Colenso is a small town in the Battlefields region of KwaZulu-Natal near the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains on the banks of the Thukela River, the largest river in the province. It has maintained its small village atmosphere over the years and is best known for the role it played in the second Anglo-Boer War of 1899. Originally named Commando Drift, it was changed to Colenso after the first Bishop of Natal, John William Colenso who translated the bible into Zulu.
The main attractions are the various sites and memorials commemorating the Battle of Colenso when the British forces suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Boers. The British forces were trying to break the famous Siege of Ladysmith but were unsuccessful and many soldiers lost their lives here. There were a number of battles fought in the area collectively known as the Battle of Tugela Heights, one of the biggest battles ever fought by the British forces until the Second World War.
Colenso lies on the main railway line between Johannesburg and Durban about 190km north-west of Durban. The town has a permanent population of about 6000.
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