The Blyde River Canyon, in Mpumalanga, is widely considered the world’s third-largest canyon. South African tourism authorities often use this claim, ranking it after the Grand Canyon and Fish River Canyon. However, no universally accepted global canyon ranking exists. It is also widely described as the world’s largest “green canyon”, thanks to its lush subtropical vegetation covering the steep slopes and surrounding mountains. The canyon stretches for roughly 26 kilometres and reaches an average depth of around 800 metres, creating some of the most spectacular landscapes along South Africa’s famous Panorama Route.
Unlike the dry, rocky landscapes of the Grand Canyon and Fish River Canyon, Blyde is remarkably green, with dense forests, woodland, grassland and subtropical vegetation covering much of its enormous cliffs. The canyon forms part of the northern Drakensberg escarpment and was carved over millions of years by the Blyde River and its tributaries. The surrounding landscape is particularly famous for dramatic viewpoints such as God’s Window, The Pinnacle and the Three Rondavels, three enormous rounded rock formations resembling traditional African huts.
The canyon and surrounding reserve support a surprising variety of wildlife. The area is home to all five species of South African primates, including the distinctive samango monkey, as well as hippos, crocodiles, kudu, duiker and numerous bird species. The Blyde River and its dam provide an important permanent water source for wildlife in the otherwise relatively dry Lowveld landscape.
We also drove to the Blyde River Canyon Dam, officially known as Blyderivierspoort Dam. Completed in 1974, the dam was built primarily to provide water for irrigation and support agriculture in the surrounding Lowveld. Today, its spectacular setting beneath the canyon walls has also made it a major tourist attraction. The reservoir lies directly below the Three Rondavels and provides a completely different perspective of the canyon from water level.
The dam is also home to hippos and crocodiles, and guided boat cruises let visitors see these animals as they approach the base of the enormous cliffs. The standard cruise takes around 90 minutes (430 ZAR) and also visits the Three Rondavels and Kadishi Tufa Waterfall.
Parking location – Blyde Canyon: 24.521535S 30.814541E (🚻,🚿,🏊,💦,🔌,🍽️,🅿️320 ZAR)