Most travellers heading to South Africa’s Blyde River Canyon know it as the world’s third-largest canyon.
Far fewer know what sits on its doorstep: Cape Vulture Nature Reserve, home to more than 700 breeding pairs of the endangered Cape Vulture, one of the largest colonies of the species anywhere in the world.
Set in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, the reserve is the gateway to the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, South Africa’s largest UNESCO biosphere and one of the world’s leading learning destinations for sustainable development.
At the reserve, purpose-built hides and guided tours allow guests to observe vulture feeding and nesting behaviour up close, while learning about the vital role these birds play in the ecosystem and the conservation challenges they face.
From the reserve, the Blyde River Canyon is just 30 to 40 minutes by road. The Panorama Route takes in dramatic viewpoints including God’s Window, Three Rondavels and Wonder View, while a guided boat cruise on the Blyde Dam offers canyon views and wildlife spotting from the water.
Adventure seekers can abseil and rock climb the canyon cliffs, try seasonal white-water rafting on the Blyde River, zip-line above the treetops or explore the remarkable water-carved rock formations at Bourke’s Luck Potholes.
The Kruger National Park, where guests can search for the Big Five on guided game drives, self-drive safaris or bush walks, is within roughly an hour of the reserve, making the entire region surprisingly easy to explore in a single trip.
