The following guides specialise in Wildlife / Birding / Nature
Baker, Warwick
Warwick Baker
- Voortrekker, Zulu History, Anglo Zulu War, First and Second Anglo Boer War
Warwick Baker is a specialist battlefields guide based in Durban. His interest in battlefields of KZN stems from childhood. An avid collector of Africana, he has done considerable research over the years and presents a view that is totally unbiased. Warwick tailors tours to suit client’s needs. He is also a provincial guide for KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, wild life and rock art.
Contact
Tel:+27(0)31 267 1163 / +27(0)82 417 5248
Blackburn, Simon
Simon Blackburn
- Spioenkop, Ladysmith and Relief of Ladysmith Battles
With a background in Zoology and over three decades of guiding experience since, Simon has honed his expertise across some of Africa’s most prestigious safari destinations, before settling at Three Tree Hill Lodge, where he has devoted many years to sharing the natural and historical treasures of the Spioenkop region.
His specialties encompass both the adventure of Big 5 walking trails and the profound historical narratives of the Anglo-Boer War battlefields surrounding Ladysmith. He brings particular depth and insight to tours of Spioenkop and Colenso, where the landscape itself tells stories of courage, strategy, and sacrifice. Simon offers guests an authentic and deeply informed perspective on this remarkable corner of KwaZulu-Natal.
Contact
Tel:+27(0)36 448 1171 / +27(0)82 379 1864
Email:simon@threetreehill.co.za
Website:www.threetreehill.co.za
Duval, Pierre
Pierre Duval
- Anglo Zulu War Battles, Second Anglo Boer War
Pierre Duval has an unbelievable love for South Africa. Since a child he has grabbed every opportunity to explore the countryside. While specializing in nature, Pierre has an excellent knowledge of the country’s historical and cultural side. He is one of the few tour guides that are accredited on a national level, allowing him to tour the whole country. He has been guiding full time since 1998, and is the owner of BushBaby Safaris.
Contact
Tel:+27(0)34 212 3216 / +27(0)82 466 8350
Email:pierre@bushbaby.co.za
Website:www.bushbaby.co.za
Garner, Paul
Paul Garner
- Anglo Zulu War Battles
Paul Garner is a guide with over 30 years’ experience leading tours in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana, including expeditions in search of the Lost City of the Kalahari. He has an abiding passion for Africa, its history, fauna and flora, with a special interest in Birding, Battlefields and Rock Art. He is an active member of The Wildlife and Environmental Society, The Endangered Wildlife Trust, Birdlife South Africa and the South African Archaeological Society.
Contact
Tel:+27(0)34 212 1931 / +27(0)82 472 3912
Email:garner@jenny.co.za
Howard, Bronwyn
Bronwyn Howard
Bronwyn Howard is a qualified nature guide specialising in birds, together with African wildlife, trees and plants. She has been birding for over 30 years, was involved in bird conservation and environmental education, and produced a digital birding magazine. She worked regularly at Lapalala Wilderness School, the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens, Pilanesberg National Park and other facilities. She offers tailormade birding tours and excursions for small groups to the region’s birding hotspots, most of which afford a good chance of seeing regional specials, rare birds, and almost half the country’s endemic species. Bronwyn also presents beginner bird courses, talks, and lectures on request to groups of 10 people or more and has done so for several years.
Northern KwaZulu-Natal is a birding mecca, with 450 species recorded, including several specials and rare species, such as Secretarybird, Southern Bald Ibis, Southern Ground Hornbill, Martial Eagle, White-backed and Cape Vultures, Denham’s Bustard, and White-bellied and Blue Korhaans, together with all three crane species – Grey Crowned Crane, Blue Crane (South Africa’s national bird) and Wattled Crane. In October, the world’s entire Amur Falcon population migrates to South Africa from its breeding grounds in China and roosts on the outskirts of Newcastle. This region is also home to some 50% of the country’s endemic bird species.
Contact
Tel:+27 (0) 66 111 9897
Email:urbanecolife@gmail.com
King, Colin
Colin Sellen King
- Voortrekker, Anglo Zulu War, First and Second Anglo Boer War
Colin is a Provincial Guide, Culture and Nature for Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces as well as being registered as a Swaziland Tourist Guide.
Colin has been a registered guide since 1999. He has worked as both was a fulltime Guide and admin assistant with a Durban based Tour Company, and as a freelance guide in his own tour business. Viewfinder Guided Tours and Safaris. He guides guests of Thompsons Touring, Shaka Tours, Discover Durban Tours, Ricksha Tours, and Safaris for Africa on the Battlefields of KZN.
His personal interaction and association many other battlefield guides helped to develop his enthusiasm for the KZN Battlefields. Colin is a dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate Tour Guide who thoroughly enjoys his Tourism involvement, particularly in the areas of Culture, Historical Battlefields and Wildlife.
