BLYDE RIVER CANYON

BLYDE RIVER CANYON DID YOU KNOW... Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world (and the largest ‘greencanyon’). The Grand Canyon in the US is the biggest, and second place goes to the Fish River Canyon inNamibia.Blyde River Canyon is famous for the “three rondavels” but did you know that Blyde River Canyon is the greenest - and third biggest - canyon in the world? The scenery of the 25 000 ha reserve is unsurpassed, its vegetation both varied and lush and the rich selection of birdlife includes a breeding colony of the rare bald ibis.The Blyde River Canyon can be reached from Graskop via R532. The Canyon starts at Bourke's Luck Potholes and ends at the Three Rondavels. From many well-positioned vantage points one has a view of the 33 km long gorge. For Tours and accommodation, email travel@toursa.com A public road runs along the long western boundary and there is easy access to beauty spots like The Pinnacle, God's Window with its kloof-framed view of the Lowveld, Bourke's Luck, and a lookout point pointing on The Three Rondavels.These are unusually shaped hillocks that are also visible from the Aventura Blydepoort Resort, a short distance to the north. Anyone wanting to explore the upper level more carefully should take to the trails from this resort. Where the swift-flowing Blyde River is joined by the Ohrigstad River from the west engineers built an unobtrusive dam wall in a bottleneck below the confluence to form the Blyde Dam. Wildlife in the canyon area is as varied as the habitats. There are mountain reedbuck on the escarpment, dassies on the canyon walls, hippo and crocodile in the Blyde Dam, and impala, kudu, blue wildebeest, waterbuck and zebra on the Lowveld plain near the canyon's mouth. At Bourke's Luck a network of pathways and footbridges allows visitors to explore the potholes (some of which are 6 m deep) at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers. The Potholes are very impressive rock formations that were shaped millions of years ago by erosion. The bizarre swirl holes developed when the once rapid river carried masses of sand and debris.Another attraction at Bourke's Luck is the visitors' centre, which has numerous interesting displays. A 180 m circular trail, accessible to the physically disabled, starts at the visitors' centre and has as its main theme the lichens found in the area.Nestled between the majestic Drakensberg Mountains and the sparkling clear waters of the Blyde River, Blyde River Canyon Lodge offers local and international travellers a unique bush experience. The Lodge is set in an 85 hectare Botanical Reserve which boasts a wealth of fauna and flora. Not only is the Blyde River Canyon Lodge a unique holiday experience, but is also “home away from home” for many astute and professional businessmen/women who make our lodge their regular place to stay whilst doing business in the area.Blyde River Canyon Lodge is situated along the scenic Panorama Route in the Blyde River Canyon of the Mpumalanga/Limpopo Province. It is easily accessible to the Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Three Rondawels, God’s Window and various waterfalls. The lodge is just a 40-minute drive to the Kruger National Park - Orpen Gate.Fauna and FloraThe Blyde River canyon supports large diversity of life, including numerous fish and antelope species as well as Hippos and Crocodiles, and every primate species that may be seen in South Africa (including both Greater and Lesser Bush Babies, Vervet Monkeys and Samango Monkeys). The diversity of birdlife is similarly high, including the beautiful and much sought Narina Trogon as well as species such as the Cape Vulture, Black Eagle, Crowned Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Gymnogene, Jackal Buzzard, Whitebacked Vulture, Bald Ibis, African Finfoot, Knysna Lourie, Purplecrested Lourie, Gurney's Sugarbird, Malachite Sunbird, Cinnamon Dove, Emerald Cuckoo, Redbacked Mannikin, Goldentailed Woodpecker, Olive Bush Shrike, Green Twinspot, Taita Falcons (very rarely sighted, a breeding pair lives in the nearby Abel Erasmus pass), Cape Eagle Owl, Whitefaced Owl, Wood Owl, Peregrine Falcon, Blackbreasted Snake Eagle, Wahlberg's Eagle, Longcrested Eagle, Jackal Buzzard, Lanner Falcon, Redbreasted Sparrowhawk, Rock Kestrel etc.Kadishi WaterfallThe weeping face of natureAt 200 metres (660 ft), the Kadishi Tufa waterfall is the second tallest tufa waterfall on earth. A tufa waterfall is formed when water running over dolomite rock absorbs calcium, and deposits rock formations more rapidly than they erode the surrounding rock. In the case of the Kadishi Tufa fall, the formation that has been produced strikingly resembles a face which is crying profusely, and is thus sometimes known as 'the weeping face of nature'