Things to do in Panorama Route
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Panorama Route
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Dry winter is the best viewpoint season, with the clearest skies and least mist, but waterfalls run low and nights are cold.
Autumn is the best compromise, with rain easing, falls still flowing and mist less constant, apart from busy Easter.
Early summer turns green with first storms and recovering falls, so do viewpoints in the morning.
Wet summer has the fullest waterfalls and greenest canyon but peak mist, rain and holiday crowds.
What's on
- Long Tom Marathon April, dates vary by year
An annual run over the Long Tom Pass between Lydenburg and Sabie, with road controls on race morning.
Best things to do in Panorama Route
God's Window
The famous escarpment lookout over the Lowveld, superb on a clear morning and completely blank in mist.
Wonder View
The highest viewpoint on the loop road, a wider and quieter panorama a few minutes past God's Window.
The Pinnacle
A single quartzite column rising from indigenous forest in a gorge, the first quick stop on the loop.
Bourke's Luck Potholes
Swirling red rock potholes and pools where the Treur and Blyde rivers meet, crossed by bridges.
Three Rondavels View Point
The postcard view of three round peaks above the Blyde River Canyon, the dam and the Lowveld.
Lisbon Falls
A 94 metre waterfall dropping in two streams over a curved cliff into a green gorge.
Berlin Falls
A single drop waterfall near Lisbon Falls, falling into a deep pool below pine plantations.
Mac Mac Falls
A 65 metre twin stream waterfall viewed from a platform above the gorge on the Sabie road.
Where to stay in Panorama Route
Graskop
the viewpoint loop itself
On the escarpment at the start of the R532 and R534 loop, closest to God's Window and the falls.
Sabie
quiet forest and waterfall base
A calm forestry town south west of Graskop, closest to Lone Creek, Bridal Veil and Mac Mac falls.
Hazyview
Kruger access and widest choice
A warm Lowveld town about 15 minutes from Phabeni Gate, with the most lodges and restaurants.
Blyde River Canyon edge
early canyon starts
Sleeping beside the reserve puts the Three Rondavels and Bourke's Luck Potholes within early reach.
Think twice about
- Numbi Road, R538 to Numbi Gate
A documented history of robberies of tourists, now patrolled with no incidents reported in the past year. Use Phabeni or Kruger Gate instead.
- Vaalhoek Road, Pilgrim's Rest to Bourke's Luck Potholes
Recent reports describe it as badly rutted and impassable in places for a normal car. Use the tarred R533 and R532 instead.
- Escarpment roads after dark and in thick mist
Potholes, trucks and sudden mist on the R532, R534 and Long Tom Pass make night and mist driving the main road risk.
Best restaurants in Panorama Route
Harrie's Pancakes
The route pancake institution in Graskop, with sweet and savoury fillings since the 1980s.
The Lift Cafe
A cafe on the gorge edge at the lift site, with a deck, pizzas and curries over the view.
Abe' at The Glass House
A small chef led restaurant in Graskop, the closest thing to fine dining in town.
Kadisi Restaurant at Blyde Canyon, A Forever Resort
The resort restaurant near the canyon viewpoints, useful where almost nowhere else serves food.
The Wild Fig Tree Restaurant
A Sabie favourite under a wild fig tree, serving bobotie, oxtail and game specials.
Petena Pancakes
Sabie own family run pancake house on Main Road, the cheap friendly lunch in town.
Kuka Cafe
A lively cafe at Perry's Bridge in Hazyview, the easy dinner after Skyway Trails next door.
Summerfields Kitchen
The signature riverside restaurant at Summerfields, the route special occasion dinner.
Outdoor things to do in Panorama Route
Graskop Gorge Lift Co.
A lift descends 51 metres into gorge forest, with a 600 metre elevated walkway and bridges.
Big Swing
A 70 metre free fall gorge swing plus a zipline across the gorge at the lift site.
Mac Mac Pools
Natural rock pools in the Mac Mac River with lawns and braai areas, the cheap local swim stop.
Blyde River Canyon Boat Cruise
A guided boat trip on the Blyde Dam past the Rondavels from below and a tufa waterfall.
Skyway Trails
Eight ziplines totalling 1.2 km over a forested Sabie River valley, plus a tree top course.
Induna Adventures
A Sabie River valley adventure centre for rafting, tubing, quad biking and horse trails.
Long Tom Toboggan
A 1.7 km monorail toboggan run at Misty Mountain on the Long Tom Pass above Sabie.
Sudwala Caves
Large dolomite cave chambers on a guided tour, a rainy day excursion south of Sabie.
Best hotels in Panorama Route
Graskop Hotel
A boutique art hotel in central Graskop, the most characterful stay in town for the loop.
Westlodge at Graskop
A Victorian styled bed and breakfast with rose gardens and hosts who know daily route conditions.
Mogodi Lodge
A simple, good value lodge on the Kowynspass side of Graskop with a pub and restaurant.
Sabie Town House Guest Lodge
A long running guest lodge in a large Sabie garden, a calm base near the Sabie waterfalls.
Merry Pebbles Resort
A riverside resort with chalets and camping in Sabie, the best cheap base for self drivers.
Summerfields Rose Retreat and Spa
Luxury tented suites on a rose farm on the Sabie River, the route genuine luxury stay.
Hippo Hollow Country Estate
A family friendly estate on the Sabie River at Hazyview, an easy base for Phabeni Gate.
Umbhaba Eco Lodge
A lodge in indigenous bush just outside Hazyview on the R40, quieter than a town hotel.
Is Panorama Route expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ZAR 900 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ZAR 2,200 a person |
| Splurge | ZAR 5,200 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Graskop Gorge Lift Co.: a few days ahead
- Big Swing: a few days ahead
- Blyde River Canyon Boat Cruise: a few days ahead
- Skyway Trails: a few days ahead
- Induna Adventures: a few days ahead
- Kruger National Park via Phabeni Gate: a few days ahead
- Merry Pebbles Resort: a few days ahead
- Summerfields Rose Retreat and Spa: weeks ahead
- Book December, January and Easter stays, Summerfields, gorge lift weekend slots and Kruger gate entry ahead.
- Carry cash for viewpoint gates and a card for the cashless gorge lift site.
Is Panorama Route safe?
- Violent and opportunistic crime is a real risk in South Africa: take care especially after dark and in unfamiliar areas.
- Use Phabeni or Kruger Gate, never pay a roadside fine or sticker demand, and call +27 66 300 0991 for tourism help.
- Escarpment towns are generally malaria free, while Hazyview and Kruger carry low malaria risk, highest in summer.
- Emergency numbers are 10111 for police and 112 from a mobile phone.
Panorama Route travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not pay viewpoint fees on a fully misted morning or use Numbi Gate because it looks shorter on a map.
- Do not leave bags visible in a parked car at waterfall and viewpoint car parks.
Getting around Panorama Route: public transport and more
- You need a car or a booked guided Panorama day, as there is no visitor public transport on the loop.
- Sabie to Graskop is about 34 km, Graskop to Hazyview about 45 km, and Hazyview to Phabeni Gate about 15 minutes.
- Do viewpoints first on any clear morning, as escarpment mist can close the views for days in summer.
Who Panorama Route suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Panorama Route your trip
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