view of three rondavels and the blyde river canyon at sunset in south africa; Shutterstock ID 1536002621; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI
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Three Rondavels Viewpoint

Top choice in Blyde River Canyon


The area's highlight, with a staggering view of these enormous rounds of rock, their pointed, grassy tops resembling giant huts carved into the side of the canyon. There are short walks in the surrounding area to points where you can look down to the Blydepoort Dam at the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve's far north.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Blyde River Canyon attractions

1. Lowveld Viewpoint

2.42 MILES

Affords stunning views up the canyon, to the glistening Blydepoort Dam at the far end surrounded by forested slopes. The rocky cones of the Three…

2. Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

3.76 MILES

This stunning 260-sq-km reserve centres on the 30km-long Blyde River Canyon, where epic rock formations tower above the forested slopes and eagle-eye…

3. Bourke’s Luck Potholes

6.89 MILES

These bizarre cylindrical holes were carved into the rock by whirlpools at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur Rivers. Bridges span the rivers,…

4. Echo Caves

12.27 MILES

Stone Age relics have been found in these caves, which were discovered in 1923 and named after dripstone formations that echo when tapped. The one-hour…

5. Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre

16.09 MILES

A few clicks south of Hoedspruit along the R40 and attached to the Kapama Private Game Reserve, the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre was set up to…

6. Berlin Falls

18.87 MILES

Crashing down the cliffs, this waterfall is at its most impressive in summer (October to March), when there is most water.

7. Lisbon Falls

19.93 MILES

This waterfall is a highlight of the Blyde River Canyon area, especially in summer (October to March), when the water flows hardest.

8. Kapama Private Game Reserve

21.13 MILES

With four luxury lodges and the Big Five in residence (as well as occasional passing wild dogs and great birding), 13,000-hectare Kapama gets all of the…