Welcome to a very special place where water is the protagonist: the South Africa Panorama Route. Here, water forms incredible waterfalls that plunge into the void and jump from step to step, and rivers that, for centuries, have shaped both the third largest canyon in the world and whimsical rock formations where they say gold nuggets were hidden.
I’ll tell you everything you need to know to visit the South Africa Panorama Route, a mandatory stop if you are on a road trip through Africa’s southernmost country.
Where is the South Africa Panorama Route
If you are going to travel to South Africa, you will most likely visit the Kruger National Park, and in that case, the Panorama Route is sure to make its stellar appearance. This scenic itinerary is in the Mpumalanga province, halfway between Johannesburg and Kruger. For this reason, few travelers can resist taking this scenic route full of viewpoints, each more spectacular than the last.
To help you locate more precisely where the South Africa Panorama Route is, here is a map of the area where the main points of interest are also marked.
[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1p71Lg_8eVO6k8Cj8TatgmOe8Y20KyN0&ehbc=2E312F&w=640&h=480]How to get to the Panorama Route
The most common way is to do it on your own driving your rental car. The route runs along the R532 road, from Sabie Falls to Three Rondavels, the most famous viewpoint in Blyde Canyon, located south of Hoedspruit.
If you want to do the whole thing, it’s about 90 kilometers, including small detours. This journey, without counting the stops to visit each place, would take you around an hour and a half. But my recommendation is that, if you can, you reserve a whole day to see everything at a leisurely pace.
The section that most people usually travel is the one from Graskop to Three Rondavels. That was precisely my choice, as the night before we had stayed in Dullstroom, about a two-hour drive to Graskop, and we had to get to Hoedspruit to sleep. Therefore, I traveled part of the Panorama Route from south to north.
Some people travel the South Africa Panorama Route in a single day starting from Johannesburg and ending in Kruger, or vice versa. From my point of view, although it is feasible, it seems like too many kilometers, leaving little time to savor each place. However, if you have few days and cannot afford to spend the night halfway, it’s better to endure that drive of at least six hours than to miss one of the most beautiful routes in the country alongside the Garden Route (Garden Route).
One option to save kilometers is to take a domestic flight from Johannesburg either to Hoedspruit airport, in the north, or to Nelspruit, in the south. However, you will still need to rent a car at one of these two points because public transport is almost non-existent or a real mess.
What to see on the South Africa Panorama Route
There are several attractions to see on the South Africa Panorama Route, but depending on the time you have, your interests, and how you define your itinerary, you will be able to see more or fewer places. Here are, first, the points on the route that I visited during my adventure with three children and, then, the ones I wished I had seen.
Blyde River Canyon – Three Rondavels Viewpoint
The waters of the Blyde River have something special, a fluvial art that with millenary patience has managed to shape the Blyde River Canyon, which with its 25 kilometers in length is considered the third longest canyon in the world.
If Blyde Canyon stands out for anything, it’s for being painted green and not brown like the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, the Fish River Canyon in Namibia, the Colca Canyon in Peru, or the more unknown Makhtesh Ramon in Israel. Here, subtropical vegetation has covered the canyon, although part of it was being devastated by a fire when I visited in October 2022.
The most famous area of this incredible canyon is the landscape known as Three Rondavels, three circular formations that get their name because they resemble the traditional African huts called rondavels. The best way to contemplate these curious hills of more than 1,300 meters high is to go to the viewpoint located within the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.
- Did you know that the Three Rondavels are named after the three wives of the indigenous chief Maripe Mashili, famous for being key in defeating the Swazis who tried to invade this place in the great battle of Moholoholo in 1864?
From the parking area, a path leads you to the edge of the canyon from where you can contemplate the most famous postcard of the Blyde Canyon, the imposing Three Rondavels surrounded by vertiginous rock walls that in some points reach 800 meters in height down to the riverbed.
If you walk to the left, you can also see where the canyon ends and where the river continues its course guarded by several small mountains. In the middle of the meander lies the solitary Thabaneng hill which they say acts as a sun dial. If you have time, there are small boats that do a Blyde River cruise of an hour and a half for about €15.
- Opening hours: Open every day from 7:00 to 17:00.
- Price: Adults 70 rand, children 6 to 12 years 40 rand, under 6 years free. It is not included in the Wild Card.
- Drones are not allowed.
- There are craft stalls in the parking area.
