the panorama route part 2

Top things to do and see when visiting South Africa’s most scenic route.

From swinging accross a gorge, to bathing under a waterfall. From enjoying breathtaking views over the world’s 3rd largest canyon to staring down into potholes carved deep into the valley over millions of years. From enjoying pancakes in an old mining town, to hiking through the rainforest. The Panorama Route in South African province of Mpumalanga has a lot to offer and is on almost every first time visitor’s itinerary for a good reason. If you are planning a visit, make sure you don’t miss any of the spots on the following list!

01: The Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon as seen from the Three Rondavels viewpoint.

The Blyde River Canyon, also known as the Motlatse Canyon, is situated in the South African province of Mpumalanga. The canyon is 26km long and on average about 800m deep. Unlike the Grand Canyon in the USA and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia, the Blyde River Canyon is set in a subtropical climate and is therefore called a “green” canyon. Within the canyon, you’ll find the “Three Rondavels”, a group of rock formations resembling the typical round african thatched huts. The Blyde River Canyon is home to a diverse range of animals, including several species of antilope, monkeys, baboons, hippos, crocodiles, eagles and vultures.

The Blyde River Canyon can be viewed from several view points, with the Three Rondawels, Lowveld and Upper Viewpoint in the Blyde River Forever Resort offering the best views. Activities include boat rides on the Blyde Dam (starting point in Swadini Forever Resort) and hiking and horse riding (starting point Blyde River Forever Resort).

02: Bourke’s Luck Potholes

Named after local gold prospector, Bernard Thomas Bourke (who, ironically never found gold in the area), the Bourke’s Luck potholes mark the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon and is situated where the Treur and Blyde rivers meet. Over centuries, the two rivers have eaten through the rocks to form a 30m deep ravine with massive potholes (kolks) of up to 6m in depth. Visitors can view the potholes from various viewpoints and bridges that criss-cross throught the area.

03: God’s Window

This popular view point is situated just outside the town of Graskop and at the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment. Here, the highveld comes to an end and plunges into the lowveld 700m below. From here, visitors can enjoy spectacular views over the lush escarpment forest and the lowveld plains below. On clear days, the Lebombo Mountains, which form the border to Mozambique, is visible.

To get to the viewpoint, visitors have to hike through dense rainforest which is home to a rich variety of ferns, moss, lilies and cycads. Animals that call this area include baboons, mountain reedbucks, rock hyraxes (dassies) and several bird species such as eagles, loeries and sunbirds.

04: Pinnacle Rock

Surounded by dense indigenous forest, the Pinnacle Rock is a stand-alone quartzite tower of about 30m in height. It is situated close to God’s Window and just outside the town of Graskop.

05: Graskop Gorge

If you are feeling a bit bored from all the sightseeing along the panorama route, the Graskop Gorge offers an array of activities for the whole family. Apart from enoying the views from the café’s deck, you can take the lift down into the gorge to walk through the dense forest, take a zipline across the gorge or take the Big Swing (almost like bungee jumping) across the forest.

06: Waterfalls

Pictured from left to right: Berlin falls, Lisbon falls, Mac Mac falls.

With its countless cliffs and ravines, the Panorama Route is home to several stunning waterfalls. Although some are off the beaten track and hidden away, the larger more famous waterfalls are easily accesible to the public.

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