Introduction

The Panorama Route is one of the most beautiful and popular travel destinations in South Africa. It leads through the rugged mountain range of the northern Drakensberg. Here, in the north-eastern part of the Great Escarpment, the inland plateau declines abruptly and steeply and opens up fantastic views of the plains of the Lowveld a thousand metres below.

Lydenberg

The town of Lydenburg (55 km from Sabie) have a rich history associated with the Voortrekkers and the Anglo-Boer War. The name "Lydenburg" means Place of Suffering and the town was so named after the many deaths of Voortrekkers at Ohrighstad due to malaria. In 1856 De Republiek Lijdenburg in Zuid Afrika was formed with Lydenburg as the capital. A year later this independent republic merged with the republic of Utrecht (in KwaZulu-Natal) and in 1860 became part of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek once again. The first church in Lydenburg was completed in 1853. It is the oldest church outside of the Cape Province that survived the wars of the country. Near the church is the original Voortrekker school. It was built in 1851 and was also used as a church building before the church was completed. The Dutch Reformed church was build in 1890 and features a superb pulpit (made from kiaat wood) which is an exact replica of the Stellenbosch Church pulpit.

Robbers Pass

This road, now an easy-going tarred highway, follows the same route that the stage coaches and transport wagons traveled to and from Pilgrim's Rest. Not only does the road to Robbers Pass offer some breathtaking views, it is also steeped in history. In 1899 two masked and armed highwaymen held up the stage coach and robbed it of £10,000 worth of gold. They were never brought to justice. The second robbery (in the exact same spot) happened 13 years later (1912). The number 13 must have been an unlucky one for the robber (Tommy Dennison), for not only was his horse recognised, he also paid off his debts in town with the looted silver. Tommy was arrested and sentenced to jail for five years. He returned to Pilgrim's Rest as a local celebrity to start the Highwayman's Garage.

Pilgrims Rest

Mining in this region of Mpumalanga dates back many centuries, when unknown miners worked quartz reefs in the area for gold. Proof of these diggings can still be found in this area. The history of this small delightful village dates back to 1873 when a miner, Alex Patterson, discovered alluvial gold on the farm named Ponieskrantz. He had left the Mac-Mac area to search for a place that was less congested. Though the discovery was kept as a secret, the inevitable happened when a second prospector William Trafford also discovered gold close by. What they had found in this beautiful valley drew optimistic panners and prospectors from all over the country and the World (news of gold strikes of this magnitude travel fast !). On 22nd September 1873 Pilgrim's Rest was officially proclaimed a gold field and the scatter of tents and rudimentary shacks soon grew into a flourishing little village complete with sturdy brick houses, church, shops, canteens, a newspaper and the well-known Royal Hotel. The diggers called it Pilgrim's Rest because here, at last, after so many false trails and faded dreams they had truly found their home. In due course the alluvial deposits were depleted and the locals turned to forestry, but their village, whose residents still number in the hundreds, has been painstakingly preserved as a "living museum" and major South African tourist venue.

Graskop

Graskop is a small forestry town perched on the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment, centrally situated in the Panorama tourist region of Mpumalanga, South Africa. Graskop is only a few minutes drive from a number of scenic wonders such as God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the world renown Blyde River Canyon and Three Rondawels, as well as spectacular waterfalls such as Lisbon Falls, Berlyn Falls and Mac Mac Falls.
The historic mining town of Pilgrim's Rest as well as the quaint forestry town of Sabie are a mere ½ hour's drive away, with the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park less than an hours drive to the east. Graskop, at an altitude of 1,400 m above sea level, has a temperate climate with a high rainfall and is often misty in the summer months. Graskop is a popular tourist destination and is renown for it's pancake bars and curio shops.

God's Window

God's Window - so called for the panoramic view of the Lowveld (and in the distance the Kruger National Park and Mozambique) more than 900 m below.

Blyde River Canyon

Few will ever forget their first glimpse of the spectacular gorge, the Blyde River Canyon. The gorge is the third largest in the world and one of South Africa's scenic wonders. The Blyde River Canyon is the kind of place where brochures and guide books run out of original adjectives to describe the fresh mountain scenery and magnificent panoramic views. 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.

Three Rondavels

History: The northern section of the Canyon, where Aventura Blydepoort is situated, was home to the Bapedi people They were a relatively small and tribe and called the Mapulana Tribe (under Chief Maripi Mashile) to help take on the Swazis who took over their dwellings This war, which was to be the areas last tribal war, became known as Moholoholo which means "the great, great battle" and took place in 1864. The Bapedi people decided to show their gratitude to the Mapulana Chief by naming the mountains in his honour. Obviously named Marieskop, the mountain to the south of the Three Rondavels was named "Majaneng" meaning the "the cheif". The chief decided they should be feminine and wanted to name them after his wives. Because he had so many wives and there are only three Rondavels, he named them after the three who allegedly gave him the most trouble: Mogabolle, Mogoladikwe and Maseroto The regal beauty of the Three Rondavels is best viewed from Aventura Blydepoort's Upper Viewpoint. For best photo opportunities is late afternoon, when the sun is setting Morning light lends unparallelled clarity. In the morning the Canyon is misty and the Rondavels may be partially obscured, just like the day when the Bapedi defeated the Swazi's in the Battle of Moholoholo.