Bourke’s Luck Potholes
About a half-hour drive from Three Rondavels, and without leaving the Blyde Canyon Nature Reserve, is another of the must-see places on the South Africa Panorama Route: Bourke’s Luck Potholes.
Here the Blyde River has sought another ally, the Treur River, to once again unleash its passion for sculpting the terrain. The result of this fluvial confluence is some curious cylindrical geological formations where the water swirls, which you will see as you cross the suspension bridges over them. Watch out, if you suffer from vertigo it might not be the most suitable place for you.
To reach the first bridge, you have to walk just under a kilometer. Bring sunscreen and a hat or cap because the sun is strong and there is no shade along the way.
After crossing the first bridge, you arrive at an area of small pools where some people dip their feet. I recommend not doing so, first because you must not forget that you are in a nature reserve and it is important to protect the environment, and second because the ground is very slippery and it is quite dangerous.
- Hours: Open every day from 7:00 to 17:00.
- Price: Adults 130 rands, children from 6 to 12 years 70 rands, children under 6 free. Not included in the Wild Card.
- Flying drones is not allowed.
- There is a restaurant, picnic and barbecue area, souvenir shop, playground (somewhat dilapidated) and bathrooms.
- You can learn more about the place, its fauna, and its geological value in a small visitor center.
- Be careful with the monkeys.
Berlin Falls
Continuing from north to south, the next point of interest to see on the Panorama Route is Berlin Falls, a beautiful waterfall about 80 meters high that breaks into an idyllic pool. If the waterfall itself is already beautiful, it is the surrounding landscape that makes it even more attractive. In the background, a perfect row of trees seems to carefully guard the water fall.
The viewpoint is right next to the parking lot and some craft stalls. You only need to take a few steps to peek out and admire the beauty of Berlin Falls, so the visit is very quick because there is no possibility of walking around the area either.
- Hours: Open every day from 7:00 to 17:00.
- Price: Adults 16 rands, children under 6 free. Not included in the Wild Card.
Lisbon Falls
Just about ten minutes away by car is the next waterfall to see on the Panorama Route: Lisbon Falls. As with the previous one, the parking lot is right next to the viewpoint, making it a quick visit. There are also a couple of craft stalls if you want to buy a souvenir.
However, Lisbon Falls is not as open as Berlin. Additionally, here you will see more closely how the river flows and how it jumps between the rocks before falling from a height of about 90 meters.
- Hours: Open every day from 7:00 to 17:00.
- Price: Adults 16 rands, children under 6 free. Not included in the Wild Card.
So far I have told you about all the points of interest on the Panorama Route that I was able to visit, but if you have time, there is still much more to see heading towards Graskop and then Sabie. To give you complete information on what to see on the Panorama Route, here are the rest of the places.
God’s Window
Very close to Graskop, another of the most famous landscapes of the South African Panorama Route awaits you, a vast green valley that you can admire from the viewpoints known as God’s Window. To enjoy views fit for deities belonging to the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve you have to climb a few flights of stairs and walk through a lush forest. Set aside more time for this visit because according to Viajeros Callejeros the trails are well worth it.
- Hours: Open every day from 7:00 to 17:00.
- Price: Adults 20 rands, 10 rands for children from 6 to 12 years, and children under 6 free. Not included in the Wild Card.
Graskop Gorge
Thanks to a tip-off from Bona Vida Travel, I know there is another point of interest on the Panorama Route. This is Graskop Gorge where they have set up a very touristy leisure center around an incredible gorge through which the Motitsi Falls waterfall plunges.
It is possible to go down to the bottom of this striking gorge either by panoramic elevator or on foot via a magical trail. There is another faster way to go down, only suitable for the most daring, which is bungee jumping.
Whichever way you go down, the reward is reaching the base of the waterfall and walking through a forest with the soul of a jungle that they say distills magic at every turn of the path filled with subtropical vegetation.
However, if you prefer to stay and enjoy the views from above, you also have plenty to choose from. You can look out from the viewpoints, cross an amazing suspension bridge 70 meters high or, if you are part of team adrenaline rush, cross from one side of the gorge to the other by ziplining.
- Opening hours: Open every day from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Price. Basic entry: adults 60 rands, 30 rands for children aged 4 to 16, and under 4s go free. Panoramic lift: 240 rands for adults, 155 rands for children aged 4 to 16. Zipline (only from age 7): 250 rands. Bungee jumping: 650 rands (only from age 12). Not included in the Wild Card.
