Things to do in Hazyview: Kruger, the Panorama Route and what else is worth your time

If it is your first visit

We would keep it simple.

Spend one day in Kruger and one day on the Panorama Route. Those are the two experiences we would not leave out.

After that, there is plenty more to do around Hazyview, but there is also something to be said for not filling every hour of the trip.

One of the reasons we like Hazyview as a base is that you can go into Kruger in the morning, head towards the mountains the next day, and still come back to the same villa each evening. No packing, no changing hotels, no living out of a suitcase.

And if you decide that one afternoon should involve nothing more ambitious than the pool, that works too.

Kruger

Kruger is only 17 km from The Zarafa at Phabeni Gate, so it is very easy to do as a day trip. You can leave early, spend the morning or the whole day in the park, and be back at the lodge later that afternoon.

For a first visit, we usually recommend going with a guide. You see more when somebody else is concentrating on the road, and a good guide notices things most of us would drive straight past.

If you know Kruger well, self-driving is lovely too. There is no timetable, nobody telling you when to move on, and if you want to sit with the same elephant for half an hour, you can.

The best part of staying outside the park is that once you have had enough for the day, you come back to a proper shower, your own pool and dinner waiting for you.

The Panorama Route

The Panorama Route deserves a full day. It is completely different from Kruger. Instead of bushveld and wildlife, you get mountains, forest, waterfalls and huge views across the escarpment.

You will see the familiar names everywhere: God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels and Blyde River Canyon.

You do not need to stop at every viewpoint. We would rather choose the good ones, have lunch somewhere along the way and give the canyon a little time than spend the whole day racing from one signboard to the next.

We can arrange the day privately if you would rather not drive yourself.

Graskop Gorge

If you are already doing the Panorama Route, Graskop Gorge is worth considering. The lift takes you down into indigenous forest below the escarpment, and it is a nice change from spending the day looking at the scenery from above.

It is easy to fit into the route without turning it into another full-day excursion.

Elephant Whispers

Elephant Whispers is close to Hazyview and offers something very different from seeing elephants in Kruger. In the park, you watch them from a distance and on their terms. At Elephant Whispers, the experience is slower and more focused on learning about the animals themselves.

If you particularly love elephants, it is worth considering.

Adventure activities

There is no shortage of things to do around Hazyview if you want something more active. Depending on the season, you can find rafting, quad biking, horse riding, ziplining and other outdoor activities.

They are great if that is your kind of holiday. They are not compulsory.

And then there is doing nothing

This is the part we think people often forget when they plan a trip here.

You have booked a villa with its own pool. Use it. Sleep late one morning. Have breakfast slowly. Book a massage. Read. Swim. Have a drink and watch the afternoon disappear.

There is not much point paying for somewhere beautiful to stay if you only ever see it in the dark.

How long do you need?

With two days, Kruger one day and the Panorama Route the next is enough for a very good short stay.

With three days, add one more thing if there is something you really want to do. Otherwise keep the third day partly free. For a couple on holiday, we would usually choose that.

With four days, Hazyview becomes really easy. You can do Kruger, the Panorama Route, add another experience and still have time to enjoy the lodge itself. That is probably our favourite balance.