Guide to Blyde River Canyon, South Africa

South Africa is full of natural wonders: from mountains to canyons to overlooks to pools and waterfalls. The views are unlike any we’ve seen before. Hopefully by now you’ve seen the extremely amazing, natural wonders of South Africa and if you haven’t, just scroll down. If you’re wondering how you can visit these incredible sights, luckily for you, we’ve got you covered with this guide to Blyde River Canyon area. 

The province of Mpumalanga on South Africa’s east side is full of natural beauty. As the mountains rise, the river has created a dramatic canyon with sweeping carve outs and incredible scenery. The combination of lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and natural beauty make this area the perfect place to disconnect and enjoy some peaceful escapes. We recommend spending a few days here if you can. You can do the scenic drive in one day but the area is worth exploring. 

How to Get to Blyde River Canyon 

There are two main ways to get here. You can either fly to Kruger National Park and drive about an hour north. Or you can drive from Johannesburg. Google Maps says it will take you about 4 hours, but it took us closer to 5 hours with dodging potholes and road construction. The area you drive through to get here is really unspectacular. It’s actually a lot of mining and farming so be prepared for big trucks and some unpaved two lane roads. The trucks actually go so slow it’s really easy to pass them. But once the scenery starts to change to the beautiful forest, you know you are getting close. 

The first stop we recommend is Dullstroom. This is honestly the cutest of all the towns we encountered out in this area.The main street is a long stretch that has tons of craft shops, souvenir stores (get them here!), cute cafes, and restaurants. We definitely recommend you eat at Harrie’s Pancakes. Try the fresh trout for a savory pancake or the banana caramel for a sweet treat. Speaking of trout, this area is known for its trout fishing, so a stop at Milly’s Trout Stall to get some delicious smoked trout is a must. The grocery stores in Dullstroom are terrible though so wait until you get to a town with better groceries. 

Speaking of, the next town over Sabie has a decent SPAR grocery store so it’s a good stop to stock up. Also The Wild Fig Tree Restaurant has local South African fare. We really enjoyed the oxtail potjieko with samp (a cozy stew served over corn like hominy). Sabie does have a few waterfalls: Horseshoe Falls, Lone Creek Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. You’ll have to drive out to them on some pretty bumpy, terrible roads and there is an entrance fee. If you like to get close to the falls, these are good but we preferred Mac Mac Falls for the sheer size. More on that below. 

Where to Stay at Blyde River Canyon South Africa

We are going to give you directions for a scenic day drive from Sabie north to Blyderivierpoort Dam. So our recommendation would be to stay somewhere between Sabie and Graskop so you can start the adventure off in the right location. That being said, we saw a ton of super cute lodges and nature resorts sprinkled all throughout the drive on R532. There is everything from a standard hotel room in the city to private villas in the countryside to farm stays. So pick your style and book a great place to stay for you and your group. 

Scenic Day Drive of Blyde River Canyon South Africa

One of the reasons everyone comes out here is to see the natural wonders. Luckily for us, you can drive R532 and hit them all in one day. The drive, referred to as the Panorama Route, with stops took us 4 hours so you could do it in one morning or afternoon. These scenic spots are just overlooks with short walks from the parking lot to the overlook. Be prepared as every overlook has an entry fee per person. The prices we read on Google reviews and in the guide book were significantly cheaper compared to the newer more expensive price posted when we arrived. We’ll list the prices we encountered in 2025 below with each attraction. There is also a cheaper price if you are a South African resident or a more expensive price if you are an International Visitor. Also most of them do NOT take cash. Instead they all claimed to only take credit cards. One time we were able to give them exact change and they took it but they definitely won’t offer you change back if you only have cash. 

So this drive is assuming you are starting in the south, between Sabie and Graskop on R532. 

The first stop is Mac Mac Falls (Price in ZAR: 25 SA, 50 International). The falls are actually quite impressive considering it’s a 70 meter drop. We really enjoyed watching the water crash down to the pools below. The surrounding area is beautiful as well. It’s interesting considering how close the road comes to the falls and you don’t even realize you’ve driven right past it! But you cannot see it from the road. The only downside here is that there is only one viewing platform and the safety gate limits your view. This was the longest of all the paths we walked to a viewing area but it was still pretty short. 

The second stop is God’s Window and Rainforest which are together at the same place. (Price in ZAR: 35 SA, 70 International). This is definitely worth a stop. The wide open plains are so vast and seem to stretch on forever. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mozambique! There are a few view points here. We definitely recommend you take the stairs to the left that lead to the Rainforest. They have constructed a beautiful rainforest walk to showcase the natural plants in this area. Also we really enjoyed the view of the plains from the highest point at the Rainforest. It’s worth the uphill climb to get there! 

A quick optional stop is at Wonder View. This is free and it’s right on the same road as God’s Window. The view is a little obstructed, it’s not as wide open as God’s Window but it is free. We only stopped for a few minutes but it was worth it since it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

The third stop, and this is not to be missed, is Bourke’s Luck Potholes (Price in ZAR: 75 SA, 150 International). This may be one of the coolest things we’ve seen in real life. This unassuming river has been plunging down these gorgeous rocks in a swirling pattern creating these perfectly round potholes. The color of the rocks, combined with the rushing water, the incredible blue sky, it was magical. This one you can walk all around. There is a paved path and a few bridges so you can walk over the water to see it all. You can also walk over some rocks on top without a path to get a better view of the top of the river. 

As you venture north to the final stop (below), pull off first at Lowveld View. It’s another free view point. You cannot see the whole Blyde Canyon like you can at the final stop but it’s worth it for the quick free turn off. 

Our final stop on this scenic drive is Three Rondavels View Point (Price in ZAR: 45 SA, 90 International). This is breathtaking because you can see the whole Blyde Canyon with a dam and water. It’s incredible. The name comes from the three mountains that look like rondavels across the canyon that stand at attention. We really enjoyed this view point. I would say that afternoon is probably best for the light here. Morning time the sun can backlight the view and give you shadowy, dark pictures. 

Caves in the Blyde River Canyon Area

If you enjoy a good cave, you have two options in this area: one on the north side called Echo Caves and one on the south side called Sudwala Caves. Both offer guided tours to see the natural wonders inside. The Echo Caves are huge. They extend some 40km and the end has yet to be discovered! Sudwala Caves are considered one of the oldest cave systems on earth. They have the normal hour long cave tour which is included in the price. Or if you have time, and clothes that can get dirty, take the 5 hour Crystal Tour which takes you farther back into the cave. It’s only for the adventurous as tight spaces and crawling is involved. Be prepared to throw your clothes away when you are done as you’ll get that dirty! 

Hiking in the Area

If hiking is more your style, there are many hikes in the area ranging from short day hikes to multiday adventures. Be aware that to hike here, and most places in South Africa, you need a permit. It seems that most lodges or guard towers control access to these hiking trails so you’ll have to pay the fees to hike in the area. We didn’t hike here. Instead we saved that for the Drakensberg area near Lesotho for some really dramatic hiking. 

Conclusion 

Blyde River Canyon in the province of Mpumalanga is definitely worth a trip. The natural wonders here are breathtaking and the scenic Panorama Route is an easy day trip to see so much natural beauty. Hopefully this guide to Blyde River Canyon will help you plan your next adventure through South Africa’s natural wonders!