The Echo Caves were discovered in the 1920's by the owner of the farm. After his cattle mysteriously disappeared on the farm he started looking for answers. These are some of the oldest caves in the world and were declared a Historical Monument. One of the rooms of the cave has a height of 60m. Guided tours through 2km of tunnels viewing impressive stalagmites and stalactites. New discoveries include the Madonna and the Crystal Palace.

The Echo Caves are the least well known of the limestone caves. The advantage is that fewer people visit them and you may be lucky enough to enjoy this underworld with just your guide. The caves are so called because the local people used one of the stalactites as a drum to warn of any approaching Swazi. As these caves extend for some 40 km (24 miles), the sound travelled for surprisingly long distances and the people could take refuge in the caves. From an archaeological point of view, the caves are fascinating as finds here corroborate the legend that, long ago, strangers in long white robes came to look for gold and to barter with the inhabitants. Some of the finds are exhibited at the Museum of Man on the turn-off from the tar road to the Echo Caves.

Caving: For the more adventurous visitors a special tour can be organized to go deeper into the cave. The end of the cave has not yet been found and it is said that the end of the Echo Caves is somewhere close to the Strijdom Tunnel. The caving tour is not recommended for people with claustrophobic problems.

Close by is the Bushman Rock Shelter, Museum of Man and The Shoe. Visit these at the same time.

Tours: 08:30 to 16:30 daily.

The Three Rondavels, across the Blyde Canyon and at the end of the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga, are huge triplet rock spirals rising out of the far wall of the canyon. The word "Rondawel" is a South African word that refers to a round hut-like dwelling (usually with a thatched roof). The three well known gigantic peaks of quartzite and shale with their sheer rock walls tower more than 700 m above the surrounding landscape.

Firstly one becomes aware of the natural phenomenon, which gives this viewpoint its name. But, long before written history the indigenous peoples had their own names for these features. The “Three Rondawels” were known as “The Chief and his three wives”. The flat topped peak to the right is names MAPJANENG- “The Chief” – (named in honour of a Mapulana chief named Maripe Mashile who routed invading Swazis at a great battle whose name has lived on as “Moholoholo” or - in translation “The very great one”) whilst the three most troublesome wives – in descending order from right to left – are named MASEROTO, MOGOLADIKWE, and MAGABOLLE. Behind them all towering in isolated and massive splendour is the 1944m high peak named MARIEPSKOP – also named after Maripe Mashile – which forms the southern portal of the canyon mouth. To the north of MAGABOLLE the magnificent, almost arrogant, jutting profile of the SWADINI BUTTRESS (Kwa Thabeng Bush Lodge is just behind it) forms the northern portal of the canyon mouth whilst offering a superb example of the powerful effect of wind and water on raw rock interspersed with layers of shale.

Pointing roughly northeasterly and virtually surrounded by the waters of the lake formed by the dam wall, is the mountain named THABANENG (the mountain with the shadow that moves) by the indigenous peoples and surprise, surprise! – THE SUNDIAL by the white peoples. Of interest is the fact that the viewpoints hover around 1380m, whilst the level of the dam when full, is 665m.

There are curio stalls and toilet facilities at the parking area.

Please proceed with due caution when not behind a railing!

The Blyde Canyon cuts through the Drakensberg Mountain Range, one of the seven major mountain systems in Africa. The 33 km long gorge, one of South Africa's scenic wonders, is the third largest canyon in the world and was formed by rivers cutting deep into the escarpment thus eroding millions of tons of rock which were carried to the Lowveld and beyond to the Indian Ocean. More than 700 m below the 370 ha Blyde River Dam is visible towards the lower end of the canyon at the confluence of the Blyde and Ohrigstad rivers.

The scenery of the 25 000 ha Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve is unsurpassed, its vegetation both varied and lush and the rich selection of birdlife includes a breeding colony of the rare bald ibis. Sub-tropical jungle, some of southern Africa's scariest rapids, and pristine hidden 'hanging valleys' are home to mountain reedbuck and dassies, and impala, kudu, blue wildebeest, waterbuck and zebra on the low veld plain near the canyon's mouth. All five of South Africa's primates can be seen in the the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. The somango monkey, nocturnal greater and lesser bushbabies, chacma baboons and vervet monkeys are all present. Hippopotamus and crocodile live in and around the rivers and wetlands of Swadini Dam, as do water birds and otters. Almost every type of habitat that attracts birds is found in the the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve and all three South African species of Loerie, Knysna Lourie, Purple Crested Lourie and the Grey Lourie (go-away bird) can be found here.

