Rissington Inn

South African Grand Tour

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

Three weeks, one unforgettable road trip across South Africa’s greatest highlights.

21 days

from £4,295 pp

Kruger, Canyons & Cape

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 2 more + 3 more

The perfect South African summer holiday.

14 days

from £3,995 pp

Romantic Safari + 2 more + 3 more

South Africa Safari & Beach

South Africa, Mauritius

A seamless South Africa and Mauritius holiday.

14 days

from £4,450 pp

South Africa Family Holiday

Family Safari + 1 more + 2 more

The ultimate family adventure through South Africa's highlights.

15 days

from £3,495 pp

South Africa Safari Explorer

South Africa's wildlife at its best.

14 days

Safari Wildlife & Nature

from £5,850 pp

Go Local in South Africa

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

Real people. Real stories. Real South Africa.

19 days

from £6,690 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in South Africa

Pilgrim's Rest

The rivers that cascade over the Escarpment and down into the Lowveld rise amongst the gold-bearing rocks of the Highveld, and their alluvial deposits laid down in the Escarpment area were a rich source of this alluring metal. It was gold panning that drew the original settlers to Pilgrim’s Rest in the late 19th century; when the deposits began to run thin, they turned to forestry or started to drift away; at that point it was decided to preserve Pilgrim’s Rest as a living museum. So the shops, hotels, restaurants and houses are faithful representations of what life was like during that gold rush period. As well as the historical element of a visit, it’s interesting to know that the alluvial deposits still turn up gold, and so you can turn your hand at panning for some yourself!

The Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon is one of the most impressive natural features in South Africa. At 16 miles long and 800 metres deep it is second only in Africa to the Fish River Canyon in size, and is truly impressive. Heavily forested slopes fall sharply down to the river that winds its way around towering pinnacles of rock. All along the canyon edge are viewing points and places to stop, take photos and buy local arts and crafts, whilst the floor of the canyon is great for hiking and bird watching. Two of the best of these viewing points are God’s Window and The Three Rondavels. At God’s Window, the Escarpment falls 700 metres exposing a huge, broad sweep of the Lowveld, stretching towards the Kruger and beyond to Mozambique. The Three Rondavels is a view across the canyon towards three conical hilltops on the opposing ridgeline which look uncannily like traditional rondavel huts.

Bourke's Luck Potholes

Bourke’s Luck Potholes are found at the head of the Blyde River Canyon and are named after a luckless gold prospector who predicted the presence of gold deposits in the area but cruelly pitched his claim about 5 kilometres away from any deposits. The area is a deeply sculpted stretch of rock, with huge potholes scoured many metres deep by the action of the water. So deep in fact that the only way to get around the potholes is on a series of elevated walkways, which showcase the rounded and curved scenery very effectively.

Mac Mac Falls

Near the town of Sabie the Mac Mac River pours over the Drakensberg Escarpment, across a gold-bearing seam of rock. During the gold rush of the late 19th and early 20th century, Scottish prospectors were peeved that the river hampered their access to this seam and so they attempted to divert the river with dynamite! They only succeeded in splitting the stream into two jets which now spurt over the falls and form one of the most picturesque waterfalls in South Africa. There is a viewing platform here, and not far from the falls are Mac Mac pools, where the adventurous can indulge in a spot of wild swimming.

Escarpment Self-Drive Safari

When staying in the Escarpment area, you are never more than about half an hour from one of the gates into the Kruger National Park and so it’s worth taking yourself there for a day. Unless you really know a lot about safari, it should never replace the experience of guided game drives and walks in the company of an expert who can not only find the animals but also explain them to you. However to complement guided game drives, or for those who feel they know their way around their African wildlife, it makes an exciting and rewarding way to see game. The park is laced with a network of roads, some tarmac and many more graded tracks (passable in a normal saloon car). There is a real thrill in setting off into the park, under your own steam, equipped with a map showing roads, waterholes and notable features, a pair of binoculars, a bird and mammal guide, and perhaps a packed lunch. You can then do whatever takes your fancy: spend half an hour with a herd of zebra or impala (which would never happen on a guided game drive), or head for a waterhole and sit with your bird book trying to identify as many species as possible, or simply to drive slowly around, taking in the amazing scenery and hoping to spot some big game.