Located on the banks of the Klip River, Ladysmith is a bustling city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. It was named after the Spanish wife of the Governor of the Cape Colony, Sir Harry Smith, and is notable for hosting several skirmishes and battles during the Anglo-Boer War.
Things to do in Ladysmith
Ladysmith makes an excellent base for visiting the Nambiti Big 5 Private Game Reserve, which offers exhilarating safari drives to spot elephants, lions and leopards. Encompassing more than 9,000 hectares, it includes grasslands, savannah and riverine bushlands that provide a habitat for a variety of bird species. Giraffes, hippos and hyenas also inhabit the reserve, together with elands and zebras.
On the other side of Ladysmith is the Spion Kop Battlefield, which comprises several gravestones and memorials related to this 1900 conflict. It was here that British forces and two Boer Republics engaged during the Anglo-Boer War, resulting in victory for the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. Pay your respects to those who died on Spion Kop, including Boers, Burghers and British soldiers.
Want to learn more? Head to the Ladysmith Siege Museum, which occupies a beautifully preserved building from 1884. Its exhibits include black-and-white photographs, documents and artefacts from the events that took place here between 1899 and 1902. The Ladysmith Siege Museum also serves as the starting point for the Siege Town Walkabout, a self-guided tour of the city.
Getting around Ladysmith
Ladysmith is around two hours’ drive from Pietermaritzburg and three hours from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, which has flights to destinations across Africa and the Middle East. Long-distance trains connect to the Ladysmith railway station while buses and minivans travel throughout the city, connecting most of its attractions.