Panorama Route South Africa: Complete Guide with Stops, Prices and Tips

If you’ve never heard of the Panorama Route South Africa, it’s one of the most scenic drives in the country, running through the lush landscapes of Mpumalanga. This famous route is full of dramatic canyon views, hiking trails, waterfalls, and viewpoints so high you can sometimes see all the way to Mozambique on a clear day.

If you’re planning a visit to Kruger National Park, adding the Panorama Route itinerary to your trip is easy and totally worth it. It was one of the highlights of our South Africa trip. We did it in winter and the weather was still really good. Cool, clear, and perfect for hiking and taking in the views.

This travel guide has everything you need to plan your own Panorama Route trip, including where to stay, how much time you need, entrance prices, and the five stops we visited.

Best time to visit the Panorama Route

The Panorama Route is beautiful all year, but some months are better depending on what you’re looking for:

Winter (May to August) is the most popular time. It’s dry, cool weather, and usually very clear skies, which is ideal for views and hiking. We went in this season and had perfect weather for visiting and taking photos.

Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are also great. The weather is still good and there’s fewer people. Spring has blooming flowers, and autumn has soft golden landscapes.

Summer (December to February) is the greenest time, but it is very hot, and humid because it rains often so the cloudiness or mistiness can limit your views.

Where to stay

The best place to stay is Graskop. It’s a small town close to all the main stops on the route. From here, the further place we visited was an hour away. There are restaurants, small supermarkets and places to get snacks for the road.

How much time you need

You can do the Panorama Route in one day but it will be rushed. If you want to actually enjoy the views, take photos and walk some of the trails, I really recommend planning for at least two days.

We visited five places but there are at least eight or more, depending on your route. Some stops are free and others cost between 25 and 150 rand per person. Locals always pay less than half the price than international tourists.

Our 5 stops on the way

Here are the five Panorama Route stops that caught our attention and that we decided to visit:

God’s Window

Entrance fee for tourists: R70 pp

This is one of the most famous stops. On clear days you can see all the way to Kruger and even Mozambique. The view is great but for me the walk to get there was the real highlight of this place. It’s full of flowers, green trees, small bridges over water, and lush vegetation. For me, the path was more special than the viewpoint itself and I would go back just for that trail.

Blyde River Canyon – Three Rondavels

Entrance fee for tourists: R90 pp

This was one of the best viewpoints on the whole Panorama Route. The canyon is massive and completely green. There’s a deep lake at the bottom and three big round mountain peaks. It reminded us of the Grand Canyon in the US, but with trees and forest everywhere.

Blyde River Canyon – Lowveld Viewpoint

Entrance fee for tourists: free!

(mention about this place that you get other perspective from the canyon that even thought three rondavels are better this one is free and still worth to stop by) nearby, which is free and also very nice.

Bourke’s Luck Potholes

Entrance fee for tourists: R150 per person 

The most expensive stop but 100% worth it. Water carved these giant potholes into colorful rock over millions of years. They don’t look real. There are also small waterfalls and bridges where you can walk across the canyon. When we were there, a rainbow appeared next to the falls which made it even more magical.

Lisbon Falls

Entrance fee for tourists: R25 per person 

This was the cheapest stop. We visited during dry season so there were only two thin streams of water, but it was still beautiful. You can view it from the top or hike down to the bottom. It’s not as big as the other waterfalls in the area, but it’s peaceful and definitely worth seeing.

Final thoughts

The Panorama Route surprised us. It’s peaceful, full of nature, and completely different from the scene that you get on the safaris in Kruger. If you’re already in this part of South Africa, it’s the perfect add-on to your trip.

Even with just one day, you’ll see amazing views and landscapes. But if you can spend two days on the Panorama Route you’ll enjoy it much more and won’t feel rushed. We hope this post helped you decide to include the Panorama Route in your South Africa itinerary and made planning your trip easier.

Have a question about routes, prices, or stops? Let us know in the comments below.