Panorama Route Vacations

Wedged between the northernmost spur of the Drakensberg Mountains to the west and the world-famous Kruger National Park to the east, the area known as the Panorama Route is often simply passed through by visitors looking to visit the Kruger, which is a shame as it is a simply stunning part of South Africa.

The best places to stay are concentrated around White River and Hazyview, the latter of which is just 15 minutes from the Kruger National Park, so hotels in Hazyview are perfect for a bit of safari alongside your exploration. Accommodation leans towards smaller, more traditional properties, a throwback in some ways to when the area was home to a gold rush in the 1870s, the evidence of which can still be seen at the historic town of Pilgrims Rest.

Visually, this is one of the most striking areas of South Africa, with scenic self-driving routes along the dramatic Blyde River Canyon (also known as Motlatse Canyon) allowing visitors to take in sites such as the Mac Mac Falls, Lisbon Falls, Three Rondavels, God’s Window, and Bourke’s Luck Potholes as well as visit the aforementioned Pilgrims Rest to learn about the history of gold mining in the area. Beyond this, there are a number of excellent golf courses, the opportunity to go hot air ballooning, ziplining, microlighting, mountain biking and all manner of walking routes to enjoy. This really is a stunning area and well worth a couple of nights before or after a safari in the Kruger to enjoy everything that it has to offer.