Top 10 Wildlife Experiences in South Africa: numbers 3 & 4

Tour leader and native South African Leon Marais continues his Top Ten South Africa wildlife experiences. Here are his choices 3rd & 4th choices.

Blyde River Canyon

Number 3: Birds & culture of Lesotho – a day trip up the famous Sani Pass

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a small country encircled by South Africa. Its lowest point is 1,400m above sea level, while the highest is 3,482m, giving it the highest minimum elevation of any country in the world. Sloping upwards from west to east, the high plateau comes to a spectacular end in the Drakensberg range, dropping down to the midlands of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal Province in a series of dramatic basalt and sandstone cliffs.

Sani Pass is a rough, twisting track that provides the only vehicular access to Lesotho’s north-east, making for a fascinating and sometimes adrenaline-filled route for a day trip. In winter the plateau is virtually deserted, due to the harsh conditions, while in summer herdsmen graze flocks of sheep on the extensive pastures, living in simple stone huts with their somewhat sinister looking dogs. Birding highlights include Lammergier, Southern Bald Ibis, Drakensberg Rockjumper, Drakensberg Siskin and Mountain Pipit, while the scenery and feel of the place ensure an experience you won’t soon forget.

Number 4: Blyde River Canyon – the unknown canyon

In a country with a more aggressive marketing strategy the Blyde River Canyon might well be world famous. Maybe it’s better this way though, and for the third largest canyon in the world, according to some sources, it’s pretty undeveloped. There’s no canyon-edge fast-food outlet, with the only retail opportunity being an extensive craft market where locals vend their curios and carvings, and if you visit before 10am you will find it relatively uncrowded. The canyon is some 26km in length and about 800m deep, though at the exit of the Blyde River the height difference between the river and the highest point is a staggering 1,384m. There are two main public view sites, Lowveld View and the Three Rondavels, while the Forever Resorts Blyde Canyon Lodge has its own private view site.

Another interesting mark of the area are the numerous Tufa waterfalls and cascades, where calcium carbonate deposits result in amazing outwardly growing water features (as opposed to the normal waterfall, which cuts back into the rock). Best tours: Just Cats!; Bargain Birds South Africa.

Our 'South Africa - Kruger (Birds)' holiday visits Blyde River Canyon. To find out more, click here.