9 Day Frontier Route Tour

Code: H303 Duration: 9 Days Departs from: East London (Port Elizabeth on request) Featuring: Great Fish River Fort Armstrong Battle of Boma Pass The Waterkloof Battle of Amalinda

9 Day tour of about history of the Eastern Cape gives one an excellent introduction to this fascinating frontier region. Anyone who has read Noel Mosterts excellent book 'Frontiers' or has an interest in frontier war history will treasure this tour.

Day1:
We depart from East London and travel down the coast beyond the Great Fish River to the early settler towns of Port Alfred and Bathurst, visiting sites of old forts or churches that withstood onslaught during time of war.
Overnight: Bathurst.

Day2:
Today we travel through picturesque settler country to Salem, an 1820 settler village where Richard Gush faced a Xhosa impi alone and saved the day. We also visit the site where the mystic Makana - also known as Nxele led what became known as the Battle of Grahamstown.
Overnight: Grahamstown

Day3:
We visit Fraser's Post and Trompetter's Drift, en-route to Peddie with its old fortifications and interesting history and continue through what was once ceded territory, to Double Drift Game Reserve where remains of several old forts can be seen.
Overnight: Double Drift Game Reserve

Day4:
This morning we head for Alice, scene of a fierce battle and site of a once important fort. At Fort Beaufort we visit a museum with a fine display of weapons used by both sides in the Frontier Wars. We also visit Fort Armstrong, which was bombarded during the war of 1850-1853.
Overnight: Katberg Area

Day5:
Today we visit the Waterkloof, where some of the fiercest fighting in the 8th Frontier War took place over a span of almost two years, and Post Retief, which is still well preserved.
Overnight: Katberg Area

Day6:
We visit sites of early mission stations, which featured in the wars; Fort Cox where Sir Harry Smith was pent up; the site of the Battle of Boma Pass and the Burnshill wagon disaster as well as the grave of Chief Sandile.
Overnight: Stutterheim

Day7:
We visit Mgwali village and stay over in a Private Game Reserve in the area to which the Ngqika were expelled after the War of Mlangeni.
Overnight: Matola Private Game Reserve

Day8:
After an early morning game drive, we visit the place where the first VC was earned in SA, the Pirie Forest (optional walk to Sandile's Cave), Fort White and the site of the Battle of Amalinde.
Overnight: King Williams Town.

Day9:
We visit places of interest in this former garrison town, including Sir Harry Smith's residence during South Africa's second longest war and Fort Murray before we travel back to East London.