Blyde River Canyon
The Pinnacle is a single, tower-like, freestanding quartzite column rising 30 meters above the dense indigenous forest below.
God's Window where majestic cliffs plunge more than 700 meters down into a lush, indigenous forest ravine offering awe-inspiring views of the Kruger Lowveld region (and Mozambique in the distance on a clear day). A vist to God's Window should be combined with the Graskop Gorge Lift experience where you enjoy exploring the rain forest from the canyon floor on a boardwalk tour through informatively done interactive displays.
Wonder View is about 2 kilometres north of God's Window and at an altitude of 1,730 meters above sea level is the highest viewpoint in the area.
Bourke's Luck Potholes (also known as nature's wishing well) mark the beginning of the actual Blyde River Canyon. This natural water feature was created over thousands of years by swirling whirlpools which occur as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River below causing waterborne sand and rock to grind huge, cylindrical potholes into the bedrock of the river.
And just 4.5km's south of the potholes is one of the Lowveld's "hidden gems" - a bush kitchen on the Treur River called the Chubby Pig where you can enjoy a cold beer and simple, well-cooked food.
The Lowveld View is found between Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondawels and offers stunning views of the Blyde River Canyon, the Blyde Dam and the Kruger Lowveld region beyond.
The Three Rondawels (also known as the Three Sisters) are gigantic peaks of quartzite and shale that rise more than 700 meters above the surrounding landscape. Their perfectly domed heads protrude above green vegetation and their sides are stained with fiery orange lichen. These peaks are named after the three most troublesome wives of Chief Maripi Mashile - they are (from left to right) Magabolle, Mogoladikwe and Maseroto. The Swadini Dam seen in the far distance marks the end of the reserve.
Echo Caves are some of the oldest caves in the world and have been declared a Historical Monument. As the name suggests, these deep caves produce a reverberating echo and historically allowed local tribes to take refuge from
Waterfall Route
Horseshoe Falls are named after their horseshoe shape and are an exquisite sight. They have a circular appearance, and although the falls are not very high, they are very unusual. The Horseshoe Falls have been declared a National Monument and are a must see in the Sabie area.
Lone Creek Falls are another well known landmark in the Sabie area. A short walk through an indigenous forest takes you to the bottom of the 68 meter high falls which have also been declared a National Monument.
Bridal Veil Falls do funnily enough resemble a bridal veil. A challenging 750 meter walk through an indigenous forest is necessary to get to this 70 meter high waterfall.
Sabie Falls plunge 73 meters down into the Sabie Gorge. The remains of the old hydro-electric plant that provided Sabie with power in the 1900's can still be seen at the bottom of the falls.
Panorama Falls is fed by a very small catchment area and is often just a trickle of water, but after heavy rainstorms a number of separate falls can be seen spilling water into the Gorge.
Graskop Gorge offers some breathtaking views of the Lowveld below, framed between the steep, forest-clad sides of the Gorge.
Mac Mac Pools is a fun-for-all picnic spot with naturally formed swimming pools. The 3 kilometre circular Secretary Bird hiking trail starts and ends here and passes through open grassveld (with little shade) and pristine forest.
Mac Mac Falls in the Mac Mac River is 65 meters high and another National Monument. This waterfall was originally a single stream, but gold miners blasted it with dynamite to divert the river in an attempt to work the rich gold-bearing reef over which it plunges.
Forest Falls is the only waterfall in the area that is wider than it is high. Reached by taking a refreshing 7 kilometre circular walk through fragrant pine forests, Forest Falls is a delightful place to visit.
Natural Bridge is a natural wonder created when the Mac Mac River carved a path under rocks to form a natural bridge. This bridge was used more than a century ago by the Voortrekkers and later by transport riders to cross the Mac Mac river.
Lisbon Falls are the highest waterfalls in the area and reach 92 meters above ground level.
Berlin Falls are 45 meters high and situated a short walk from the road.
