At the far end of the canyon are three giant spiral rock formations called the Three Rondavels a definite Panorama Route Highlight. Another unusual formation is the meeting place of the Blyde and Treur River (symbolic of joy and sorrow respectively) - the land here has formed what are now called the ‘Bourke's Luck Potholes'. The ‘potholes' are actually deep, dark coloured water pools resulting from the water flow around the unusual cylindrical rocks. The rocks by contrast are tinged with bright white and yellow streaks, making the dark pools seem even darker.

Driving further along the Treur to the south, holidaymakers will find a number of places to catch a great view - God's Window, the Pinnacle and Wonder View are popular, but you may find your own little piece of paradise to gaze out upon.

The Blyde river canyon slices through the Drakensberg Mountain Range in Mpumalanga and creates another wonder to behold. The high altitude forests (afromontane) in this key mountain range of Africa have hidden within them some great walking and hiking trails. The shady tree canopy and the sounds of nature heighten the feeling of oneness with the world.

The place gets its name from the eternal haze that settles on the area over bush country during summer. The only downside to the magical mist is that it can make a photographer's life quite a challenge. So come prepared to see a surreal vision but expect that your photos might not be quite so spectacular!

The tiny hamlet of Graskop sits perched on the dramatic Drakensberg Escarpment high above Kowyns Pass. This village started out as a mining town for gold diggers in the 1880s but evolved into a centre for forestry.

Early records of Graskop in modern times from 1843 mention the Voortrekkers coming here in search of a route that would lead to the coast and on to Mozambique and the area of Maputo.

Until the 1850s, the lands in and around the village were part of a farm owned by a man called Abel Erasmus. His name lives on in the name of the pass nearby. The name Graskop itself comes from the fact that the region is covered with grassveld and has very few trees.

People first struck gold in the area during the 1870s. However, the discoveries were never especially large or ground breaking. A number of gold seekers did turn up, however, and prospecting continued till as recently as 1996 when the last of the gold diggers decided to leave Graskop. Its colourful history of gold mining does make for a fun tourist adventure, and even today one can try their hand at panning for gold!

A railway line connecting Graskop to Nelspruit and the farm of Sabie was constructed between 1910 and 1914. The line was inaugurated with much fanfare on the 18th of June, 1914, heralding the start of a new era for Graskop. The place was accorded the status of a town shortly after.

In the aftermath of the recession that hit the country in the 1950s, Graskop evolved into a forestry hub and continued to grow. Tourism has always been an integral part of the economy. Even in the old days when roads were few and far between (quite often un-tarred), tourists flocked here for the great sights and natural beauty the area offered. The addition of the swing bridges in the middle of the 20th century made the Bourkes Luck Potholes more accessible and made the already popular attraction even more popular.

Modern-day Graskop has about fifteen places you can stay at, around ten restaurants and a number of little stores selling souvenirs and local curios.

Ohrigstad has been around since 1845 and is today a key centre of agriculture. The city is named after founder Andries Hendrik Potgieter and George Ohrig. The area was deserted in 1848 following an epidemic of malaria.

Some people of the area shifted to Soutpansberg Mountains while others got together and created the new town of Lydenburg. After the malarial epidemic died down in the 1900s people began to return to Ohrigstad once more.

Ohrigstad primarily produces maize, fruit, paprika and beans. The region being largely agricultural is also quite scenic. Additionally, there are sights like the Ohrigstad Dam, the Echo Caves and the Abel Erasmus Pass nearby.

Gold was first discovered in the area in 1873 by Alex Patterson, sparking off mining in Pilgrims Rest. The town is well preserved and much of the architectural style is preserved in the restored buildings. Especially reminiscent of the old days are the Miners Cottages, Jouberts Bridge, built in 1896, St Mary's Anglican Church, the graveyard and the Royal Hotel.

The great outdoors beckon and visitors will find that the trout fishing, mountain biking and hiking opportunities are worth trying out. And for a spot of rather unusual fun, indulge in some gold panning too.

