After my overland tour with Intrepid Travel, I flew from Vic Falls to Johannesburg to begin the third leg of my African journey. I met Terangi, a guy that I met on New Year’s Eve in Rio 2013-2014, and we began our road trip. We spent the week with my friend John, whom I’d met while camping in Addo Elephant National Park, and his lovely, gracious, and most-welcoming family.
From Whiteriver, we drove through Sabie to Graskop, where we had mouth-watering pancakes at Harrie’s Pancake House – mine was filled with butternut squash, feta cheese, and sweet chili sauce.
After filling our bellies, we checked out Berlin Falls, and then walked the Lichen Trail to Bourkes Luck Potholes. The potholes were quite pretty, as were the waterfalls that ran through them. The sky reflected off the water and it was just beautiful. Blyde River Canyon really is something else; it is the only green canyon in the world and the third largest canyon in the world.
From the Potholes, we turned off at the Lowveld Viewpoint, where we could see the Three Rondavels; it was a gorgeous lookout and we were the only people there.
By the time we made it to the Three Rondavels, a black stormy cloud hovered over the site. We hung around for a bit, hoping it would pass. Luckily, it did! The view was absolutely spectacular; we spent quite some time there to take in the views.
In general it was an extremely foggy day, but we decided to go to God’s window anyway. Unfortunately, it was far too foggy to see five feet in front of us, much less into Mozambique. Well, it was worth a try. The fog eliminated our ability to see Pinnacle Rock as well, which was a bummer.
Since we’d tackled most of the sites along the Panoramic Route, we decided to drive to Pilgrim’s Rest, and a stunning drive it was! We stumbled upon “The Pantry” in Pilgrim’s Rest and I couldn’t recommend it enough! I ate mouth-watering, fresh baked scones with butter, rose jam, and fresh cream. I wish I could eat it over and over. That, paired with a caramel moemper milkshake made for an absolutely fantastic lunch. Quite a perfect end to a lovely sight-filled day.
Travelers Tip: Devote a day for the Panoramic Route, and do not skip it. While you don’t need more than a day, it’s a beautiful detour en route to Kruger National Park.
