Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve and other Graskop, South Africa Things to Do Tips

Although not a registered SA Natural Heritage Site, the world renown Blyde River Canyon deserves to be included here. The reserve is located north of Graskop and covers an area of 22 664 ha, extending from the Pinnacle Rock in the south to beyond the Blyderivierspoort Dam in the north.
The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world and was formed by rivers cutting deep into the escarpment and eroding millions of tons of rock which were carried to the Lowveld and beyond to the Indian Ocean. The reserve (administrated by the Mpumalanga Parks Board) is known primarily for it's outstanding natural beauty, as well as for the numerous endemic and endangered fauna and flora species that occur on the reserve.

Five of the 71 different veld types of South Africa occur on the reserve. These include Mixed Bushveld, North Eastern Mountain Sourveld, Lowveld Sour Bushveld and Lowveld Mixed Bushveld. The reserve represents a transitional zone for the flora of these five veld types, including their associated fauna, which migrate along the escarpment from as far south as the Southern Cape; plants from KwaZulu-Natal; sub-tropical plants from the Lowveld and plants from the central bushveld, which follow the Ohrigstad and Olifants River valleys into the canyon. The rich and varied plant life is influenced by the specific climate, altitude and soil conditions.

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This natural water feature marks the beginning of the Blyde River Canyon. Through countless eons the swirling whirlpools which occur as the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River caused waterborne sand and rock to grind huge, cylindrical potholes into the bedrock of the river.
The Potholes were named after a gold digger, Tom Burke, who staked a claim nearby. Although his claim did not produce a single ounce of gold, he correctly predicted that large gold deposits would be found in the area.

The Potholes is located 35km north of Graskop town on the R532 road. The informative visitors centre details some of the interesting natural and socio-historic features and is the starting point of the 700m walk to the potholes.

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Situated on the Drakensberg escarpment in Mpumalanga is God’s Window. Just one look down and you will begin to understand why it is called "God's Window".

With magnificent views, canyons, rock formations and waterfalls, God's Window is truly an area of breathtaking scenic splendour. It is no wonder that Mpumalanga is known as Paradise Country! Gods Window is so called for the panoramic view of the Lowveld more than 900 m down into lush indigenous forest clad ravine. The majestic cliffs plunge over 700 meters to the Lowveld and the private game reserves which have made the area one of Africa's main wildlife destinations. God's Window is a small part of a 250km long earthwork of sheer cliffs and extravagant beauty. One can observe the hills and forests as far as the eye can see. In fact, it seems as if one can see forever!

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A must visit when you are in this area. The staff are wonderful and take you on a tour explaining the diff between RSA silks and Thai silks and how they are spun. At Africa Silks you will once again be reminded of the wonders of nature. Visit Africa Silks and you will be amazed to see how the silkworm cocoons are processed into the most beautiful threads. These are then hand-woven to produce a variety of products for clothing and interior decorating.

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