By the time we had stayed at Sabi Park for a couple of days, we had spotted so much wildlife in Kruger National Park. I wonder if you are interested to learn more about my game-viewing experience in Kruger, check out A Day on Safari. Where I have shared some info about the park, trivia about the Big Five and so much more.
Originally, we planned to visit the Kruger every day during our stay in Kruger; (well, to make sure we had enough time to view as many animals as we could because there was no guarantee that you would see any of them in the first couple of visits.
Check out Something about Kruger for more tips and a travel guide.) Luckily enough, we did. We saw the lion, wild dogs, leopard, buffalo, and rhinoceros among many elephants, giraffes, Nyala, waterbucks, kudus, alligators, and some fascinating birds. By that time, we were thinking if we would spend a day somewhere else in the area just to take a breather.
We had a car, and we read about the beautiful Blyde River Canyon in the travel pamphlet. We also heard a few good recommendations from fellow travelers in the lodge – and so, there we went!
We planned to visit the Three Rondavels viewpoint which is about 110-150km away from Sabie Park’s lodges or resorts depending on where you are staying. The entire excursion took almost a day because we hit a few “checkpoints” on the way and the Three Rondavels was our last stop.
God’s Window: Our first pitstop and a wonderful viewpoint
We took off in the morning. We kind of had a leisure road trip that day, checking out the roadside vendors and taking pictures on the side of the road. From Sabie, where we started, to the Three Rondavels, it is part of the Panorama Route: a scenic road in South Africa connecting several cultural and natural tourist points of interest.
I wonder if you know: Blyde River Canyon is the second largest canyon in Africa and one of the largest on earth! It is also the largest “green” canyon on earth due to its lush subtropical foliage, making it one of the great wonders of nature in the world.
God’s Window was our first stop. There are a few scenic trails that overlook the Lowveld and the Drakensberg escarpment. The cliffs plunge over 700 meters from the vantage point! Here the entire area is created when warm moist air rising from the Lowveld cools and its moisture combines at a high altitude of over 1,500 meters, resulting in high rainfall cool and often overcast summers, and relatively cold winters. On a clear day, it is possible to see up until the border of Mozambique!
It is called God’s Window because of the rock – an actual rock that looks like a square window yet it was set on a private farm and due to quarry operations and tree plantation farming, the government moved the sire to the edge of the escarpment.
To my surprise (well, it shouldn’t be), God Window is quite popular among tourists and there were many street vendors at the entrance selling souvenirs and arts & crafts. We were shopping and I found that I lost my travel wallet when we got back in the car! Fortunately, I only put one credit card and a small amount of US dollars in my travel wallet, all I needed to do was just to make a long-distance call to the bank and that was it.
Potluck Boskombuis: A great place for lunch that you may not notice
We were heading to our next stop and it was about time for lunch. While we were on the road there weren’t many places to eat. After another 40 minutes of driving, interestingly we saw a small sign on the side of the road that points to a place called Potluck Boskombuis. It turns out that the restaurant is a hidden gem.
With only a few tables, the restaurant is an intimate outdoor space with a view of the Treurrivier that leads to the Treur Falls. At the entrance, there was a small booth that sold some t-shirts, modern art paintings, and pots. Turns out the Boskombuis own an art studio and a hiking trail booking office as well. While “technically” the restaurant is located in the middle of nowhere, the food was really good and I had no complaints about enjoying a meal with such a refreshing view.
After enjoying their food, take a leisurely walk along the stream and take some awesome pictures! I had no idea that there was such a hidden great place for our road trip and it was a pleasant surprise.
Bourke’s Luck Potholes: A natural wonder and an easy walk
Bourke’s Luck Potholes is located nearby, this is also where the Lichen hiking trail is, and the Belvedere Day Walk is open to visitors with permits only. The stone-paved trail is an easy walk that is suitable for people of any age.
Back to the potholes. These are a series of natural geological formations that were formed by centuries of water flowing through the landscape. The potholes occur where the Treur River joins the Blyde River at the start of the Blyde River Canyon. In a continuous manner, the force of the water in these two rivers, combined with the particles of sand and rock that the river transports, wears cylindrical potholes into the sandstone bedrock. The potholes and plunge pools of the Treur River are an interesting sight.
The potholes were named after a local prospector, Tom Bourke, who predicted the presence of gold, though he found none himself.
Three Rondavels: The second largest canyon in Africa
While we technically spent the whole day in the Blyde Canyon Natural Reserve, the Three Rondavels is notably the best viewpoint of the Blyde River Canyon. What exactly tourists are supposed to look at? The Three Rondavels are three round, grass-covered mountain tops. The majestic canyon down below, it makes amazing pictures, especially during sunset.
The view didn’t disappoint. The names of the peaks commemorate a 19th-century chief, Maripi, and three of his wives. The flat-topped peak adjacent to the rondavels is Mapjaneng, “the chief”, who is remembered for opposing invading Swazis in a memorable battle. The three big round rocks are named after his three wives – Magabolle, Mogoladikwe, and Maserati.
The isolated Thabaneng hill is regarded as a sundial whose shadow indicates the time of day. Luckily, we were there during sunset and the lighting on the rocks was just magnificent.
What is “Rondavel”? Rondavels are houses and huts of the indigenous people. The canyon is called “Three Rondavels” because the three huge and round rocks have a good resemblance to those structures.
While it was not exactly on my plan (I was planning to see the animals!) I didn’t even hear about the canyon before I landed in South Africa and… yeah, I lost my wallet that day on the road. Still, I was happy that I did this road trip because it’s not far from Kruger, and the view was just so amazing. We also explored some interesting places and the weather was just so perfect. I am not sure if I have said it before, but to me, it is still true that unplanned adventures always have a deeper impression on me. The memories that I had on that day still come back to me so strong when I look at the pictures.…
In case I have to sum it up… “Yeah, it was such a good day”.
And on our way back to Johannesburg: a sweet homestay in White River, and the view from the small plane that we took. 🙂
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