There are several well positioned vantage points on the Panorama Route from where one can view the Blyde Canyon. The road along the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga enables easy access to beauty spots like The Pinnacle, God's Window with its kloof-framed view of the Lowveld, Bourke's Luck potholes, and a lookout point pointing on The Three Rondavels.

Hiking Trails: Several hiking trails are also available. Contact the Mpumalanga Parks Board on (013) 759-5300 for details.

From the Lowveld View Point the coloured strata of the awe-inspiring rugged peaks of the Blyde Canyon can be viewed. Far below the Blyde River foams and tumbles along the rocky canyon floor, winding like an enormous green snake to the mouth of the Canyon and the Blyderivierspoort Dam between Mariepskop and Swadini. Dense vegetation with moss and ferns fill the deep valleys, whilst the upper krantzes are covered with vivid coloured lichen.

To get the most out of this viewpoint (and at 3 Rondawel Viewpoint), move southward and then proceed north in an anti clockwise direction stopping at the various guard-railed viewing platforms as they come up. The east is the view of the Lowveld between two peaks (Mapjaneng on the left and Hebronberg on the right) which gives this viewpoint its name.

To the northeast across the Blyde Canyon, just 500m away but over 550m below one will see a cottage and picnic spot. This is private property and also the starting point for white water rafting (by appointment only) on the Blyde River.

Please proceed with due caution when not behind a railing!

On the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga you'll also find the world renowned Bourke's Luck Potholes (dubbed nature's wishing well) are 35 km north of Graskop on the R532 road at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers. Over millions of years waterborne sand and rock scoured huge cylindrical potholes into the bedrock of the river. The ravine in which these potholes lie reach a depth of 30m, though the actual potholes are generally about 6m deep. The potholes are only five minutes (700m) walk from a car park, and an imaginatively constructed network of paths and bridges allows visitors to see them from every angle -- and drop pennies into the potholes while making wishes. The gold and sliver glitter from tens of thousands of coins contrast artfully with the streaked white and yellow lichen covered rocks to heighten the surreal nature of the potholes. The Potholes were named after a gold digger by the name of Tom Bourke, who staked a claim nearby. Although his claim did not produce a single ounce of gold, he correctly predicted that large gold deposits would be found in the area.

The main building houses a Visitor's Centre displaying a model of the Blyde River Canyon, a permanent exhibition of the fauna and flora of the area, as well as the cultural and historical aspects of the Nature Reserve. The offices of Mpumalanga Nature Conservation have a laboratory for biological research and a well equipped herbarium open to the public during office hours.

There are also two short circular hiking routes (Bourke's Luck Potholes Interpretive Trail and the Bushman Nature Trail) that start at the main building.

Please proceed with due caution when not behind a railing!

There are curio stalls and toilet facilities at the parking area.

Entrance fee: R30 pp (include use of picnic facilities).

Close to God's Window, north of Graskop, are the mighty Berlin Falls. Drive past the Berlin Sawmill and at 2 km from the main road, turn left and park at the parking area. A short walk takes you to a vantage point overlooking the falls.

The Berlin Falls are situated in wooded, grasslands and rocky countrysides. They are likened to a candle in shape, in that the falls starts at the precipice as a narrow plunge and then broadens into a cascade that drops some 45m into a pool below. This national monument came into being when, over many aeons, the softer rock was gradually worn away by the relentless flow of the river.

Caution: Stay well clear of the edges, as the rocks are extremely slippery, especially when wet!

At 92m the Lisbon Falls are the highest waterfall in the area as the Lisbon river cascades over the sheer cliff in a double stream and over a semi-circular rock face. After the Lone Creek Falls, they are the most beautiful on the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga. It's possible to climb down the first slope of rocks to reach a few small pools set back from the sheer cliff edge. During summer, the falls are especially powerful and the rocks perpetually slick, so descend with care. And do not try crossing the falls at the top as a few years back a tourist got washed down the falls in a flash flood.

Caution: Stay well clear of the edge, as the rocks are extremely slippery, especially when wet!

Wonder View is the highest viewpoint on the Panorama Route escarpment in Mpumalanga accessible to the motorist. It has an even more magnificent view than the one at God's Window. At an altitude of 1,730 m this is the highest viewpoint in the area. No walking necessary as the viewpoint is right next to the road. On a clear day, this perch offers a 360-degree panorama of the peaks, plateaus, smooth hills, and curling towns that make up the lowveld area.

Note: Choose a clear day to best enjoy the views from both God's Window and Wonder View.

God's Window - One look down and you'll see why. So called for the panoramic view of the Lowveld (and in the distance the Kruger National Park and Mozambique almost 100km away) more than 900m down into indigenous forest clad ravine. From the parking area a very steep stepped footpath along the edge of the escarpment leads to the actual view points.

