Rorke's Drift was a mission station turned supply depot on the Buffalo River, and on the same afternoon that Isandlwana fell, it became the site of one of the most celebrated defensive actions in military history. A small garrison, including many soldiers recovering from illness in the hospital, held the compound through a night of repeated Zulu assaults.
The site today has a small but excellent museum that covers both battles. The original storeroom, which served as the main defensive position, still stands. The presentation is balanced and thoughtful — the Zulu perspective is given proper weight alongside the British one. It's a more intimate and affecting place than many larger military museums.
Most visitors combine Rorke's Drift with Isandlwana in a single day. A good guide makes an enormous difference to both sites; the local guiding community here is excellent and the guides tend to be passionate about the history.