Battlefields in and near Parys

South Africa has a bloody history, and battlefields dot the now-tranquil landscape. Monuments to fallen heroes have been erected and old forts provide the opportunity for visitors to learn about the country's military history.

The best area to explore battlefields is in Kwa-Zulu Natal, where sites from both the Anglo-Boer War and the Anglo-Zulu War are available for the public to visit. The most well-known is Dundee, where several battles were fought and where you can visit museums and memorials.

Not to be overlooked is the site of the famous Siege of Ladysmith between the English and the Boers in 1899. Ladysmith was also the site for several other famous battles, and detailed tours are available. Other sites in the area include Dullstroom, Ulundi and Winterton.

Mafikeng, in the Northwest Province, was the site of the infamous Siege of Mafikeng and is not to be missed on any battlefield enthusiast's tour. It is the site of a 217 day siege where Boer forces took over Mafikeng from the British in 1899.

Major battles were also fought in Kimberley in the Northern Cape. Bloemfontein in the Free State has a memorial to the thousands of women and children who died in the badly managed concentration camps of the Anglo-Boer War. Bloemfontein is also the location one of the country's best war museums.

For those who want more in depth knowledge of the military history of South Africa, several tour operators offer multi-day tours of battlefields and other sites. Most are located in the KwaZulu Natal battlefield regions.