Location: Kempton Park
Day 1 - 19 Mar 2021
O.R. Tambo
Content: Chances are that you’ll start your journey from Johannesburg. I would highly recommend that you hire a car at the airport, as there are multiple stops along the way and this would be the easiest way to get around. TIP: get a 4x4 car. (Although the road can be traveled with a normal car, there are MANY potholes in Mpumalanga - some of the worst I’ve seen in South Africa, and using a 4x4 car would make it much easier)
Location: Middelburg
Day 1 - 19 Mar 2021
Alzu Mugg & Bean Petroport N4
Content: We’ve decided to stay over close to this quant little town called Dullstroom before heading to the Panorama area. It is on the way and is the perfect stop. On your way to Dullstroom you’ll find the Alzu Petropark stop, which is the perfect place to grab a late lunch. We grabbed lunch at Mug n Bean and it was simply delicious.
Location: Stoffberg
Day 1 - 19 Mar 2021
Valley of the Rainbow Fly Fishing Estate
Content: We’ve arrived at our accommodation at 6pm. The log cabin was tucked away in this mountain area with a stream flowing just next to it. The view was absolutely amazing and it had a fireplace, which was perfect for the nights (as it tends to get a bit cold). It was so quiet at night that I could hear my own heart beat. This was the perfect start to our trip and helped us to unwind before all the adventure started. The accommodation has a restaurant on the premises, which is perfect for dinner, breakfast and lunch. Just take note that there is no cell service and it is far away from town.
Location: Stoffberg
Day 2 - 20 Mar 2021
Valley of the Rainbow Fly Fishing Estate
Content: We’ve slept in a bit late the morning and then decided to do the hike that is located on the farm. This was a very relaxed walk along the stream and through the beautiful greenery. Afterwards we just relaxed at the accommodation and next to the dam located on the farm.
Location: Dullstroom
Day 3 - 21 Mar 2021
Dullstroom
Content: After exploring the beautiful town called Dullstroom we’ve spent day 3 chasing waterfalls. You’ll see that once you get closer to the Panorama area, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful foresty. Stop along the road and take in the beauty.
Lone Creek Falls
Content: Our first waterfall was the stunning Lone Creek. It is about a 2 and a half hours drive from Dullstroom. There is a short walk to the falls and is the perfect waterfall for a quick dip.
Bridal Veil Falls
Content: We’ve made our way to Bridal Veil falls. It stands 70m tall and is more delicate than the other waterfalls. The waterfall looks like a sheer veil of the bride, hence the name. There is also a short walk from the car park area to the falls.
Location: Sabie
Day 3 - 21 Mar 2021
The African Elephant Restaurant
Content: Grab some lunch at The African Elephant Restaurant. They have some delicious options.
Location: Ehlanzeni
Day 3 - 21 Mar 2021
Mac Mac Falls
Content: We then made our way to the Mac Mac Falls. The viewpoint will be your first stop and then you can make your way to the Mac Mac Pools to enjoy some swimming.
Location: Graskop
Day 3 - 21 Mar 2021
Rustique
Content: We then made our way to our accommodation situated in Graskop. We chose this mainly because it is central to all the places we want to see. This B&B was perfectly situated a and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
The Glass House Restaurant
Content: The lady at our accommodation was kind enough to arrange a booking for us at the restaurant around the corner - Glass House Restaurant. This was perfect as it was close enough to just walk to the restaurant and back. The food was also very delicious.
Location: Graskop
Day 4 - 22 Mar 2021
Lowveld View
Content: We got up bright and early to make our way to the Blyde River Canyon area. Our first stop was the Lowveld viewpoint and since this viewpoint is not as popular as the next one and we got there quite early - we were the only ones there.
Three Rondavels
Content: We’ve made our way to the most visited viewpoint on this route - The Three Rondavels. Here you get a stunning view of the Blyde River Canyon. This is the second most visited viewpoint in South Africa (after Table Mountain).
Blyde Canyon, A Forever Resort
Content: Located next to the Three Rondavels viewpoint you’ll get the Blyde River Forever Resort. Here you can pay to do the Leopard Trail which will lead you into the Blyde River Canyon and all the way down to the river. This hiking trail will take you about 2-3 hours.
Location: Uitspanning
Day 4 - 22 Mar 2021
The Chubby Pig (Eatery, Gift Shop, Nursery & Accommodation)
Content: After our hike we made our way to the Chubby Pig for some lunch. There are some good food with great views.
Location: Moremela
Day 4 - 22 Mar 2021
Bourke's Luck Potholes
Content: We made our way to the breathtaking Bourke’s Luck Potholes. This was the most expensive activity on the trip, but it is so worth it! It so wonderful to see the water cascading into the potholes at the bottom.
Location: Pilgrimsrest
Day 4 - 22 Mar 2021
Pilgrimsrest
Content: We ended our day at Pilgrimsrest, located just next to Graskop. What is nice about this small village is that you can park your car anywhere and explore this small area by foot. The perfect way to end the busy day.
Location: Pilgrim's Rest
Day 4 - 22 Mar 2021
The Vine Restaurant & Johnny's Pub
Content: We grabbed dinner at the Vine Restaurant and Pub. You’ll know that this place has some good food, since they are always busy. Afterwards we made our way back to our accomoodation.
Location: Graskop
Day 5 - 23 Mar 2021
Graskop
Content: We got up really early to watch the sun come up in the forest. I was mesmerized with the beauty! Did you know that Mpumalanga means ‘The place where the sun rises’ and once you’ve seen a sunrise here, you’ll understand why!
Lisbon Falls
Content: If you only want to see one waterfall in this area, I highly suggest it is Lisbon Falls. The biggest waterfall in the area and you can either watch it from the viewpoint at the top or hike down to the bottom. The hike is really easy and will only take you about half an hour. This way you can see the waterfall from below and take a dip. Just take note that the trail can be slippery if it has rained the day before!
Location: Ehlanzeni
Day 5 - 23 Mar 2021
Berlin Falls
Content: After our hike and soaking up the sun at Lisbon Falls, we made our way to Berlin Falls. Unfortunately this waterfall can only be viewed from the viewing deck, but it is still worth the visit.
Location: Graskop
Day 5 - 23 Mar 2021
Garden Shed Restaurant
Content: Since we had an early start to our day, we grabbed an early lunch at the Garden Shed Restaurant in Graskop. The food was so great that we decided to order a take-away pizza for the evening. There was a storm brewing so this was also the perfect hide-away. (We wanted to visit Pinnacle Rock and God’s window before lunch, but since it started to rain it was not possible to see these two viewpoints. I would however suggest you visit these if the weather permits it.)
Jock of the Bushveld Trail (Starting & Ending Point)
Content: The hiking trail was close to our accommodation, so we just walked to the start of the trail. This is a super easy 8km hike that’ll take you about 2 hours to complete. It is located on the edge of the escarpment of the Drakensberg with a view overlooking the Pinnacle Gorge.
Location:
Day 6 - 24 Mar 2021
Kruger National Park
Content: After checking out of our B&B we made our way to the Kruger National Park to do a self-drive for the day before heading back home. You can always arrange a safari drive/ game drive if you don’t want to drive around the park yourself.