"Learn about rich history and cultural significance."
The Blood River/Ncome Heritage Site is the place where the two forces of the Voortrekkers and the Zulus met. The Voortrekkers were furious when the Zulu chief, Dingaan, murdered Piet Retief and his men and thus they attacked the Zulu kingdom. On December 16, 1838, the two forces met on the banks of the river Ncome. The Zulus were strongly numbered at 15,000 but could not penetrate the defensive camp of the Voortrekkers. The Zulus finally fled and the left the river red with blood. The Blood River/Ncome Heritage Site is one of the rare war sites where monuments celebrating the glory of both the sides are present. The Ncome monument and Museum Complex on the east bank of the river are dedicated to the Zulu warriors who fell. On the western bank of the river Ncome, there is the Blood River Monument and Museum dedicated to the Voortrekkers. The set up of the defensive camp made on the day of battle is represented with a life-size replica. With the monuments and the museums on both sides of the river, visitors of the Blood River/Ncome Heritage Site are often transported to the day of the great battle.
