Beauty can be many things; an alluring portrait, a poet’s sonnet. At the Blyde River Canyon, it isn’t created by a human hand, but carved out over millennia by Mother Nature herself. Meander through the world’s largest green canyon, and discover what makes this geological phenomenon South Africa’s masterpiece.
GO: From the town of Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, drive just over three hours to the end of the Panorama Route. Aptly named for its sweeping views of the Drakensberg escarpment, this scenic tour gives travellers a taste of the adventures to come.
SEE: Start your journey at Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Where the Treur and Blyde River collide, foam-lipped rapids have sculpted cylindrical holes into the rock. Marvel at these formations from a series of bridges, before making a wish and tossing a coin into one of the eerie pools.
Twenty minutes away, nature proves how gifted her hand is at the Three Rondavels. Sprouting over 700 metres from the lush landscape, these eroded peaks bear a striking resemblance to traditional South African homesteads.
Concealed at the end of the Blyde Dam is the Kadishi Tufa Waterfall. Taking millions of years to form, it’s one of few active tufa waterfalls in the world. Here, cascading water has absorbed calcium from the dolomite rocks, creating deposits that resemble a human face. After a day’s rainfall, watch the weeping creature come to life.
DO: Go with the flow on a boat trip with Blyde Canyon Adventure Centre. A green blanket drapes the gorge’s slopes year-round, creating an avenue for indigenous flora and fauna to thrive along the 25-kilometre river. Learn about the most iconic spots from a knowledgeable guide, while crocodiles and hippos make their daily commute.
Explore the Blyde River Nature Reserve’s hidden treasures along a variety of hiking trails. With the country's five primates, river otters, antelope, and the rare Taita falcon roaming the region, there’s plenty to uncover on foot. If you’re up for a challenge, the three-day Blyderivierspoort Trail will leave you both breathless and speechless.
The Blyde River Canyon is a spectacle of nature’s artistry. With scrupulously crafted mountains, verdant valleys, and wondrous wildlife, nothing can upstage the beauty that flows here.
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