CHENNELLS GUEST HOUSE
Accommodation Services in Eshowe

Eshowe, a town set on a hill, is situated around a 250 hectare indigenous coastal scarp forest. Eshowe offers visitors a variety of unusual attractions, the most striking being the Dlinza Forest itself, with hiking trails and picnic spots and the magnificent Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk. The Boardwalk, the first of its kind in Southern Africa and exclusive to Eshowe, is a 150 metre walkway built above the forest floor, which allows visitors to view the flora, fauna and avifauna at a comfortable level. It ends with a 20 metre high tower, offering dramatic views of both the forest canopy and surrounding countryside. The Boardwalk employs a number of trained birding guides who are available to show visitors some of the delights of the forest. One hundred and eighty different wildflower species blossom in the grasslands, and Eshowe is one of very few towns in the country which has trees in flower every day of the year! Eshowe offers a window on history as it is the oldest town in Zululand. During this war, a force of troops under Colonel Pearson was besieged by the Zulu forces for 10 weeks in the immediate area of the KwaMondi Mission Station around which they built the earthworks of Fort Eshowe, still to be seen today. The fascinating cross-cultural history of the area is told at the Zululand Historical Museum, which is housed at Fort Nongqayi, the striking white mudbrick and three-turreted fort established in 1883 as the base for the most unusual peace-keeping Zulu force, called Nongqayi. Amongst its many displays, the Museum offers a rare look at John Dunn, South Africa’s only official white Zulu iNkosi and husband to 48 Zulu wives! Another unique attraction at the Museum Village is the Vukani Museum, housing the world’s largest collection of traditional Zulu Arts and Crafts. The Mission Museum Chapel, also on site, has Norwegian history. Zululand Television (ZNtv) is a community-based media house run by Richard and Tania Lyon, designed to produce short videos on a variety of local subjects that may be of interest to tourists and residents alike. Richard is a former journalist and publisher who provides captions and voice-overs, while Tania is responsible for much of the videography and all of the editing, from rough cut to final edits. They work closely with Eshowe’s most famous tour guide, Graham Chennells, who acts as interviewer, translator and researcher. The inaugural Great Zululand Music Festival featured some of 2017’s hottest music acts, performing in a three-day extravaganza at different venues in the Zululand town of Eshowe. A decade-long partnership between Winterfold House school in England and Ncemaneni Primary near Eshowe saw a visit by a touring party from the British school where they handed over a new science laboratory, and played their hosts at netball and touch rugby. Our senior reporter Graham Chennells tours the annual Eshowe Art Exhibition at the George Hotel and talks to some of the artists in attendance. Ceramic artist Ilona Andrews has been teaching pottery and producing eye-catching crockery for many years: here she talks about her twin passions, pottery and baking.