After four days on my first African safari, we left the bush behind and began the drive back toward Johannesburg. There was one last stop along the way: Blyde River Canyon.
Before coming to Africa, I had seen a photo online of someone sitting on the edge of a cliff here with their legs hanging over the canyon. For some reason, that image stuck with me, and I became determined to come home with a photo like it.
We only had about an hour at the canyon, so this is a short photo essay. But it includes one of my favorite photos from the entire trip, and one last afternoon with the people I had spent the previous few days traveling with.
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Africa Travel Video
One Hour at Blyde River Canyon
After about two hours on the road from Kruger, this was the view that welcomed us at Blyde River Canyon.
I started looking for the cliff I had seen online, but the area I remembered was behind a sign telling visitors not to enter. For a moment, I thought I would have to settle for another viewpoint.
Still, I couldn't get that photo out of my head. I had come all this way with that image in mind.
In case you were wondering who took all these gorgeous photos of me, it was her, Katarina from Bern, Switzerland. I traveled alone, not to be alone.. :)
Eventually, I found the angle I had been looking for.
The rocks were steep and exposed, and I remember being very careful with every step.
Finally! I got the photo I had pictured before I even arrived in Africa.
And here's the view from my perspective.
Then it was the girls' turn. Traveling with people who were always up for making the experience more fun made these few days even better.
Thomas looks into the future, contemplating life!
And here's our little group before we all went our separate ways. After traveling alone for so long, having companions like these for a few days was a refreshing change.
After an hour at Blyde River Canyon, we continued back to Johannesburg. I grabbed a couple of beers with Katarina and Stephanie that evening, shared a few more laughs, and the next day we all went our separate ways.
My time in South Africa was over, but my African journey wasn't. The next day, I flew to Zambia for one final stop: Livingstone and Victoria Falls.
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6 Comments
Hello,
I love you blog and photo at Blyde Canyon. I am planing on traveling along the panorama route and want to take a photo in the same location. Was the stopping point at a Blyde Canyon lookout or at the Three Rondavels lookout. Is it possible for you to drop me a pin on google maps at the location where you took this photo? If you could, I would be so appreciative. Thanks for your consideration
Hey Melanie,
It's the Three Rondavels lookout point right here: https://goo.gl/maps/R8D9QWeP8pJg7UwR6
I hope this helps!
Good day Pete,
Me and my partner also love travelling the globe and stay in Nelspruit, close to the Blyde River Canyon and Kruger National Park. Well relatively close. lol. Any case when you do travel in Mpumalanga again, get in contact and we will take you to more awesome places here. Obviously not charges, just for the love of travel. We will take you Adam's Calendar, which is currently the oldest man made structure in the world, 75 000 years old and older as Stonehenge. Kaapsehoop, Battery Creek Waterfall, God's Window, Mac Mac pools, Graskop gorge where you can also go swing into the gorge and list goes on.
Happy Friday further!!
Regards,
Teamtequila
Hey Christine,
Definitely. I have not had a chance to go back to South Africa yet but hopefully soon. Very interesting about the attractions around Mpumalanga. I didn't have much time there unfortunately but next time, i'll try to explore more thoroughly and thank you for the offer. I really appreciate it. :)
Best,
Pete R.
Hello,
I really liked our blog and your picture about Blyde Canon! And i love your picture there! I would like to go there in a few years for taking this picture and enjoying the beautiful landscape. Discovering south africa would be a pleasure.
Hope to read more of you,
Lisa
Hey Lisa,
Thank you for the kind words! South Africa is an awesome country and I hope you will be able to discover it one day!