Discover Graskop: Gorge, Cliffs and Forest

Around Graskop, gorges, forest, cliffs and viewpoints alternate. There is also plenty to discover in the town itself: tourist boutiques offer gifts, locally made curios, contemporary, modern and classical art, as well as African silk and leather goods. This gives you different options for planning your trip – from browsing the shops in Graskop to exploring trails and natural attractions nearby.

Gorge and Forest Up Close

Just outside Graskop, the Cliff Walk follows a narrow path along the steep slope above the forest. It leads to a suspension bridge across the gorge; a zipline ride is also part of the offering. At Graskop Gorge, the 52-metre-long suspension bridge is wheelchair-accessible and connects the north and south sides of the gorge. The Graskop Gorge Zipline comprises two flights: the first travels over a 120-metre-long zipline, and the second returns across the gorge.

The Viewing Lift takes you 51 metres down into the Afromontane forest. The Next-Level Walk is accessible via the lift, follows a path along the steep slope above Graskop Gorge and connects to the lower Forest Trail. A forest path operated by Graskop Gorge Lift Co. also provides information about plants, insects, birds and Samango monkeys. This makes the forest and wildlife-watching as much a focus as the gorge.

Quartzite Cliffs, Waterfalls and Views

Pinnacle Rock lies six kilometres north of Graskop on the R534, a scenic loop off the R532. The freestanding, tower-like quartzite rock rises 30 metres above dense indigenous forest. To its right is the first of eight small waterfalls on the Ngwaritsane stream. At Pinnacle, a distinctive rock formation and a single small waterfall come together.

Wonder View lies about two kilometres north of God's Window at an altitude of 1,730 metres. The viewpoint is considered the highest in the area and is right beside the road, so no footpath is needed to reach it. Mac Mac Falls, meanwhile, are 20 kilometres from Graskop on the R532 towards Sabie. A steep cement path leads to the viewing platform above the falls and is not wheelchair-accessible.

Trails with Different Characteristics

The Secretary Bird Hiking Trail is a three-kilometre circular route through open grassland with little shade and forest. Its stated length and changing landscape offer a different point of reference from the steep cement path to the platform at Mac Mac Falls. These two trail descriptions can help you plan outings according to your interests, without treating the routes as equivalent.

When planning, it is worth considering the specific features of the routes and landscapes: a wheelchair-accessible suspension bridge, the non-wheelchair-accessible route to the platform at Mac Mac Falls, open grassland with little shade, or forest and gorge. Check the current operating status of the zipline and Next-Level Walk, as well as visitor guidelines for the Viewing Lift, in advance. For the forest path and Secretary Bird Hiking Trail, check access and trail conditions; check the current condition of the path to Mac Mac Falls.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Graskop, you can start by considering whether boutiques in town, viewpoints and cliffs, or trips towards Sabie will shape your stay. Distances and road details – such as the location of Pinnacle Rock north of Graskop and Mac Mac Falls on the R532 towards Sabie – provide useful reference points. The range of goods offered by individual boutiques may change; the products described range from art to silk and leather goods.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Barberton, Marloth Park, Secunda, Skukuza, Hanover, Dullstroom, Kemps Cottage and Buffelspruit.

Return to the main travel overview: Mpumalanga.