- It has two cafeteria-restaurants.
Pinnacle Rock
Without leaving Graskop, there is still something else to see within the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve that clearly stands out, as we have seen, for its geological richness and variety. Now it’s the turn of Pinnacle Rock, a massive granite column that emerges from the earth to reach 30 meters high, guarded by a small waterfall that, however, does not always have water.
Sabie and its waterfalls
At the end of the Panorama Route, or at the beginning depending on which way you are traveling, Sabie awaits you, a town literally surrounded by waterfalls. Before arriving, coming from the north, the first one where you can stop is Mac Mac Falls, whose visit is complemented by an area of natural pools.
Take note of the rest in case you want to visit them: Sabie Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Lone Creek Falls, and Horse Shoe Falls.
Where to stay on South Africa’s Panorama Route
As you have seen, there is a lot to see on this scenic route, so I recommend spending at least one night there. I’ll leave you the two accommodations where I stayed in case they are useful to you.
In my case, I visited the Panorama Route from south to north on a day that started in Dullstroom where I spent the first night after landing the day before in Johannesburg. This town is about two hours from Graskop and has a few places to stay. I recommend Misty Cottage, large cabins with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room with a kitchen, and a beautiful grass garden with a barbecue surrounded by trees. I paid €68 for 5 people.
The second night I stayed in Hoedspruit, on the way to Kruger, in a highly recommended home exchange house in the middle of the savannah because it had a communal area with a pool, play area, and barbecue.
Many travelers choose Graskop for sleeping and it is indeed a very good location for visiting South Africa’s Panorama Route. After making a small selection, I’ve left you a couple of hotels with good value for money and good reviews:
- Westlodge B&B If you are looking for a double room with breakfast included, you have one at a good price in a beautiful Victorian house with a garden near the center.
- Graskop Harrie’s Cottage In case you prefer an entire independent house with all the amenities, take a look at this one which you can book from just €70.
Another place to stay overnight is Pilgrim’s Rest, a historic town that became famous in the 19th century for gold mining.
Where to eat on South Africa’s Panorama Route
As you have already seen, in some of the places to see on the Panorama Route, there is the possibility of eating, such as at Bourke’s Luck Potholes or Graskop Groves. In my case, that day we had a light picnic, but beforehand we treated ourselves to a restaurant that I can certainly recommend.
Take note of Harrie’s Pancakes in Graskop, whether for breakfast or lunch. Here they prepare delicious crepes, both savory and sweet, and of a good size. They have a reputation for being the tastiest in the country, so much so that due to their success they have opened three more branches: Pilgrim’s Rest, Dullstroom, and Pretoria.
The cheapest sweet pancake with cinnamon and sugar costs 25 rands, less than €1.50, and the most expensive would be a savory one filled with smoked trout for 148 rands, about €8. The 5 of us had a hearty breakfast with coffee and milkshakes included for about €19.
Harrie’s Pancake in Graskop is open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM and is located at the corner of Louis Trichardt Ave and Kerk St.
Travel insurance for South Africa
Do not forget to take out good travel insurance to have peace of mind during your adventure in South Africa. This destination has the best healthcare infrastructure on the entire African continent. However, it is very expensive private assistance. Getting sick or having any minor accident can cost you a lot of money if you are not well covered.
But having healthcare coverage paid for is just one of the reasons to carry reliable travel insurance. South Africa is an expensive trip; can you imagine having to cancel it for a serious reason and losing all the money from your bookings? What if they lose your luggage and you need to buy everything?
It’s not worth having a hard time and letting an unforeseen incident ruin this great trip. During my stay in South Africa, I was covered by Mondo, the trusted insurer I always turn to lately. In addition to the peace of mind of its coverage, I highly recommend it because its app includes a 24-hour medical chat. You have no idea how useful this feature has been to me on other trips. Being able to consult a doctor instantly can save you an unnecessary trip to the hospital.
Sigue leyendo sobre Sudáfrica: Viajar a Sudáfrica:guía práctica Hoteles en Sudáfrica Qué ver en Ciudad del Cabo Guía para visitar Table Mountain Las mejores excursiones desde Ciudad del Cabo Visitar el Cabo de Buena Esperanza Qué ver en la Ruta Panorama Wild Card ¿merece la pena? Sudáfrica con niños 10 restaurantes en Sudáfrica para ir con niños Guía para viajar a Esuatini Hlane National Park Hermanus, el paraíso de las ballenas
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