Hey there! I’m Tobias Hoiten from the Instagram page @tobiashoiten. In this destination guide I will introduce you to the beautiful Blyde River Canyon in South Africa. This place should be on every travellers bucket list!
I’m a 30-year-old traveller, blogger and photographer from Northern Germany. My passion for photography started ten years ago during my bachelors degree in Media Management and Journalism. After my masters degree, I travelled for the first time with my wife to Crete in Greece. This was my first flight and it sparked my passion for travel.
I have been on many adventures since. One special recent trip of mine was to South Africa. I got invited to explore South Africa on a group tour last January. We started in Cape Town for four days before heading to Kruger National Park for two days. On our way back to Johannesburg (and then back to Germany) we took a short trip to Blyde River Canyon.
Day Trip to Blyde River Canyon
The stop at Blyde River Canyon was in our travel plans but I hadn’t heard much about this destination before visiting. So I was quite excited about what the landscapes would be like there. We stayed near Kruger National Park and drove for two hours to reach the amazing Blyde River Canyon.
It was a rainy day and we hoped for good weather conditions at the canyon. After a two hour drive, we arrived with a few clouds in the sky and no people around. I have never seen such an amazing canyon in my life. It never dawned on me that South Africa could offer a place like this.
Three Rondavels Viewpoint
My favourite place at Blyde River Canyon was the Three Rondavels Viewpoint. Seeing the river from above was fantastic because I had a total view of the whole countryside. The weather played its part with just a few clouds in the sky – making for some awesome moody shots!
Things To Do at Blyde River Canyon
The top three things to do at Blyde River Canyon are Three Rondavels Viewpoint, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and God’s Window. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough time to explore every corner of the canyon and the weather conditions were not perfect. It started to rain when we arrived at Bourke’s Luck Potholes. So keep the weather in mind when visiting.
The rain certainly didn’t put me off Bourke’s Luck Potholes. When we arrived, it was raining cats and dogs! And there was a five minute walk we had to do. I had sneakers and a light raincoat. I got really soaked and came back to the bus dripping wet. But the experience was worth it!
Another must-do, with incredible views over the canyon and countryside, is God’s Window. This spot is called “God’s Window” because it offers panoramic views of the Lowveld down 900 metres into lush forest. I didn’t get the chance to visit but I’m sure it would be amazing!
Need to Know Before you Go
Staying near Kruger National Park is perfect. You can take an ideal day trip to the Blyde River Canyon and enjoy a game drive with wild animals at Kruger. When you plan a game drive, you have to wake up early at 5am to arrive at the national park. So staying there is the best option for sure.
Finally, just ensure you check the weather conditions before going and bring the appropriate gear like walking shoes, a raincoat, snacks and water. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy your visit to Blyde River Canyon!
