Rorke’s Drift Museum

It was a war of attrition from the start. The Zulu Army numbered c40,000 men and had no reserves beyond that to draw on. At Nyezane, Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift the Zulu suffered around 4,000 casualties in one day (10% of the available warriors) for one victory and two defeats.

Rorke's Drift is a necessary destination for anyone with a passing interest in British colonial history. The museum adjacent to the mission station provides a fascinating insight into what conditions were like during the famous engagement.

Just over 150 British and colonial troops defended the station against attacks by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. The massive but piecemeal attacks by the Zulu on Rorke's Drift came very close to overwhelming the much smaller garrison, but were consistently repelled.

The original buildings at Rorke's Drift were destroyed after the battle, but a museum stands there today. Modest though it is, it presents a fascinating record of the events in which 140 British Redcoats fought off an attack from about 4,000 Zulu warriors.