The Blyde River Canyon In South Africa

The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve offers one of the most spectacular views in South Africa. Home to gigantic rocks, deep gorges and high grass-covered mountain peaks, the reserve stretches for 60 km (37 mi) and includes The Blyde River Canyon, which is nearly 30 km (19 mi) long.

Blyde River Canyon South Africa

The Blyde River Canyon South Africa is home to many unforgettable natural wonders. Pinnacle is a 33-m ( 108 -ft) needle made of quartzite rising dramatically from a fern-blanketed ravine. The river drops 450 m (1, 475 ft) down the escarpment, creating a series of stunning waterfalls.

Blyde River Canyon In South-Africa | Source : en.wikipedia.org

At the Three Rondavels viewpoint you will discover an unforgettable view of three huge rock spirals rising out of the far wall of the Blyde River Canyon South Africa. Resembling the round, thatched African huts of the same name, these formations’ red rocks create a magical contrast to the snaking blue river below. They are also known by the indigenous people as ‘The Chief and his Three Wives’ – the flat-topped peak, Mapjaneng, represents the Chief, named in honour of a great Mapulana chief, Moholoholo, while the ‘three wives’ are Maseroto, Mogoladikwe and Magabolle in descending order from left to right.

Where the Blyde River, ‘the river of joy’, and the Treur River, ‘the river of sorrow’, meet, water erosion has formed one of the most remarkable geological phenomena in the country, known as ‘Bourke’s Luck Potholes’. Named after a gold prospector, the surreal cylindrical rock sculptures created by whirlpools of emerald-green water, have formed a series of dark pools that make a very pleasant contrast to the white and yellow lichen-streaked rocks.

The wildlife in the Blyde River Canyon South Africa Reserve is as varied as the habitat. Mountain reedbuck can be found on the escarpment, hippos and crocodiles live in the Blyde Dam and impala, kudus, blue wildebeest, waterbuck and zebras subsist on the lush Lowveld plain near the canyon’s mouth.

The descent from the nature reserve, down the escarpment to Abel Erasmus Pass is one of the most beautiful drives in the country and shouldn’t be missed.