The natural treasures of the Central Escarpment are protected in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. Its most commanding asset is the 33 km long Blyde River Canyon, which is also the third largest canyon of its kind in the world and forms a spectacular part of the Panorama Route.

The Panorama Route leads through the northern Drakensberg in the Mpumalanga province and passes the north-eastern part of the Great Escarpment. This inland plateau drops abruptly offering unsurpassed views of the Lowveld a thousand metres below.

A public road along the western boundary of the nature reserve grants easy access to beauty spots like The Pinnacle, God's Window with its kloof-framed view of the Lowveld, and a lookout point from where the unusually shaped hillocks of The Three Rondavels are visible.

At Bourke's Luck Potholes a network of pathways and footbridges allows visitors to explore the potholes at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers. The bizarre swirl holes developed millions of years ago when the once rapid river carried masses of sand and debris.

In the Escarpment visitors will see examples of the wide variety of contrasting plant communities, animals and birds, including a breeding colony of the rare bald ibis. There are mountain reedbucks on the escarpment, dassies on the canyon walls and hippos and crocodiles in the Blyde Dam.

Pilgrim's Rest is a national monument and is also one of the best examples of a living museum, as it is a replica of the early gold mining town. Gold was discovered here in 1873, and many restored miners' houses serve as shops.

The Escarpment plays host to the visitor in a variety of ways, and it will dazzle you with altitude, viewpoints and landmarks, places to go and things to see. Its open invitation includes hiking, trout fishing, horse riding trails, museums of bygone eras, archaeological sites, breathtaking natural wonders and lots more.