Contact
Tel:031 4640060
Cell:083 3037099
Email:colinsking@msn.com
Rattray, Douglas
Douglas Rattray
- Anglo Zulu War Battles
From a very young age, Doug had an interest in all matters military; particularly the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. He shared his late father’s enthusiasm for the rich history of our area. Doug is passionate about Fugitives’ Drift, having returned at the age of 24 after having completed his diploma in nature conservation.
Following in David’s footsteps, Doug has done numerous international lectures of the Anglo Zulu war and the battlefields in KwaZulu-Natal.
Contact
Tel:034 271 8051 / 087 285 1172
Schumacher, Ruben
Ruben Schumacher
Based at Three Tree Hill Lodge in KwaZulu-Natal. He started out primarily as a nature field guide, but soon came to appreciate the remarkable depth of history that surrounded him. This realisation sparked a deep interest in the Anglo-Boer War sites of Spioenkop, Colenso, Platrand and Ladysmith, all of which can be explored from Three Tree Hill Lodge.
Contact
Tel: +27 (0)82 379 1864
Seymour, James
James Seymour
- Isandlwana, Fugitive’s Drift, Rorke’s Drift, Langalibalele Rebellion
I am a registered National Adventure Guide, specialising in mountain hiking both on and off established trails, and a registered KwaZulu-Natal Nature and Culture Guide. In addition, I am a registered San Rock Art Monitor, a qualified Tourist Guide Assessor, and serve as an Honorary Officer with the KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service.
My guiding interests lie at the intersection of South Africa’s natural, cultural and military heritage. I offer a range of specialised hiking and walking excursions that combine historical interpretation with immersive outdoor experiences.
These include a hiking excursion from the Battle of Isandlwana battlefield to Fugitive’s Drift, retracing the dramatic route taken by those who attempted to escape. I also conduct guided walking tours of Rorke’s Drift, examining one of the most famous engagements of the Anglo-Zulu War.
Another of my specialised excursions follows the route taken by the King’s Royal Rifles during the Battle of Spion Kop. This hike ascends Twin Peaks, where participants gain an appreciation of the effort required to silence the Boer artillery positions, before continuing across Aloe Knoll and onto Spion Kop itself. The excursion provides a unique perspective on the battle by exploring events on the ground and along the routes the combatants actually took.
In the Drakensberg, I lead hiking expeditions up Langalibalele Pass to the Natal Carbineers’ graves, where the story of the Langalibalele Rebellion and its significance in South African history is interpreted within the landscape where these events unfolded.
I also conduct extensive tours to San rock art sites throughout the Drakensberg. These excursions explore the beliefs, symbolism and cultural practices of the San, while also examining the complex history of interaction and conflict between the Drakensberg San, frontier farming communities and Nguni-speaking groups during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. By combining archaeology, anthropology, oral history and landscape interpretation, these tours provide visitors with a deeper understanding of one of southern Africa’s most remarkable cultural legacies.
Through these guided experiences, I aim to bring history, heritage and landscape together, allowing visitors to engage directly with the places where South Africa’s stories were lived and recorded.
Contact
Tel: +27 (0)82 925 5508
Email:james@cathkinmanagement.com
Website:drakensbergwalkingexcursions.com
Smith, Kevin
Kevin Smith
- Voortrekker, Zulu History, Anglo Zulu War, First and Second Anglo Boer War
Kevin Smith was a schoolmaster at Kearsney College for 30 years where he organised and conducted many safaris/tours throughout South Africa and overseas. He is a qualified and registered National Tour Guide, KZN 1894, and is able to guide you through all nine South African Provinces. His love for, and interest in, the environment, both past and present, has led him into taking safaris through Battlefield Sites and Game Reserves throughout Southern Africa. Kevin provides a Personal Brochure for each client with photographs taken at the various monuments and then cut + pasted into notes, maps and diagrams of each of the battles visited. Together with detailed information on all Battle Sites in the country and from the constellations of our night sky in terms of astronomy and astrology to biogeography, ecology, animal, bird identification to trees in term of names, traditional uses and superstitions, Kevin is able to bring your surroundings both past and present to life.
Tel: 084 555 9600
Email:kevin@sansafaris.co.za
Website:www.sansafaris.co.za
Wessels, Philip
Philip Wessels
- Anglo Zulu and Anglo Boer Wars.
Philip Wessels is a FGASA Professional Field Guide, Trails Guide and holds a Professional Tracker qualification. He has a deep love of nature. He is currently based at Cheetah Ridge Lodge in Nambiti Private Game Reserve as the safari manager. He also conducts tours to historical sites in and around the lodge. His interest in history extends to both the Anglo Zulu and Anglo Boer wars.
Contact
Tel: 078 309 3057