Few canyons carry such cheerful names. When Voortrekkers found the river in the 1840s, they had left the Delagoa Bay fever lowlands in sorrow, fearing their leader was dead; they called a stream Treur, meaning mourning, and when they met the party returning safely, the next river became Blyde, meaning joy. The Blyde River Canyon, in Mpumalanga, is the result: a gorge about twenty-five kilometres long and up to seven hundred metres deep, cut into the northern end of the Drakensberg escarpment and clothed in green subtropical vegetation, making it one of the largest green canyons on Earth.
The finish of the Panorama Route is dramatic. Three huge rounded rock pillars, the Three Rondavels, look like African huts built by giants, and the viewpoint is a place to linger. Further south, Bourke's Luck Potholes are cylindrical hollows scoured by whirling water, named after a prospector who staked a claim here during the 1870s gold rush and found nothing, while others found plenty. God's Window and Wonder View look out over the Lowveld, thousands of feet below, and on clear mornings you can see the Kruger National Park in the distance.
The riding is superb. The roads climb out of the Lowveld on smooth tarmac with long sweeping bends and frequent viewpoints, passing waterfalls, pine plantations and tea estates. Abel Erasmus Pass is a good test, and Long Tom Pass, near Lydenburg, is another favourite. Mist is common in the mornings, and summer afternoon thunderstorms can be violent, so start early and keep a close eye on the sky. In winter, from June to August, days are dry and clear but mornings can be cold.
The nearest services are in Graskop, a small, pleasant town with cafes and fuel, and Hoedspruit and Hazyview offer more choice. Entry fees apply at some viewpoints, and local vendors sell crafts at the lay-bys. Watch for monkeys, which are bold, and for minibus taxis that stop without warning. Baboons live in the area, so keep food out of sight. The country is good, and the people friendly.