Panorama Route Entrance Fees 2026 + Day Guide from Hoedspruit

Panorama Route Entrance Fees 2026 (Official MTPA Rates)

Driving the Panorama Route is free. You pay a conservation levy at each viewpoint you stop at, per person, per day. Here is every MTPA-run site on the route:

Source: MTPA General Schedule of Tariffs, effective 12 December 2025, checked 27 September 2026. SA pensioners over 60 pay the children's rate; international pensioners pay the adult rate. Fees are the same in low season (May–August) and high season (September–April).

Is the all-access pass worth it?

Yes, if you stop at all four. A South African adult paying at each gate spends R197 (R48 + R37 + R80 + R32), so the R161 pass saves R36 per person. An international visitor saves R42 (R427 against R385). If you only plan to see the Three Rondavels and God's Window, pay at each gate instead: R85 per SA adult.

Waterfall fees (not MTPA)

The waterfalls around Graskop are run separately and charge their own small entrance fees. Lisbon Falls and Berlin Falls have recently cost about R25 per SA adult and R50 for international visitors. Mac Mac Pools, Lone Creek Falls and Bridal Veil Falls have been about R50 (SA) and R75 (international). These are not on the official MTPA schedule and change more often, so check at the gate. The Graskop Gorge Lift is a private attraction and sets its own prices, so check before you go.

Tips at the gate

• Bring ID or a passport for everyone. The MTPA requires it at every entrance, and the SA rate applies only with a South African ID or driver's licence.
• Carry some cash. Card machines at the viewpoints can be offline.
• Keep your all-access receipt. You will show it at each site.

How Far Is the Panorama Route from Hoedspruit?

Hoedspruit sits at the northern, canyon end of the route. You reach the Three Rondavels, the route's headline view, in about 1½ hours, before the tour buses that start from Graskop arrive. Approximate driving from Aerotel on the R527:

The Route Order That Works from Hoedspruit

Most guides assume you start in Graskop. From Hoedspruit, drive the loop the other way: start at the canyon end and work south, and you stay ahead of the crowds for most of the day.

07:00 — Leave Hoedspruit. Head west on the R527, then take the R36 over the Abel Erasmus Pass and through the J.G. Strijdom Tunnel. Watch for baboons on the pass.

08:30 — Three Rondavels. Three rounded peaks rise about 250 metres above the canyon floor, and the view is quiet at this hour. Allow 45 minutes. The morning light gives the day's best photograph.

09:45 — Bourke's Luck Potholes. Swirling water where the Treur meets the Blyde has drilled deep cylindrical potholes into the rock, crossed by bridges and walkways. Allow an hour and wear walking shoes.

11:30 — Pinnacle Rock and God's Window. God's Window looks out over the Lowveld from about 1,900 metres above sea level. It is a short, steep walk to the top lookout. If the escarpment is in cloud, you will be standing in it, which happens often in summer.

12:30 — Lunch in Graskop. The route's pancake town. The Graskop Gorge Lift, a glass lift into the forested gorge, is here too.

14:00 — Waterfalls. Lisbon Falls, the route's tallest at about 94 metres, and Berlin Falls are both a few minutes from Graskop. Pick two waterfalls; Mac Mac is the other option.

15:30 — Head home. Drive back north via the R533 and R36 and you are in Hoedspruit before dark, in time for a sundowner on the Boeing wing at The Runway.

When to Go

Winter (May to September) gives the clearest views, and God's Window is most often cloud-free then. Late summer after the rains brings the waterfalls to full volume. The escarpment makes its own weather, so look at the mountains from Hoedspruit in the morning before you commit.

Where to Stay for the Panorama Route

Hoedspruit is the closest base to the canyon end of the route, and it is also an hour from Kruger's Orpen Gate, so one stay covers both. At Aerotel you sleep in a private cabin inside a real Boeing 737, breakfast included. Our crew can also arrange a guided Panorama Route tour if you would rather watch the scenery than the road. For more ideas, see our list of 21 things to do in Hoedspruit.

Check availability

Prefer someone else to drive? We book guided Panorama Route tours for our guests. See all our activities near Aerotel Hoedspruit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the entrance fee at the Three Rondavels in 2026?

R48 per South African adult, R54 for SADC nationals and R104 for international visitors. Children under 12 pay R32 (SA). These are the MTPA rates effective from 12 December 2025.

How much does it cost to see God's Window?

R37 per South African adult, R43 for SADC nationals and R81 for international visitors, with R32 for SA children under 12.

What is the entrance fee at Bourke's Luck Potholes?

R80 per South African adult, R91 for SADC nationals and R173 for international visitors. SA children under 12 pay R37.

Is there one ticket for the whole Panorama Route?

Yes. The MTPA all-access day pass covers the viewpoints in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, including the Three Rondavels, God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and Pinnacle Rock. It costs R161 for SA adults, R203 for SADC nationals and R385 for international visitors. The Graskop-area waterfalls charge separately.

Can you do the Panorama Route in one day from Hoedspruit?

Yes. Leave by 07:00 and you can see the Three Rondavels, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window, lunch in Graskop and two waterfalls, and be back before dark. The loop is about 250 km.

Do I need cash on the Panorama Route?

Carry some. Card machines at the viewpoints are not always working, and some waterfall gates are small operations.

Written by the Aerotel crew in Hoedspruit. Fees checked against the official MTPA tariff schedule on 27 September 2026. Last updated September 2026.