A great way to commence the Panorama route is to set-off from the town of Graskop along the R532 road. Just a few kilometres from the town is the option to take a right turn, which loops back onto the main road after a while, but takes in some of the most beautiful sites at the foot of the canyon in the meantime.
The Pinnacle Rock and God's Window
First stop is the Pinnacle Rock, an impressive, free-standing tower of rock jutting through the forest below, standing as a gateway to the expanse of the canyon's lowlands behind it.
A few kilometres along the road from the Pinnacle Rock is God's Window. The viewing point was given it's name because of the incredible view across the lowlands of the canyon. It's easy to imagine how people could see it as the window to creation. The Kruger National Park and Mozambique can even been seen in the distance. Not far from God's Window is Wonder View, an equally impressive viewing spot.
Waterfalls along the Panorama Route
There are a number of turn-offs to view waterfalls along the Panorama route and they all seem to be named after European cities – the Lisbon Falls, Berlin Falls and London Falls. There don't tend to be hordes of tourists there, so it's a really peaceful, calming experience to go and take-in the falls for a while. The car parks are also lined with craft sellers and it's as good a place as any to buy some African crafts and souvenirs. Tablecloths with African prints are particularly good to buy here, as they are more rarely found on other street craft stalls.
Bourke's Luck Potholes
These naturally-occurring geographical features mark the official beginning of Blyde Rover Canyon – everything before this point is the lowland leading up to it. It costs 25 Rand per adult to go and see the potholes, which is pricier than other viewing points along the way. It's certainly worth the price, however, as it's unlikely that visitors have seen something quite like it before. Bridges have been built so that visitors can walk directly over the absolutely massive potholes. The dents in the African roads certainly won't been seen in the same light again after visiting Bourke's Luck.
Three Rondawels and Blyde River Canyon View
Not much further along the route is the stop of the Three Rondawels – three peaks of rock in the canyon named after the typical round African hut-dwellings. It's yet another absorbing naturally-occurring feature on the Panorama route.
For the best view of the Blyde River Canyon and Blyde River, locals will say that it can be found in the car park behind the Aventura Blydepoort Nature Reserve Resort. As the third largest canyon in the world, it really is a thrilling site and worth the effort to find the viewing spot.
Sasha Arms - After graduating from university with a degree in Geography, Sasha became Managing Editor and Travel Editor of Futurespace Magazine. She ...