For the best lookout points and exotic forest plants, break away from the crowds and hike up up into the clouds and the misty Rain Forest. Here clearings afford heavenly views of the subtropical expanse far below at an altitude of 1,829m above sea level. Visitors to this venue will forever remember the aroma of mountain forest. Make sure you take a few refreshments along as it's very humid and an exteremly steep and strenuous walk, especially for older people.

There are curio stalls and toilet facilities at the parking area.

NOTE: For the best views and photos choose a clear day and the mid afternoon.

Entrance: ZAR 10.00 pp (Gate open daily from 7am to 5pm)

The Pinnacle Rock is a tower-like freestanding quartzite buttress which rises 30m above the dense fern clad ravine and indigenous forest. To the right, and below, the viewing plateau from which can be seen only the topmost of eight waterfalls which take the river down approximately 450m in a series of alternating falls and cascades.

This very short detour to view the Panorama Gorge and Falls is well worth the time and effort. Gorge swinging and high wire sliding is done across the gorge.

Graskop Big Swing & Foefie Slide:

The Big Swing is located on the premises of Mogodi Lodge in Mpumalanga. This extreme exhilarating activity is the largest of its kind in South Africa, with a 68m free drop before the ropes tighten and swing you across the width of the Graskop Gorge. The Big Swing (bunjee jump) is not for the faint hearted. Take the plunge and experience the adrenaline rush of the world's highest cable gorge swing with a 18 storey building free fall and a swing afterwards. 0-160km/h in 2.3 seconds! Officially it's the highest cable gorge swing in the world. One will definitely experience the stomach wrenching sensation, as you free fall, then swing from one side of the gorge to the other past the waterfall. You will be happy when it’s all over, but will definitely want to experience the feeling all over again.

For the more faint hearted there is the foefie slide (zip ride, zip line), which flies over the 130m long Graskop gorge, giving one a unique view of the waterfall below. If that's not enough, you can abseil down the gorge as well.

Open: Tue to Sun from 08:00 to 17:00.

Park at the curio stalls and follow the short footpath into a small gorge where the Mac Mac river carved a path under rocks to form a natural bridge.

Pilgrim's Rest is situated on the magnificent Panorama Route on the eastern Escarpment region of the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The area is richly imbued with a diversity of natural, cultural and historic gems. The uniqueness of this historic village is vividly evident in its museums and historic sites. It offers the visitor a fascinating window into the past and captures the spirit of a bygone era and its people in their quest for gold. The entire town of Pilgrim's Rest was declared a National Monument in 1986 as a living memory of the early gold rush days in South Africa during the late 1800s / early 1900s. Many of the buildings have been restored to create a living museum with historic structures such as the St Mary's Anglican Church, the Royal Hotel, Miner's Cottages, Joubert's Bridge (1896) and the graveyard. Since then a dedicated team of historians, architects, curators and special interest groups closely monitor all developments and refurbishment in the village to maintain its historic appearance. This little village, with its colourful history, is probably the most picturesque and charming spot in the the area.

Pilgrim's Rest was born during the excitement of an alluvial gold rush and is a most perfect example. Its history allegedly began when ‘Wheelbarrow’ Alec Patterson, who pushed his belongings along in front of him, panned for gold in the stream running through the valley in 1873. Upon hearing of his success he was soon joined by hundreds of others and within a year there were 21 stores, 18 canteens, 3 bakeries and all sorts of other establishments. Some extraordinary nuggets were found including ‘Breda’ who weighed in at 214 oz and ‘Lilley’ at 119oz. One reef, found after the main rush had died down, yielded over 5,000,000oz of gold in 50 years of continuous working. Mining continued until 1972 and today Pilgrim's Rest is a living museum, preserved in the exact architectural style of the gold rush period, boasting various buildings that has remained unchanged externally for more than a century. There never was a more beautiful or romantic spot to have a gold rush than Pilgrim’s Rest. It really is well worth a visit and you can seep yourself in the genuine atmosphere of the old days, by staying overnight in the village.

Excellent trout fishing, hiking and mountain biking venues abound nearby. No visit to Pilgrim's Rest is complete without trying your hand at gold panning. The town played host to the 2005 World Gold Panning Championships.

Gold Panning: The first pioneers feverishly panned for alluvial gold in the rivers and streams of the region - some made a fortune, others lost their boots. Relive the gold fever at the Diggings. Purchase a ticket at the Information Centre for a guided tour to experience this fast-growing outdoor activity.

Tours:       09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 15:00.
Rates:       R10 per adult & R5 per kid
Bookings: Pilgrim's Information Centre (+27) (0)13 768 1060

The twin 65m high Mac Mac Falls is after the Lisbon falls the second highest on the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga. The falls was declared a National Monument in 1983.

