Panorama Route

Blyde Dam Boat Trip – Blyde River Canyon-1

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Panorama Route

Exploring the Panorama Route, as the scenic drive around the outer rim of the Blyde River Canyon, is known, is a fantastic day trip from Ubuntu Luxury Villa.

There are a number of scenic vantage points and famous landmarks to take in. If you’re a self-drive guest, you’ll find a map and some tips for your day out in the villa, or we can book you on a guided Panorama Tour with our carefully selected tour operator. This can be particularly rewarding for first time visitors, as you’ll have a dedicated guide to interpret the scenery and tell you about the area and its history.

The route has a number of vantage points where you can get out, or where the view is particularly rewarding. Some of the most iconic of these are:

Three Rondavels
God’s Window
Bourke’s Luck Potholes, check out the below video

You should really stop for lunch at Divine Foods at The View. We loved their food and the views are to die for!

There are also the Berlin and Lisbon waterfalls (more or less spectacular depending on the season), the recently opened Graskop Gorge Lift (spectacular!) and other attractions around the towns of Sabie and Graskop. Keep in mind that the weather may sometimes obstruct your view, but that has its own kind of charm.

Blyderivierspoort Dam Boat Trips – Great for half a day’s exploring

You can also explore the Blyde River Canyon from another perspective when you book a 1.5 hour trip on the Blyderiverspoort Dam. The trip departs from near Swadini resorts and takes you around the dam’s fascinating shoreline. Built in 1972 on the confluence of the Ohrigstad and Blyde rivers, the dam laps the lower slopes of Mariepskop. Its clear waters refugia for the Natal mountain catfish, shortspine catlet and barred minnow. Look out for a breeding colony of white-breasted cormorants as you drift past browsing kudus, wallowing hippos and ancient Tufa waterfalls, with the geography of the Blyde River Canyon mirrored in technicolour. To book the boat trips, click here

There is also a 16km hike around the dam called the Hippo Trail. It starts from the bridge over the Blyde near the Swadini resort, and takes you around shores of the Blyderivierpoort Dam and the bottom of one of the famous Three Rondavels, into the middle of the canyon. There are also shorter hikes around the dam signposted and currently in use.

“Whether it’s gazing down into the spectacular valley from the Three Rondavels lookout point along the Panorama Route or spotting birds like African finfoot and Half-collared kingfisher in the Blyde River, or having lunch at a gem of a restaurant we discovered called the Boskombuis, this route never gets old. It’s something we love and recommend our guests do.” Owners, Dennis and Anouk.