The rugged and beautiful eMakhosini Ophathe Heritage Park lies situated along
the White Mfolozi River, and was established in 1991 as the Ophathe game
reserve. Located a short distance from the town of Ulundi, the park was formed
after the addition of the magnificent eMakhosini valley, also known as the
Valley of Kings. The eMakhosini Ophathe Heritage Park area provides visitors
with an incomparable opportunity to enjoy the area's diverse natural, historical
and cultural heritage simultaneously.
eMakhosini Ophathe Heritage Parkcovers an area of roughly twenty four thousand
hectares of protected land, and displays a variety of habitats which include
valley bush veld, mist belt grasslands, wetland, woodland, ngongoni grassland
and riparian.
The park boasts an impressive biodiversity due to a combination of the unique
habitats, temperature variations and diverse geology. The eMakhosini Ophathe
Heritage Park also offers visitors excellent opportunities for game viewing.
Visitors to the park can expect to see animals such as leopard, impala, black
rhinoceros, white rhinoceros, buffalo, giraffe, nyala, blue wildebeest, buffalo,
waterbuck, zebra, hyena and a variety of others. The reserve is also home to an
impressive variety of bird species which include blue crane, secretary bird,
vultures, black eagle, ground hornbills, Puffback, Crested Francolin, and
Emerald-spotted Dove.
The eMakhosini valley is also steeped in history. Archaeologists have discovered
tools which date back to the Stone-Age as well as evidence of the interaction
between bushmen and settlers dating back about one thousand five hundred years.
The great Zulu warrior king Shaka was born in the valley of eMakhosini in the
late 1700's, and it is also there that many of the Zulu Kings who followed him
were laid to rest. During the reign of King Shaka, he fought a battle at
KwaGqokili Hill, close to the town of Ulundi, where his forces defeated the
Ndwandwe. A number of conflicts took place in the eMakhosini valley between the
Zulu people and the Voortrekkers, who sought new lands in the Zulu Kingdom.
Voortrekker leader Piet Retief and his men were put to death at King Dingane's
Homestead, and buried at Kwa Matiwane in the valley. King Cetshwayo was defeated
by Lord Chelmsford during the final battle of the Anglo-Zulu war at the battle
of Ulundi. eMakhosini Valley has served as the backdrop for much of Zulu history
and is widely considered as a sacred place. There are also various historical
sites and museums throughout the area, which visitors can explore. In 2003 Zulu
King Zwelithini unveiled the Spirit of the eMakhosini Memorial. This impressive
memorial is encircled by seven horns to represent the Zulu kings which are
buried in the area: Unkosinkulu, Phunga, Ndaba, Senzangakhona, Zulu, Mageba and
Jama.eMakhosini Ophathe Heritage Park offers visitors a rare and unique
opportunity to experience Zulu history, as well as South Africa's natural
splendour.