Blyde River Canyon and surrounds – Three Rondavels Lookout

About the Birding

The Three Rondavels lookout on the Blyde River Canyon is a highly popular tourist site, overlooking three round-topped mountains similar to the traditional round or oval African homesteads. Sometimes also called the Three Sisters, this side overlooks the northern edge of the Drakensberg range and is overwhelmingly beautiful. The site is dominated by montane grassland which hosts a number of high altitude species not found elsewhere on the route.

Species include Wing-Snapping, Croaking, Wailing, and Levaillant’s Cisticola, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Drakensberg Prinia, Cape Rock-Thrush, Buff-Streaked and Familiar Chats, and Mocking Cliff-Chats. In addition, the lookout is a fantastic area to look for raptors. Species that can be located here include the Cape Vulture, Verreaux’s Eagle, Rock Kestrel, and both the Lanner and Peregrine Falcon. The rare Taita Falcon breeds at several isolated sites in the Blyde River Canyon and birders should remain mindful of this species throughout.

Key species:

Fan-tailed Grassbird, Peregrine Falcon, Drakensberg Prinia, Buff-streaked Chat

About the Birding Site

The majority of birders actively plan birding trips to areas where they can either see a large number of birds in a short space of time or around rarities/localized species that would not easily be seen elsewhere. The Kruger to Canyons Birding Route offers both these highlights and a captivating wildlife experience to visiting birders.

Contained within the Kruger to Canyons Birding Route are 10 provincial nature reserves, the world’s largest collection of privately owned nature reserves, and the world-famous Kruger National Park. The route includes three vegetative biomes namely Montane Grassland, Afromontane Forest, Savanna and a fascinating vegetation unit of Northern Escarpment Afromontane Fynbos with strong links to that of the Fynbos Biome which is otherwise restricted to the Western Cape. This diverse range of habitats provides a home to a total of 76 bird families and a staggering 510 species of which 8 are endemic to the region. The Lowveld is a raptor watchers’ dream destination with approximately 85% of South Africa’s raptors being concentrated in this region. The fantastic road infrastructure and well-established tourism industry, offering accommodation in unparalleled surroundings, provides birders with an excellent platform from which to explore the area.

The route starts at Graskop and the top of the Blyde River Canyon from where it meanders along the course of the panoramic Canyon before plunging down through the Abel Erasmus Pass, the only known breeding site of the rare Taita Falcon in South Africa, and into the Lowveld. The drop in altitude from 1730 to 250 meters above sea level gives rise to a multitude of breath-taking views of a Tufa waterfall, wooded valleys and the expanse of open savanna below. Once down in the Lowveld the route reaches the town of Hoedspruit where a number of different birding opportunities are presented. The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, which includes the Swadini Dam, offers a wide variety of typical bushveld bird species and also includes African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron and Green Twinspot. Mariepskop, which is one of the best-kept birding secrets in South Africa, is largely dominated by Afromontane Forest, but also includes a piece of Northern Escarpment Afromontane Fynbos habitat at the summit. Exploring both habitats assures a treasured day’s birding with species such as Orange Ground Thrush, Black-fronted Bush Shrike, Red-necked Spurfowl and Gurney’s Sugarbird.

Alternatively one can continue on to the town of Phalaborwa, which as well as offering a diverse range of bushveld birding, has a number of wetlands which is uncharacteristic of the area. The region offers some fantastic bird species such as White-crowned Lapwing, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Saddle-billed Stork. Phalaborwa is also a gateway to the central section of the Kruger National Park which has been rated as one of the top birding destinations in Southern Africa with a species list exceeding 500 species. Kruger’s rest camps of Mopani, Letaba, Olifants and Satara with their fantastic mixture of bushveld and riparian habitat birding anchor the Kruger to Canyons Birding Route. Look out for species such as African Barred Owlet, Southern Ground Hornbill, Collared Pratincole and Yellow-billed Oxpecker.

The Kruger to Canyons Birding Route offers an amazing and diverse number of species within three different biomes supported by well-maintained infrastructure and world-class accommodation options catering specifically for birders. Birding sites along this route are broadly divided by their proximity to several key towns in the area or notable features of this route such as the Abel Erasmus Pass and Blyde River Canyon. The central parts of Kruger National Park are then treated separately from the northern parts (covered in the Soutpansberg sub-route) of this expansive reserve.

Key species:

Fan-tailed Grassbird, Peregrine Falcon, Drakensberg Prinia, Buff-streaked Chat

Other Related Information

The Three Rondavels Lookout is well worth visiting for an hour or two but can be extremely busy during the weekends. It is advisable to come on a weekday or to visit early in the morning.

Access to the Three Rondavels look out site is from the R532 approximately 15km from the R36 turnoff to Ohrigstad and Hoedspruit. Drive past the access gate and on towards the parking area.

Other related information:

Recommended accommodation nearby:
The nearest BirdLife Recommended Accommodations are in the nearby towns of Phalaborwa and Hoedspruit.

Hoedspruit – Toro Yaka Bush Lodge:
Physical address: Balule Nature Reserve,
(On the R40 between Hoedspruit & Phalaborwa)
Fax: +27 (0)12 991 5984 or 086 603 8251
Mobile: +27 (0)82 308 5763
E-mail: info@toroyaka.co.za
Web: http://toroyaka.co.za/

Phalaborwa – Abelana Game Reserve:
Abelana Game Reserve
Cell: (+27) 061 952 4302
Website: www.abelanagamereserve.com
Email: info@abelanagamereserve.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/abelanagamereserve/

Phalaborwa – Antares Bush Camp & Safaris
Cell: 083 2868281 (Ian) or 0828115696 (Mel)
Website: www.antares.co.za
Email: info@antares.co.za
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntaresBushCamp

Phalaborwa – Sunbird Lodge
Physical address: 21 Aalwyn Street, Phalaborwa
Tel: +27 (0)15 781 5559
Fax: +27 (0)15 781 5559
Mobile: +27 (0)72 756 1875
E-mail: info@sunbirdlodge.com
Web: http://www.sunbirdlodge.com

Local guide information:
Abednego Maibela: 072 382 1846
Blondy Mabunda: 078 246 0004
Michael Kumako: 079 261 1559

Text prepared by:
Daniel Danckwerts (Rockjumper Birding Tours)

Key species:

Fan-tailed Grassbird, Peregrine Falcon, Drakensberg Prinia, Buff-streaked Chat

Contact details:

N/A