Zulu Heartland Attractions

The road to Shakaland passes the Zulu village of KwaBhekithunga, famed for its rich variety of arts and crafts.

A very attractive trip from Eshowe is to Empangeni. 6km/4mi north of Eshowe on R 68 an unsurfaced road goes off on the right, running through what were formerly favorite Zulu hunting grounds, now covered with sugar-cane plantations. 27km/17mi from Eshowe is a monument marking the site of KwaBulawayo, once the "capital" of the legendary Zulu king Shaka. According to the account of an ivory trader who visited it in 1824 it consisted of several thousand huts.

15km/9mi north of Eshowe a road branches off R 68 on the left and comes in 4km/2.5mi to Shakaland, originally established as the setting for a film on the legendary Shaka. After the completion of the film the set was converted into a typical Zulu village, now an open-air museum with presentations of Zulu life. Here visitors get a vivid impression of the way of life and customs of the Zulus, and can stay in traditional Zulu huts run by the Protea hotel chain.

Stewart's Farm, like Shakaland, appeals to visitors as a typical Zulu village - this time a "real" and not a manufactured village. It is reached on a road (R 34) which branches off R 68, north of Eshowe, at Nkwalini and comes in 30km/19mi to the village. Stewart's Farm seeks to preserve traditional Zulu tribal life, illustrating it for visitors with various exhibitions and presentations.