Priding itself as the second oldest European settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, Weenen is surrounded by farmland on the banks of the Bushmans River. It means “place of weeping”, so called because of the massacre of the Voortrekkers after land negotiations failed between Piet Retief and Dingane who, on the day the agreement was due to be sealed, had Retief and 101 of his followers killed at his royal settlement near Ulundi. Because of its long history, the town is filled to the brim with historical buildings, including the Voortrekker Homestead Museum.
It is also part of the Natal Midlands Amble, which consists of 15 towns that fall outside the more established Midlands Meander.
The major summer activity is white-water rafting, and the most exciting time to do this is between November and May. The 30 km stretch of river known as the canyon provides some of the most thrilling white water in the country. The South African leg of the Camel White-Water Challenge took place at Zingela in Weenen.
Weenen Game Reserve and Weenen Museum are also worth a visit
The Weenen Massacre was the massacre of Voortrekkers by the Zulu on 17 February 1838. The massacres occurred at Doringkop, Bloukrans River, Moordspruit, Rensburgspruit and other sites around present the day town of Weenen in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.
After the massacre of Piet Retief and his delegation, the Zulu King Dingane sent his impis to exterminate the remaining voortrekkers who were camped at Doringkop, Bloukrans (Blaauwekrans), Moordspruit, Rensburgspruit and other sites along the Bushman River (Zulu: Mtshezi), in the present province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.[1] The present day town of Weenen, situated close to these sites, derives its name from the Dutch word for "weeping".[2]
