Blyde River Canyon Boat Cruise

The Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon cuts through the Drakensberg escarpment in Mpumalanga for about twenty-six kilometres and is often described as the largest green canyon on Earth, because its slopes are covered in subtropical vegetation rather than bare rock. The Blyde River carved it over millions of years through layers of quartzite, shale and dolomite, leaving cliffs that drop for hundreds of metres to the water. It is protected as a nature reserve and forms the scenic heart of the Panorama Route.

Most visitors see the canyon from the lookouts on the rim, but a private Blyde River Canyon tour by road and this boat cruise together show it from both above and below. Is the Blyde River Canyon worth visiting? For many travellers it is the most memorable landscape in north-eastern South Africa, and the boat cruise adds a perspective that the viewpoints cannot give.

The Blyde Dam cruise

The Blyde Dam, also called the Blyderivierpoort Dam, was completed in the 1970s where the Blyde and Ohrigstad rivers meet at the mouth of the canyon. Its calm, deep green water fills the bottom of the gorge, so the boat glides between cliffs that rise straight out of the lake. The cruise leaves from the jetty on the Hoedspruit side, below the escarpment, and lasts about ninety minutes.

On board, the skipper points out the rock formations, explains how the canyon was formed and tells the stories behind the names of the peaks, stopping the boat for photos at the best angles. The boat is open, so you feel the breeze and have clear views in every direction. It is a gentle trip with no physical effort, ideal after a morning on the road or before an afternoon in Kruger.

The Three Rondavels and the tufa waterfall

The Three Rondavels are three round, flat-topped peaks of quartzite and shale, each topped with a cap of grass and bush, which look strikingly like the traditional round huts of the region. From the rim they are the most photographed sight of the Panorama Route; from the water they rise high above you and seem even larger, with the dam reflecting their colours in the morning light.

Along the canyon wall, the cruise also approaches a tufa waterfall, where water rich in dissolved lime trickles down a cliff and slowly deposits stone, building a curtain of rock that is draped in ferns and moss. Tufa waterfalls are rare anywhere in the world, and this one is a highlight of the trip. The skipper explains how it grows and why it is protected.

Wildlife on the water

The dam and the river below are home to hippos and Nile crocodiles, and the skipper knows the bays where they like to rest. African fish eagles often perch on dead trees along the shore, with their famous call echoing between the cliffs, and you may see kingfishers, herons, cormorants and water monitors basking on the rocks. Baboons and vervet monkeys move along the rocky slopes.

This is wild nature, so sightings are never guaranteed and the boat keeps a respectful distance from any animal. Binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens make the most of whatever you see. Early departures usually bring calmer water and softer light, which suits both wildlife spotting and photography of the canyon walls.

Planning your visit from Hazyview or Hoedspruit

How to get to the Blyde Dam: the jetty is on the lower side of the canyon, reached from Hoedspruit along the road towards the canyon reserve, about thirty minutes from Hoedspruit and about two hours by road from Hazyview. Hotel transfers are not included, but we can arrange a private transfer or combine the cruise with a day on the Panorama Route, which also visits God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes.

The best time to visit the Blyde River Canyon is the dry winter season from May to September, when skies are clear and the light is sharp; summer from November to March is greener and warmer, with afternoon storms, so the morning departures at 09:00 and 11:00 work well all year. A nature conservation gate fee is paid on arrival at the reserve entrance.