Blyde River Canyon Popular Attractions

The magnificent red sandstone Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga forms the northern part of the Drakensberg escarpment. There’s so much to do in Mpumalanga but most visitors come here just to sight-see, especially along the striking Panorama Route. This scenic meander includes the Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, the Three Rondawels, Swadini Dam, God's Window and many beautiful waterfalls and spectacular vistas.Covered with lush subtropical foliage, the Blyde River Canyon is the largest 'green canyon' and has some of the deepest precipitious cliffs of any canyon on the globe. The canyon is 26 kilometres (16 miles) in length and is around 800 metres deep. The highest point of the canyon, Mariepskop, is 1 944 metres above sea level whilst its lowest point where the river leaves the canyon is slightly less than 560 metres above sea level. This means that by some measure the Canyon is over 1 400 metres deep!

Discover the secrets of silk and the extraordinary little creatures that produce it. Experienced guides will take you on a journey through silk’s fascinating history and an interesting behind-the-scenes tour. Currently Bombyx Mori Silk Estate is South Africa’s only commercial silkworm farm. Here you can find out about their organic farming methods and how the cocoons are processed into wonderful products and the life-cycle of the mulberry silkworm. The species farmed at Bombyx Mori is the mulberry silkworm, not the ‘zebra’ worm that most of us kept as pet worms when we were kids! These remarkably industrious insects spin cocoons from a single strand that measures up to one kilometre. A visit to Bombyx Mori wouldn’t be complete without popping into the Ivory Room and Gallery. Here you will find silk-filled duvets, pillows and numerous other silk products to purchase as well as local crafts, selected interior finishes and original artwork.

Pop in to see an enterprising group of Shangaan and Mapulaneng Sotho women at work in their rural studio near the village of Acornhoek. Each item they make is an original work of art – entirely hand-made and exclusive. Rugs, tapestries, bags, and other woven masterpieces are made from wool or cotton that they have spun and dyed using age-old techniques. After spinning and weaving, they carefully weave each piece according to their own or custom-ordered designs. A fun thing to do is go on a guided tour with one of the weavers who will take you through the 30-year history of the project that brought the two cultures together. After meeting the women at work, your guide will take you to visit a traditional healer who will share with you the spirit of the ancestors. From there you will have the chance to see a traditional potter and a local grass weaver at her shebeen (an African bar serving home-brewed beer). From there you will meet the teacher and the children of the Katlego Community Creche. Don’t miss this heart-warming community experience! Wonder Mbetsi 072 691 0021 Judy 082 864 2181 judithbmiller@gmail.com www.mapusha.org

Visit an active silk farm and be amazed by the silk making process at this unique African development venture. After taking an interesting tour, you can spoil yourself purchasing silk clothing, silk-filled duvets or even silk skincare products. Guided one-hour tours are offered on the farm for a minimal fee. These tours take place from Monday to Sunday. After the silk farm tour visitors can relax at the Deck Restaurant for light meals and refreshments. The ice-cold homemade gingerbeer is a winner.

At the core of Shangana Cultural Village is a busy African market where local craftspeople work and trade their crafts. Trained guides take guests on informative and interactive trips to villages during the daytime as well as midday tours with lunch and the famous Evening Festival in the Chief's Kraal. Shangana was created and built by the local Shangaan people and is a source of great pride. The village preserves their rich heritage and is an example of South Africa's great cultural diversity.

Home to Africa's wild and silky cream liqueur, the Amarula Lapa is a great spot to chill near the Phalaborwa Gate of Kruger National Park. Here you can relax, stretch your legs and of course, enjoy a glass of Amarula Cream on ice and stock up with a few bottles before journeying on. Comfortable seating, a shop and a warm African welcome await you on entering the high thatch-roof building. Rough stone walls and kraal-style area bestow an authentic bushveld feeling. The Amarula Lapa is crucial to the lives of the local inhabitants who provide the Marula fruit for pulp processing in season. During the off-season, Amarula sponsor community-based job creation projects to enhance their income. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 08:30 – 16:30 and Saturday 09:00 – 12:00. A fertile fruit? The fruit of the indigenous Marula tree is believed to have aphrodisiac properties and features in tribal fertility rites. Known in folklore as ‘The Marriage Tree’, tribal marriage ceremonies still take place under the umbrella shaped trees.

The Sudwala Caves are an incredibly deep system of caverns lying in the Mpumalanga region of the Drakensberg escarpment. Considered the oldest known caves in the world, this astonishing unplumbed complex of passages and giant chambers extend into the mysterious Mankelexele massif. The caves are situated in the Precambrian dolomite rocks of the Malmani Group, formed over a period of some 3 000 million years, capturing in stone an era when this place was a shallow inland sea. The very earliest known life forms are preserved in fossil form in these rocks. In the cave are fossils of the first oxygen producing plants on the earth called collenia – fossilised bacterial colonies that date back 2.2 billion years! And there's a Dinosaur Park too. Kids will love the life-size monsters guarding the cave entrance. Keen for adventure? Time your visit on the last Saturday of the month and join one of the popular Crystal Tours inside the deeper chambers. You will be required to crawl through some sections be prepared to get wet. It lasts for six hours and bookings are essential. +27 (0) 13 733 4152 www.sudwalacaves.co.za

Just outside the little town of Letsitele is the workshop of one of the most impressive craft projects in Limpopo. Hundreds of local ‘Karosswerkers’ embroider intricate and unusual designs inspired by their lives and environment. These eye-catching ethnic creations take the form of useful mats, cushion covers, bags, clothing jewellery and artworks. Home to the Shangaan and Sotho people, Kaross Workers encourages their rich tradition of embroidery and art, creating diverse possibilities for a healthy exchange among artists. Open Monday to Thursday 07:00 - 17:00, Friday 07:00 - 14:30.