South Africa > Fog on the Panorama Route

When I open the curtains in the morning, I can see very little. A thick mist blocks the view. On television, the weather forecast for today shows cloudy skies with a chance of rain. We walk through the mist to the restaurant for breakfast. About an hour later, we set off for the day.

South Africa - Four girls trying to earn money through dance and song

Because of the foggy weather, we reverse the day’s schedule. Instead of driving to the viewpoint first, we decide to do it at the end of the day—maybe it will be better then. Today we are driving the Panorama Route, with views over the canyon in the Blyde and Treur River basin. At the point where the two rivers meet, we visit Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Flowing water has carved deep round holes in the rocks. It’s a beautiful and impressive sight. As we walk over the rocks, it gradually becomes busier with other tourists at the Potholes. A little further along the Panorama Route, we stop at the viewpoint over the canyon. By now the mist has lifted considerably and it is dry. Through the haze, we can see the deep valley and the stunning mountains forming the Three Rondavels. At the Blyde River Canyon, we have a great view of the water in the canyon. The valley lies hundreds of meters below. It is clearly high season here as well, and soon several hundred tourists are gathered, marveling at the view.

South Africa - The beautiful view over Blyde River Canyon on the Panorama Route

On the way back, we make an extra stop at the Berlin Falls. The waterfall plunges 45 meters down. The face of the waterfall is straight, perfectly vertical, and even slightly overhanging. You can’t see this when walking over it, but you can notice it when looking back at the path you just walked. As the final stop on the Panorama Route, we visit the God’s Window viewpoint. Just at the turn-off, we drive into the clouds again, and visibility is less than 20 meters. There’s no point in getting out, so we decide to keep driving. In the mist, we arrive in Graskop. Graskop is a small village where the residents mainly rely on tourism and forestry. We have lunch in one of the local restaurants. When we step outside again, the mist has lifted, and the sun is even shining. We take a walk through the outskirts of Graskop (we don’t venture too far from the village, as we aren’t sure if it’s safe). The streets are quiet and wide, and each house is surrounded by tall fences. Back in the center, we do some shopping at the Spar and walk back to the lodge just outside the village. We walk into the mist again. It’s so thick that we can’t make out the other side of the road, nor the lodge gate. Using our hearing, we cross the road and quickly reach the lodge. A braai (barbecue) had been suggested for the terrace, but that isn’t possible in this weather. Instead, we enjoy the meat inside.