Pilgrims Rest owes much of its splendour to the alluvial gold rush in the 1870s - a passion that lasted until the 1970s. Unlike many other gold rush towns, Pilgrims Rest isn't a pale shadow of its former self. Instead, the town is vibrant, idyllic and romantic all at once. And it is this magical combination that has put it on the country's National Monument list.

The town is believed to have had a rather simple beginning, tied to the life of Wheelbarrow Alec Patterson (nicknamed for the barrow with all his worldly belongings that he pushed in front of him when he arrived to hunt for gold) who strolled into town to prospect for gold in the stream in the valley nearby. When he struck gold, news spread like wildfire and soon there were hundreds. In a little under a year a full town had sprung up - complete with 21 shops, 18 food stores and canteens, 3 bakeries and a host of other stores.

The more famous nuggets panned in the area include the 214 oz Breda and the 119 oz Lilley. A single reef discovered much after the initial rush became the source of more than 5 million oz of gold in its 50 years of existence.

By the banks of the river Sabie, in the shadow of Mount Anderson, is Sabie. This village in the foothills of majestic Drakensberg was built in 1895 with the discovery of gold. The first gold was found here when some bullets chipped off the surface of some rock, revealing the shiny metal beneath.

South Africa's largest saw mill is close to Sabie and forestry is the mainstay of the economy here. This small valley town founded on the escarpment of South Africa's Drakensberg range is located in the Mpumalanga province.

Sabie is 360km east of the International Airport of Johannesburg and just 64 km to the west of Kruger National Park, making it easily accessible and well placed for sightseeing.

The lush green countryside forms a stunning backdrop for the waterfalls and chilly mountain streams that dot the landscape. Sabie is a bustling tourist town with plenty to see and do. The restaurants are good and accommodation comfortable. Buzzing with life, yet small enough to not require modern-day fixtures like the traffic robot or the parking meter, Sabie is the perfect mix of unassuming and welcoming. Shopping is good and there's lots of parking space. Everything's within walking distance in the heart of the town and St Peter's Church, designed by Sir Herbert Baker, is a good place to start.

The region surrounding Hoedspruit is unabashedly rural and has a high density of game.

Initially there was not much more here than a bank agency, a rondavel doubling up as a station building and a lonely outpost store, but today Hoedspruit has a healthy number of tourists visiting and an ever-growing local population. Businesses are thriving and tourist traffic is on the rise.

Hoedspruit is on the main train route connecting Kaapmuiden to Phalaborwa and is in the centre of the Central Lowveld, making it easy to get to and the ideal base for exploring the surrounding areas. Hoedspruit is the administrative centre of the Maruleng Municipality.

The Sclerocarrya birrea tree is one you will find flourishing in the area and one that forms a habitat for much of the animal life in the region. The female tree produces a distinctive fragrant fruit with a skull-shaped nut every summer. It is the hard nut that the tree is named after. A variety of animals, from the giraffe, eland and kudu to the baboons, live off the tree. The fruit from this tree are also said to make elephants drunk! Some argue that this is simply indigestion from consuming too much fruit and not drunkenness, but whatever the case it has the power to make an animal as large as the elephant go weak in the knees!

View points offer visitors the chance to gaze upon forested slopes before the land abruptly falls away 900m and mists over with the haze in the Lowveld. Gods Window is located at the beginning of the Blyderivierspoort Hiking Trail and at the end point of the Fanie Botham one.

The trail leading up to the crack in the mountain side ends with a spectacular view. With the escarpment fanning out before you 1000 m below and stretching out towards misty Mozambique, the mountains on the western side and the Kruger National Park in the distance, the views are definitely worth the walk!

The naturally formed ‘potholes' in the waters in the Blyde River Canyon are most unusual. Formed at the meeting point of the gushing Treur River and the Blyde River, these holes have been created by centuries of whirlpools causing river sand and rock to scrape away at the river bed.

These potholes get their name from gold prospector Tom Burke who had laid claim to some area nearby. Unfortunately for him, none of his area yielded any gold; but he did successfully predict that the Bourkes Luck region would be a good spot to find gold.