Graskop

The town of Graskop, in the Kruger Lowveld region of Mpumalanga in South Africa

Graskop is a small town in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. It was set up in the 1880s as a gold mining camp but it now serves as a tourist destination and the timber industry. “God’s Window”, a scenic view from the escarpment of the Lowveld below, is located outside the town.

Graskop is 14 km south-east of Pilgrim’s Rest and 28 km north of Sabie. It was laid out between 1880 and 1890 on a farm belonging to Abel Erasmus, Native Commissioner of the Transvaal Republic.

The name is Afrikaans for grassy hillock. Originally it was a mining camp. It is the best place to view the “Edge of the Lowveld”, with a sudden drop of 700 meters.

The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon system and the largest vegetated or green canyon in the world. The canyon is situated along the Mpumalanga, Drakensberg Mountain Escarpment. The Blyde River Canyon was proclaimed a nature reserve in November 1965, covers an area of 30 000 hectares and stretches from the Pinnacle rock to Mariepskop Mountain in the North, close to the Kruger National Park.

There are five main river systems that influence the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve and play a very important role as water catchments for the Kruger National Park. The rivers are the Sabie, the Blyde, the Treur, Ohrigstad and the Oliphant’s rivers.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes, where the combined force of the Blyde and Treur Rivers have cut a deep 26km long canyon known as the Blyde River Canyon.

The town Graskop means “Grassy Peak”, it is situated on the top of the escarpment of the Drakensberg Mountains in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Graskop was originally the farm of Abel Erasmus, a prominent inhabitant of the Graskop and Ohrigstad areas in the 1850’s.

Today Graskop is the center of tourism and forestry in the Mpumalanga Province, and the Blyde River Canyon area. The town is a sleepy hollow, which has attracted many pensioners and artists alike, It is worth a visit for its many curio stores.

Mpumalanga Province - South Africa

The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve Experience

Incorporating the third largest canyon in the world and impressive lush scenery, Blyde River Canyon Reserve (also officially known as Motlatse Canyon Provincial Nature Reserve) offers visitors a remarkable experience. This Mpumalanga Nature Reserve, South Africa is near Kruger National Park and covers 29 000 hectares stretching from the misty highlands down to the hotter and drier lowveld at the Blyde Dam.

Blyde River Canyon Reserve is situated against the Greater Drakensberg escarpment and includes natural wonders such as the Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels, Pinnacle Rock and God’s Window. Many visitors to this region enjoy the visual splendor of combining the Panorama Route with exceptional game viewing in the Kruger National Park to create a spectacular itinerary in Mpumalanga.
These unique geological features are all easily accessible on tarred roads from the picturesque village of Graskop. There is ample accommodation throughout the area. Several hiking trails meander through the reserve and cater for all ages and levels of fitness. This Mpumalanga Nature Reserve in South Africa also offers a variety of adventure sports such as white water rafting and abseiling as well as quieter activities like fly-fishing.
The Bio Diversity of the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve is one of the few areas of montane grassland in Mpumalanga that still exists. The grasslands consist of more than 1 000 flora species of which many are endemic (found nowhere else in the world), rare or endangered. Another extraordinary inhabitant is the Taita Falcon which is only found in a few places in the world.
Visitors can see a variety of wildlife such as the Klipspringer, Grey Rhebuck, Oribi, Kudu and primates.
The Geology at Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga, South Africa, extends for 50kms (31.07 miles) along the lip of the great African escarpment.
From the canyon rim guests can look eastwards over the layered rocks of the canyon walls and the Three Rondavels to the Lowveld plain, 1 600 meters below.
It was at this point that the ancient super continent, Gondwanaland, broke apart and Madagascar and Antarctica tore free from Africa some 200 million years ago. The broken edge of the continent was gradually tilted upwards by the weight of a vast shallow sea stretching west to beyond Pretoria.
This sea, already ancient when Gondwanaland was split by these earth-shaping forces, left behind layer upon layer of dolomite and sandstone laid down as sediments over millions of years.
Booking Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve