Panorama Route

There are several cultural and natural points of interest along the Panorama Route in South Africa. A route steeped in South African history winds through Mpumalanga province, centred on the world's third largest canyon, the Blyde River Canyon.

The Panorama Route in Mpumalanga is home to a number of natural phenomena.

The God's Window is a vantage point on the Drakensberg escarpment. A vantage point at the top of the cliffs offers a 700m drop. This is a popular tourist destination that allows one to see all the way to Mozambique on a clear day.

Bourke's Luck Potholes are a series of natural geological formations formed by centuries of water flowing through the landscape. The potholes are located at the point where the Treur River joins the Blyde River. Water flowing in these two rivers, combined with sand and rock particles they transport, continuously wears cylindrical potholes into the sandstone bedrock.

Three Rondavels - Due to its remarkable resemblance to small grass huts commonly called rondavels, this phenomenon is named after them. These shapes result from erosion of softer limestone, leaving harder quartzite behind. This formation was known to the Bapedi as the Chief and his three wives. In a great battle near here, a legendary Bapedi chief, Maripi Mashile, defeated invading Swazis and named the flat-topped peak Mapjaneng ('the chief'). Those three peaks are named after him and his three wives - Magabolie, Mogoladikwe, and Maseroto.

Blyde River Canyon - This red sandstone canyon is part of the 29 000 hectare Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. Also known as the Motlatse Canyon, it is the third largest canyon on Earth and is situated below the confluence of the Blyde ('joy') and Treur ('sorrow') rivers. The 29 000ha Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve is carved out of nearly 2,5 km of red sandstone and is one of South Africa's most remarkable geological features. Also known as the Motlatse Canyon, it is the third largest canyon on Earth and is situated below the confluence of the Blyde ('joy') and Treur ('sorrow') rivers.