The Great Trek - South Africa

I'm Steeming in today from Durban City, KZN on the east coast of Africa where I found this old gem of a book on my travels.

It is the amazing story of The Great Trek undertaken by the inspired people of the Boer Nation. Talk about overcoming obstacles, these guys were the ultimate survivors. There had never before been a people quite like them, very much the white man of Africa. Most of the 'indigenous' white population today in South Africa are to some degree descendants of the Voortrekkers.

The Voortrekkers

This is a side to the historical Africa that is not often heard nowadays, but if makes for some of the most riveting true life drama in the history books..

One of the many highlights of The Great Trek is the unbelievable Battle of Vegkop where the Boer with a mere thirty men and sixty woman and children (they loaded guns and packed shells) successfully defended their laager against a 4000 - 6000 strong raging Matabele (Zulu)army, without even one casualty.

The Battle of Vegkop

The Voortrekkers founded the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek or The South African Republic in 1852 after many, many incredible adventures trekking through Africa on wagons with their families and all their life's possessions.

Voortrekker Routes

There is a lot more that can be said about the brave Boer folk... But maybe on another day.

Namaste folks...