breeze slowly cleared the smoke and the river came silently into view. Stunning. Then down the hill and along the track to the grave of Melvill and Coghill, which sit on a slight incline within the nature reserve, overlooking the river that they crossed, trying to save the Colours of the regiment. Back for a (very welcome!) shower and then lunch (and I should add that the generous lunches and breakfasts are just excellent). In the afternoon we went to the battlefield of Rorke's Drift, led by Douglas. What to say? His knowledge is superb, but lightly-worn and accompanied with dry humour. Take a few tissues. I defy anyone not to shed tears as he relates the story of the famous battle. Tears not just for the stories - often so sad - of the fates of the British VC winners (how we forget our soldiers when the fighting is done... then and now), but for the many many more young Zulus who gave their lives fighting for their country... because, of course, it was theirs... And yet, today, what wonderful, hospitable people these Zulus are. And so, a final dinner, an early start, and a four-hour drive, back over that swollen Buffalo river, back to Durban and Joburg and home. But a three nights and two days never to be forgotten. Absolutely wonderful.…
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Date of stay: March 2022
Cleanliness
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Helpful
Response from Nicky Rattray, Owner at Fugitives Drift Lodge
Responded 13 Mar 2022
Thank you so much for your lovely review. I am so glad the mist lifted on your morning walk so that you could see the extraordinary view! We are so happy to have international guests travelling again, thank you so much for coming. It was lovely to meet you both and I hope we see you again here before too long.
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+1
Stunning, come and see for yourselves! I am sat on our deck in the early morning, looking over the hills and wishing we didn’t have the leave. Fugitives Drift Lodge is a totally different experience, it is magical. If you want to learn something about the history of this country and the amazing Zulu people then you need to come here. We went on two of the trips out, to Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift and heard in powerful and moving terms about these great battles and the huge impact they had. We are in most beautiful lodge, large, spotlessly clean, very well equipped, cool and extremely comfortable. The food is great and the staff are, without exception, totally delightful and cannot do enough for you. Meals are taken outdoors but undercover. Evening starts with drinks around the fire pit and snacks, followed by a delicious meal, plenty of choice for drinks. We have watched some incredible thunder and lightening storms. Lovely swimming pool. The library has a viewing point and the most incredible view of the Buffalo river. If you are planning your trip to South Africa and not sure where to go then do consider Fugitives Drift, it is totally amazing and if you are really fortunate, the delightful Gracie will sing to you before you retire to bed! Thank you everyone at Fugitives Drift, missing you already and we haven’t left yet! We will be back.…
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled
Helpful
Response from Nicky Rattray, Owner at Fugitives Drift Lodge
Responded 21 Feb 2022
Thank you so much for your lovely review, it was so lovely to meet you both. There certainly were some crazy storms while you where here! We hope to see you back here again before too long
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+1
South Africa was my bucket list holiday destination (mainly safari I have to admit) but I lost out in rock/paper/scissors for our 50th birthdays trip so reluctantly agreed to go to New Zealand. For our 30th wedding anniversary, though, nothing was going to stop me. The one concession I made though, was that I would take him to Rorke's Drift to finally lay his obsession with that film to rest. As we were starting to resarch our trip, we of course found out about Fugitive's Drift and the Rattray family. There was no choice, we were most definitely staying here and as we made our way around SA, we found ourselves looking forward more and more to this element of the trip. We drove across from St Lucia and after having spent the first part of our trip in the Western cape we were amazed at how quiet the roads were and how everyone you passed on the rural roads smiled and waved. What proud, wonderful people the Zulu are. On arrival, Nicky greeted us - what a welcome! We had happened to time our visit at the same time as 2 other British couples and there was genuine excitement amongst the team that things might be beginning to return to normal. We were also lucky to have arrived just in time to go on the Melvill and Coghill Grave walk, which was just us and pne of the Gappies (James?) who told us the story as we walked around the reserve. What a wonderful start to the whole experience for us, it really got us excited about the trips to come. The next morning we set off to Isandlwana with Mphiwa our lecturer and our all-British crew of misfit tourists. Words just can't describe this experience. It is incredibly moving and so well told. My husband won't mind me telling you he spent a good hour sat on a rise opposite that famous hill overlooking the site and cried. Personally, I think if you've seen photos, they just don't capture the scale of the thing - it needs to be seen to be comprehended. We then spent our first evening getting to know our fellow travellers around the boma. This is actively encouraged by the Fugitive's team and made our stay all the more special. The following day we went to Rorke's Drift to complete the story and this time, we were accompanied by Bryan, another talented orator who brought the whole thing to life all over again. We also had enough time in our stay to take a walk up to the viewpoint at Micko's recommendation - a good walk, and how amazing to feel totally safe doing it on our own. The whole Fugitive's drift team are incredible and available if you need them, but give you the space to explore and experience for yourselves. Nicky and Micko also join the the guests over lunch and/or breakfast - what tragic and triumphant experiences they share with you - their own stories having added to the history of this amazing place. Our only disappointment was that our trip clashed with Douglas sailing backwards in the Atlantic (if you know, you know). However that means we're just going to have to return - and next time - Blood River and maybe the Fugitive's Trail! Oh and as for that film - well I think we'll both be watching it with anew insight from now on.…
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Date of stay: November 2021
Service
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Nicky Rattray, Owner at Fugitives Drift Lodge
Responded 21 Feb 2022
Thank you for your lovely review, we loved having you, and yes we are so excited to have the Brits back! Please come back again, maybe 31st wedding anniversary!
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PRICE RANGE
US$241 - US$412 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
fugitive`s drift hotel rorke`s drift
LOCATION
South AfricaKwaZulu-NatalRorke's Drift
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Fugitives Drift Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Fugitives Drift Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Fugitive's Drift (1.0 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Fugitives Drift Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Fugitives Drift Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Fugitives Drift Lodge?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Fugitives Drift Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Fugitives Drift Lodge?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Afrikaans, and Zulu.
Does Fugitives Drift Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.