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The Blyde River Canyon is a famous site with tourist visiting the Kruger National Park and its surroundings.

Culture and History

The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon worldwide, after the Grand Canyon (USA) and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia.

Travel to Blyde River Canyon - Visa Requirements

It is situated along the Panorama Route and easily accessible from the west of the Kruger National Park and the towns of Sabie and Nelspruit.

If you come from Johannesburg, treat yourself with a drive through Belfast, Dullstroom, Lydenburg and Pilgrim's Rest en route to Graskop. If possible, spend the night in one of the hotels/lodges/camp sites on the escarpment and devote a day to exploring the whole Panorama Route.

Tours and Getting around Blyde River Canyon

Blyde River Canyon tourist attractions and sightseeing

The canyon itself. There are waterfalls (Berlin and Lisbon), the Pinnacle, God's Window, Wonderview, Bourkes Luck Potholes (with a fascinating display of the wildlife and geology of the canyon) and several viewpoints, the best-known is The Three Rondavels/Three Sisters.

Blyde River Canyon city tours

There are hiking trails in the nature reserve and horse riding is a possibility, but most people seem to drive through it on their way to or from game reserves like Kruger National Park.

Drive the panorama route to see all the geological features such as God's Window, the Pinnacle and the many waterfalls.

Blyde River Canyon souvenirs and shopping

Many locals sell artwork here, ranging from those famous wooden giraffes to knobbly paper made from elephant dung. Prices are higher at more frequented sites and lower at spots off the main stream.

Blyde River Canyon Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Pancakes, savoury or sweet, in Graskop or Pilgrim's Rest.

Blyde River Canyon nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Blyde River Canyon cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

  • Aventura Blyde Canyon, (21km from the R36 on the R532), ☎ +27 (0)13 769-8005(blyde@foreversa.co.za), [1].  
  • Otter's Den, ☎ +27 (0)15 795-5488(info@ottersden.co.za), [2]. The accommodations are simple and charming and it is like being in a treehouse on the river. The food and service were excellent, and to get to the property guests walk across a suspension bridge over the Blyde River.From R590pp.  
  • Kwa Thabeng Bush Lodge, ☎ +27 (0)12 811-0134(info@kwathabeng.co.za), [3]. Self catering bush camp near Hoedspruit that can sleep up to 8 adults near the Blyde River Canyon mouth. Explore the Blyde River Canyon, the Panorama Route and the Kruger National Park from here.From R165pp.  

Get out

This page was last edited by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Nick Roux, Rainer Finkeldeh, Felix Gottwald and Ravikiran Rao, Wikitravel user(s) Morph and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license

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