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GRASKOP NATURE TRAILS

BLYDE RIVER CANYON GUIDED WALKS & TRAILS CONDUCTED BY:

THABA TSWENI SAFARIS & WENDEL HOUGH AS GUIDE

BASED IN THE BLYDE RIVER CANYON
Thaba Tsweni Lodge & Safaris offer daily WALKS & HIKES into the the Blyde River Canyon and Panorama Route for two to ten clients per tour. Tours are conducted in an air-conditioned micro-bus to the venue and exclusively one group per tour or hike! Please contact Thaba Tsweni Lodge via E-Mail: wildinfo@absamail.co.za

The splendours of the region can be enjoyed by anyone, but! Those who take the trouble to experience these same splendours as a hiker on any of the day WALKING trails in the area surely do get the best out of the bargain.

If you are an inveterate hiker it is possible for you to spend up to twenty days on the trails which meander from Sabie to Graskop; from Graskop to the dam in the Blyde River Canyon; from Pilgrims Rest to the Dam (or back to Pilgrims Rest); and which take you through many different climatic zones; from the highest point, 2115m to the lowest point at 630m through the last vestiges of incredibly species-rich montane grassland which once covered the entire region; or through indigenous riverine ad other forests and some pine plantations; and overpowering all of this, the Healing power of “getting back to nature:. The accommodation at the overnight huts – for the most part – consists of bunkbeds with mattresses; cold showers, flush or bush toilets; braai sites; pots; and lots of fresh air.

Details:

LOERIE TRAIL

THE LOERIE TRAIL IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DAY TRAILS. APPROXIMATELY 10KM. THIS WALK WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH PINE AND BLUE-GUM PLANTATIONS, AS WELL AS THROUGH INDIGENOUS FORESTS AND GRASSLAND. THE TRAIL’S STARTING PIOINTS ARE THE CEYLON FOREST STATION OR MERRY PEPPLES HOLIDAY RESORT AND RETURN TO BOTH . MAP AVAILABLE AT INFORMATION CENTER.

FOREST FALLS NATURE WALK

A 3,2 KM CRESCENT ROUTE. THE STARTING POINT IS AT THE GREEN HERITAGE PICNIC SITE . THE REFRESHING WALK TAKES YOU THROUGH FRAGMENT PINE FORESTS TO THE FOREST FALLS , THE ONLY FALLS WIDER THAN IT’S HEIGHT.

SECRETARY BIRD WALK-MAC-MAC POOLS

A 3KM CRESCENT ROUTE . THIS WALK STARTS AT THE MAC-MAC POOLS AND WORKS IT’S WAY THROUGH THE SURROUNDING VELD AND SCATTERED INDIGENOUS TREES. THERE IS VERY LITTLE SHADE ON THIS ROUTE AND PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT SUNBURN MUST BE TAKEN. AN ENTRY FEE IS PAYABLE AT THE GATE. PICNIC SITES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE WHOLE FAMILY. Entrance fee applicable. Daily from 07:-17:00.

FOREVER BLYDEPOORT

FOREVER BLYDEPOORT OFFERS GUIDED (Arranged by Wild Adventures & Blyde River Safaris) OR NON GUIDED HIKES.
SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED:
AN EXPERIENCED GUIDE, WILL EXPLAIN THE FAUNA, FLORA, GEOLOGY AND HISTORY OF THE AREA AND TRY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ENJOYABLE YET INFORMATIVE HIKE.
THE TRAILS RANGE IN LENGTH AND DIFFICULTY FROM AN EASY 1 ½ HOUR HIKE TO A FAIRLY STRENUOUS 5 ½ HOUR HIKE, DEPENDING ON THE DEGREE OF FITNESS, AND THE TYPE OF HIKE YOU’R LOOKING FOR.
THE HIKES AVAILABLE ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. KADISHI-TUFA TRAIL – THIS TRAIL TAKES 1 ½ HOURS TO COMPLETE AND IS FAIRLY EASY. IT RUNS ALONG THE KADISHI RIVER WHICH IS A TRIBUTARY OF THE BLYDE RIVER. IT INCORPORATES A LOVELY TUFA WATERFALL WHICH IS A RARE PHENOMENON INVOLVING TH BUILDING UP OF THE ROCK BEHIND THE WATERFALL, AS OPPOSED TO THE ERODING AWAY OF THE ROCK, AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH CALCIUM CONTENT OF THE WATER AND THE RESULTANT CALCIUM CARBONATE PRECIPITATION. THE VEGETATION IS DENSE RIPARIAN FOREST AND THE SPOOR OF BUSHPIG AND BUSHBUCK IS COMMONLY SEEN.

2. LEOPARD TRAIL – THIS TRAIL TAKES 4 HOURS TO COMPLETE AND REQUIRES A REASONABLE LEVEL OF FITNESS. IT OFFERS SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF THE BLYDE RIVER, BLYDEPOORT DAM, THREE RONDAVELS, MARIEPSKOP AND THE OTHER FEATURES OF THE BLYDE RIVER CANYON. A VARIETY OF BIOMES WITH THEIR SPECIFIC VEGETATION TYPES ARE ENCOUNTERED ON THIS TRAIL (INCLUDING FYNBOS-TYPE VEGETATION WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY FOUND IN THE CAPE.) ALTHOUGH LEOPARDS ARE SELDOM ACTUALLY ENCOUNTERED IN THE TRAIL DUE TO THEIR SHY AND NOCTURNAL HABITS, THEIR SPOOR IS OFTHEN SEEN.

3. GUINEA-FOWL TRAIL – THIS TRAIL TAKES ROUGHLY 3 HOURS TO COMPLETE AND REQUIRES A REASONABLE LEVEL OF FITNESS. THIS SCENICALLY DIVERSE TRAIL OFFERS LOVELY VIEWS OF THE CANYON’S FEATURES BEFORE DECENDING INTO THE LUSH VEGETATION OF THE KADISHI RIVER VALLEY. A SMALL TUFA WATERFALL IS ENCOUNTERED AT THE POINT WHERE THE TRAIL CROSSES THE KADISHI RIVER.

4. A 5 ½ HOUR HIKE – BY LINKING ALL THREE HIKING TRAILS, AN INVIGORATING 5 ½ HOUR HIKE IS ACHIEVED. THIS IS ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR GROUPS SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN HIKING.

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CONTACT DETAILS: P.O. Box 45; Graskop; 1270; Mpumalanga; South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)83 9971034 | Fax: +27 (0)86 5241131 | E-Mail: wildinfo@absamail.co.za