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Places of interest.. |
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The Blyde River Canyon |
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The Blyde River Canyon is the third
largest in the world and one of South Africa's scenic
wonders. The scenery of the 25 000 ha reserve is
unsurpassed, its vegetation both varied and lush and the
rich selection of birdlife includes a breeding colony of
the rare bald ibis. The Blyde River Canyon can be
reached from Graskop via R532. The Canyon starts at
Bourke's Luck Potholes and ends at the Three Rondavels.
From many well-positioned
vantage points one has a view of
the 33 km long gorge. Where the swift-flowing Blyde River is joined by the Ohrigstad River from the
west engineers built an unobtrusive dam wall in a
bottleneck below the confluence to form the Blyde Dam.
Wildlife in the canyon area is
as varied as the habitats. There
are mountain reedbuck on the
escarpment, dassies on the
canyon walls, hippo and
crocodile in the Blyde Dam, and
impala, kudu, blue wildebeest,
waterbuck and zebra on the
Lowveld plain near the canyon's
mouth. |
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Bourke's Luck Potholes... |
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This world renown landmark is 35
km north of Graskop on the R532
road at the confluence of the
Blyde and Treur rivers.
Over millions of years
waterborne sand and rock scoured
huge cylindrical potholes into
the bedrock of the river.
The main building houses a
Visitor's Centre displaying a
model of the Blyde River Canyon,
a permanent exhibition of the
fauna and flora of the area, as
well as the cultural and
historical aspects of the Nature
Reserve. |
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The Echo Caves... |
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The Echo Caves was discovered in
the 1920's. One of
the rooms of the cave had a
height of 60m. He started to
explore the cave and realized
that a gift from nature laid
among the gentle rolling hills
of the Mpumalanga escarpment. He
discovered the Echo Caves. These
are some of the oldest caves in
the world and were declared a
Historical Monument. |
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God's Window... |
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God's Window - so called for the
panoramic view of the Lowveld, more than 900 m
below - is 9.2 km north of Graskop on the R534 road. From
the parking area a steep
footpath along the edge of the
escarpment leads to the actual
view site where there is a Wild
Nature Reserve at an altitude of
1 829 m a.s.l. Curio stalls and
toilet facilities are at the
parking area. Choose a clear day
to best enjoy the view. |
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Mac Mac Pools... |
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Mac Mac Pools is 13 km from
Sabie on the R532 road to
Graskop. The Pools is in a
shallow rocky river with drops
into a series of pools. The
crystal clear, cool water makes
for refreshing swimming and
splashing after a hot day's
sightseeing. Excellent picnic
and toilets facilities. A fee of
R5/person plus R10/braai is
payable at the entrance gate |
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Pinnacle Rock... |
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The Pinnacle Rock, a tower-like
freestanding quartzite buttress
which rises 30 m above the dense
indigenous forest is 6 km north
of Graskop on the R534 road (a
scenic loop off the R532 road).
To the right of the Pinnacle
Rock is the first of eight small
waterfalls in the Ngwaritsane
River. |
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Pilgrim's Rest... |
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A living
musuem - the entire town has
been declared a national
Monument - taking the visitors
to the day of old Transvaal Gold
Rush. Pilgrim's Rest was
declared a gold field in 1873,
soon after digger Alec
"Wheelbarrow" Patterson had
found gold deposits in Pilgrim's
Creek. The Valley proved to be
rich in gold and by the end of
the year, there where about 1500
diggers working in the area. As
a result, Pilgrim's Rest became
a social center of the diggings.
Mining was active until 1971
when Beta Mine was closed down.
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Mac Mac Falls... |
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The 65 m high Mac Mac Falls is
13 km from Sabie on the R532
road to Graskop. The falls was declared
a National Monument in 1983. A
long stone step pathway
(wheelchair unfriendly) leads
from the curio stalls down to a
viewpoint above the falls. |
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Graskop Town... |
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The small town of Graskop is
70km from Ohrigstad at an
altitude of 1 490 m a.s.l. There
are a number of fine curio
shops, pancake bars and coffee
shops in Graskop. There is a
Jock of the Bushveld waymarker
in the garden of the Municipal
offices. |
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Lisbon Waterfall... |
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Where the R534 rejoins the R532
road, you turn left (back
towards Graskop) for 800 m and
then right onto a gravel road.
The falls is a further 2.2 km.
At 92 m the Lisbon Falls is the
highest waterfall in the area. |
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Museum of Man... |
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Take the turnoff to the Echo
Caves where the R532 joins with
the R36 road for the Museum of
Man. This open-air museum
depicts archeological and
paleontological artifacts. |
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Berlin Falls... |
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From Lisbon Falls you drive back
to the tar road (R532) and turn
left (north). Drive for 2 km
(past the R534 turnoff) and then
turn off left. Drive past the
Berlin Sawmill and at 2 km from
the main road, turn left and
park at the parking area. A
short walk takes you to a
vantage point overlooking the
45 m high Berlin Falls. |
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Voortrekker Fort &
Graveyard... |
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From the Echo Caves continue
south on the R36 towards
Ohrigstad. The town Ohrigstad
have a rich history linked to
the Voortrekkers. It was, for a
short time, the capital of the
Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.
Three kilometres north of the
town is the remaining portion of
what was once a fort used by the
Voortrekkers and close by is a
cemetery and a monument in
remembrance of the many
Voortrekkers who succumbed to
malaria. |
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Tourism Association - PO
Box 153, Ohrigstad, 1122,
Limpopo, RSA |
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Tel: +27(0)13 - 238 8100 & Fax:
+27(0)13 - 238 8104 |
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Email:
info@ohrigstad.net
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