A steep walk along a cement, stoned and muddy pathway (with many steps) takes you to the viewing platform above the falls. This waterfall was originally a single stream, but gold miners created the second fall in their eagerness to get to gold when they blasted it with an over enthusiastic application of dynamite to divert the river in an attempt to work the rich gold-bearing reef over which it plunges. Whether it helped to find more quantities of gold was not recorded.

Caution: Walk, don't run! It's slippery when wet!

The Mac Mac Pools is in a shallow rocky river with drops into a series of naturally formed swimming pools. The crystal clear, cool water makes for refreshing swimming and splashing after a hot day's sightseeing. This is an excellent and very popular picnic spot with toilets facilities. A fee of R5/person plus R10/braai is payable at the entrance gate. The circular 3 km Secretary Bird Walk which stretches from 1-2 hours, ranging from pristine forest to grasslands begin and ends here. Facilities at the pools are wheelchair friendly.

The Sudwala Caves, one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Panorama Route in Mpumalanga, are located in the Mankelekele hills in the "Valley of the Houtbosloop" about 35km north-west of Nelspruit.

Over a period of 2,000 million years, water, percolating from above has eroded the dolomite of the hills, forming large caverns with strangely fashioned stalactites and stalagmites. The magnificent Sudwala Caves contain the largest dolomite chamber in the world. This chamber, the Owen Hall named after the owner of the farm, is a natural amphitheatre of about 70m in diameter and 37m in height. Interconnected chambers with a floor surface of 14,000 m square over a distance of some 600m are open to the public. The tallest stalagmite in the caves is about 11m high. Legend has it that there is no end to these caves and that they may extend for more than 40km under the mountains, as far as Lydenburg! There is a constant flow of air, but the source to this day is still unknown.

The caves also contain the fossilised remains of "collenia" a form of algae that it is believed life on earth evolved from. These "stromatolites" were alive when the earth's atmosphere was composed of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

Prehistoric people discovered the caves and used the entrance as a shelter. The caves were re-discovered in the early 19th century during a Swazi succession melodrama. The find was made by Somquba, son of Swazi King Sobhuza I, who, together with his followers, fled there in fear of his brother Mswati. The dispute also involved substantial numbers of royal cattle. Somquba and his people built a village next to the entrance of the caves, where they hid every time Mswati and his punitive parties arrived on the scene. On several occasions, Mswati and his men made huge fires in vain, in the entrance to smoke out his quarry. One day they struck unexpectedly and killed Somquba and many of his tribesmen. The survivors stayed on under a headsman or Induna by the name of Sudwala, hence the name of the caves.

Tours of the outer caves are run daily, with 6 hour 'crystal cave tour' being conducted into deeper chambers on the last Saturday of each month. The Dinosaur Park, Swazi Tribal Village, curio shops and a restaurant are all located on the premises.

Guided tours of the Sudwala Caves are offered seven days a week every half hour from 08:30 to 16:30.

Contact: (013) 733-4152

Entrance Fees (2010):
R 60.00 per adult
R 50.00 per Pensioner (60+)
R 30.00 per child 5-15 years
Children under 5 years FREE

R 200.00 pp for the 6 hours caving tour of the Crystal Chamber

The Sudwala Dinosaur Park is set in a lush, sub-tropical garden next to the Sudwala Caves. Scientifically accurate, life sized models of prehistoric animals are on display. The park tells the story of the development of life on earth and exhibits animals as diverse as the ancient amphibious and mammal-like reptiles, dinosaurs, extinct mammals, prehistoric humans and more. On the cliffs above the park stands "Austrolopithicus africanus" (the southern ape from Africa), better known as Mr or Mrs Pless. These peoples lived between 2 and 3 million years ago and share some "modern" human features. They serve as an introduction to the debated theories of human development. The Cape Quagga and Cape Lion, which became extinct 100 years ago, can be seen on display. Initiated by Theo Owen, who commissioned South African artist Jan van Zijl to construct the animals, the park was officially opened in 1977. Information was gathered from museums all over the world. Fossils of Collenia, primitive plant colonies can be seen on the ceiling of one of the chambers of the Sudwala Caves. These fossils sparked the creation of the museum, as the park provides a natural link between these primitive first life forms, and the abundance of wild animals close at hand in the Kruger National Park. With its three-dimensional models, the park is a fun edutainment experience for the whole family, and should not be missed when visiting Mpumalanga.

Contact: Tel (013) 733-5267/8

Entrance Fees (2007):
R 15.00 per adult
R   8.00 per child 5-15 years
Children under 5 years FREE