Established as a gold mining camp in the 1880s, Graskop is a small town in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. It’s home to one of the largest mounds of sawdust in the world and serves as a gateway for exploring rugged gorges, towering waterfalls and natural lookouts.
Things to do in Graskop
One of the town’s most famous attractions is the Graskop Gorge Lift, a custom-designed viewing elevator that descends 51 metres down the cliff face. In the lush forest below, there is a network of elevated walkways and suspension bridges that span the gorge’s trickling streams. Don’t miss the 70-metre-high Panorama Gorge Waterfall, which tumbles along the Motitsi River.
A short drive north of Graskop is Pinnacle Rock, an immense quartzite rock that rises 30 metres above the Driekop Gorge. It provides a habitat for brightly coloured aloes that attract a variety of birdlife, as well as local landscape photographers. Continue north to God’s Window, which offers spectacular views across the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.
For insight into the region’s gold mining past, pay a visit to the Old Diggings, an open-air museum that can be explored on guided tours. Discover how diggers lived during the late 19th century as you wander between the prospectors’ canvas tents, many of which contain original equipment and furnishings. Also on display are vintage transport wagons, an old waterwheel and a stamp battery.
Getting around Graskop
Graskop is just over an hour’s drive from Mbombela and four hours from Pretoria. Johannesburg-O. R. Tambo International Airport is 4.5 hours and has flights to destinations across the globe. Buses connect to Graskop and the town is compact enough to explore on foot. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around the region.