The Blyde River Canyon Trail, or Blyderivierspoort Hiking Trail, wends its way through the third largest canyon in the world, and arguably one of the most beautiful.

The Blyde River Canyon outshines every other landmark in the country, bar Table Mountain, as a tourist attraction and this hike spends three days venturing from one geographical feature to the next.

The Blyderivierspoort trail can be adapted from between two to five days, and the diverse terrain through lush vegetation reveals not only incredible rock formations and views, but also a variety of animals.

It is best to go in a group on an organised trip as the route is not obvious, venturing at times through private farm land, the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve and Blyde State Forest. But seasoned hikers frequently do the trail self-guided.

Overnight accommodation is in huts.

If you are a seasoned hiker with an incurable longing to get back to nature, you can spend up to 20 days on trails that wind from Sabie to Graskop, from Graskop to the dam in the Blyde River Canyon, from Pilgrim’s Rest to the dam – through incredible scenery rich in montane grassland and indigenous riverine forest.