The Panorama Route is probably not as well known as the Garden Route, but absolutely worth seeing 😍 After our safari in Sabi Sands, we decided to end our South Africa tour with 2 nights in White River… a good starting point for the Panorama Route – one of the most beautiful routes in South Africa.
Basically, the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve can be explored in a day by car. Since we were traveling without a rental car, we booked a day trip – we had a guide all to ourselves 😊
The Blyde River Canyon is a 26 km long, up to 800 meters deep canyon and is considered one of the great natural wonders of Africa.
The first stop on our tour was God’s Window viewpoint. Unfortunately, at this time of day the view was not quite clear. A short tour through the rainforest was also recommended.
God’s Window
Then we drove to the Burke’s Luck Potholes. At the confluence of the Treur River in the Blyde River, the erosion of the flowing water in the red sandstone has created a canyon that merges into the Blyde River Canyon. Through further erosion, in particular through the movement of stones in vortices, deep vortex holes and kettles were cut into the rock.
The whim of nature is now a tourist attraction. Incidentally, the sight was named after the gold prospector Tom Bourke, who found a small amount of gold at this location.
Next up was our absolute highlight – the World’s End Lookout. From here you have a breathtaking view of the Three Rondavels and the reservoir 😍
On the way back there were 3 more waterfalls, which we paid a short visit.
Berlin Falls 
Lisbon Falls
MacMac Falls
Check out our video about the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve 😉
Our personal opinion about the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve:
- beautiful natural landscape
- fantastic viewpoints
On the following page you can get a very good overview of the Blyde River Canyon Reserve:
http://www.mpumalanga.com/our-provincial-parks/blyde-river-canyon-nature-reserve
Best travel time:
That is difficult to answer, we were out in October and had nice weather, but it can often be very foggy at this time. It is probably advisable to plan your travel time according to the best time for a safari in this region – that would be from April to October, the dry season.
Hotel recommendation:
Casterbridge Hollow Boutique Hotel (if you stay in White River)
Restaurant recommendations:
- Harrie’s Pancakes in Graskop
- Magnolia Restaurant & Café in White River
More tips & recommendations:
Unfortunately, we only had one day available for the Panorama Route and would definitely recommend planning more time. Basically all highlights can be done in one day, but you can also go on nice hikes in the canyon or go rafting on the Blyde River. So our advice – plan around 3 nights if possible!
Here is a very good overview map of the Panorama Route:
