The Panorama Route from Hazyview: a one-day itinerary

Do not make the mistake of skipping it

A lot of people come to Hazyview thinking mainly about Kruger. Then they do the Panorama Route and wonder why nobody told them how beautiful it was going to be.

It is a completely different landscape from a day in Kruger. You leave the warmer Lowveld and climb towards the escarpment, where there are mountains, forests, waterfalls and views that seem to go on forever.

You can comfortably do it as a day trip from The Zarafa. We would give it a full day rather than trying to squeeze it in around something else.

Do not try to see everything

There are a lot of stops on a Panorama Route map. You do not need all of them.

In fact, trying to tick off every waterfall and viewpoint is a fairly reliable way of spending most of the day getting in and out of the car.

We would choose the places that interest you most and enjoy them properly. A good day normally includes some combination of God’s Window, one or two waterfalls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels overlooking Blyde River Canyon.

Have lunch somewhere. Stop when you see a view you like. You are allowed to deviate from the list.

Check the weather

The Panorama Route is one of those trips where weather can completely change what you see. Hazyview may be clear while the escarpment is sitting inside a bank of cloud.

God’s Window is not quite the same when the only thing outside the window is white.

The season matters here too. If the weather is good when you arrive at a major viewpoint, go and see it. Do not assume it will still be clear three hours later.

And if you are staying several nights at The Zarafa, keep some flexibility. If the mountains are completely closed in one morning, there is usually something else you can do and try the Panorama Route another day.

God’s Window

It is famous for a reason. On a clear day, the views from the escarpment are enormous.

But do not stop at the first viewpoint, take a photograph and leave. Walk up through the forest. The paths climb through indigenous vegetation and the view changes as you go.

Give it a little time.

The waterfalls

There are several around Sabie and Graskop. You do not need to collect them all. We would choose one or two.

Lisbon Falls works well if you are continuing north towards Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the canyon, but the route can be adjusted depending on what you want to see.

After good rain the falls are naturally more dramatic, but they are worth visiting for the setting as much as the volume of water.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes

This one is worth getting out of the car for.

Water has carved unusual cylindrical shapes into the rock where the river systems meet, and walkways and bridges take you over and around the formations.

It is one of the more interesting stops because you are walking through the landscape rather than simply looking at it from a viewpoint.

The Three Rondavels and Blyde River Canyon

Save time for this.

The Three Rondavels viewpoint looks across some of the biggest scenery on the route.

This is not the place to arrive while somebody in the car is saying that you have ten minutes.

Walk to the viewpoint. Stand there for a while. Take the photograph. Then put the phone down and look again.

Drive yourself or go with a guide?

You can absolutely self-drive the Panorama Route. The roads are straightforward enough and doing it yourself gives you complete freedom.

A private guide simply makes the day easier. Nobody has to navigate or worry about entrances, and the person who would otherwise be driving gets to look at the scenery too.

We can arrange a private Panorama Route tour from The Zarafa if you would rather leave the driving to somebody else. And because it is private, the day can move at your pace rather than a tour group’s.

Coming back down

The drive back to Hazyview is part of the experience. The landscape changes surprisingly quickly as you leave the escarpment and descend towards the Lowveld. The air gets warmer. The vegetation changes.

And then you are back at The Zarafa. At which point the day’s final attractions are rather simpler: your private pool, something cold to drink and dinner.

After a day on the road, they tend to be very popular.