Tourist Attractions in the Pilgrim’s Rest Area
PILGRIMS REST MUSEUMS – INFORMATION CENTER UPTOWN PILGRIMS REST FOR TICKETS
Village Museums 5 Museums within walking distance in the Main Street of Pilgrims Rest, Pilgrims & Sabie News, Central Garage, House Museum, Dredzen general dealer museum and Thelwalls.
Alanglade Mine Managers Residence – guided tours of this museum available at 11;00 and 14;00 daily (if available), contact Information Centre at least 30 minutes before time.
Diggings outdoor museum – guided tours at 10:00, 11:00, 12:00 14:00 and 15:00 daily booking at Information Centre.
BRUMMER TOURS 082 522 1958 brummertours@gmail.com
Gold Panning – children gold panning experience is available at the Information Centre
Gold Panning River experience – this is a guided tour where you will follow the guide to the river, and after an explanation of the concept of gold panning you are able to pan for gold yourself and may keep what you find
Alanglade House Museum – Guided tours with an expert guide of this historic home filled with beautiful furniture from the Africana era right through to Art Deco are available. Day tours available
Ghost Tour – this fun tour leaves from town at dusk and you will follow the guide up to Alanglade House, approx. 2 km from the Village. Here we will look to photograph orbs or any other interesting phenomenon, before driving to the historic Cemetery. The tour end with a drink at the Robbers Grave, a famous landmark in the Village.
Village Tours are available on request
Special Tours – School Groups, Tailor Made Tours for Bus groups, Tours for Special Occasions and Personal Interest tours are welcomed. Please contact us for all your requests.
All tours with Brummer Tours must be booked in advance as the Department of Culture Sports and Recreation, Museum Services in Pilgrims Rest must give their authorisation.
BLYDE RIVER CANYON
The World’s Largest Green Canyon lies only 17 Km from Pilgrims Rest, and wonderful views are visible from the many lookout points along the 35km route. Gods Window, The Pinnacle, Wonder view, the 3 Rondawels, and Boukes Luck Potholes are on this route together with the 2 waterfalls Lisbon and Berlin. The route can be driven as part of the circular route (see Orighstad below)or return on the same road to Graskop. This is a self-drive route, and maps are available from us at Mona Cottage.
16Km from Pilgrims Rest is the Blyde Gorge Lift and Big Swing. The Gorge lift is a 60-meter-high glass enclosed lift that drops down to the bottom of the Blyde Gorge and once there many walks and things of interest in the rain forest are there for you to explore. The Graskop waterfall cascades over the cliff opposite the lift and the vistas are amazing.
The Big swing is part of this complex and adrenalin junkies can ride the slide across the gorge or jump from the top into the gorge in a harness. A suspension bridge is suspended across the gorge if you would rather walk. A Bicycle trail has been opened so you can follow the trails around the gorge on hired bikes.
The Town of Graskop is the departure point for all these activities and lies 15km from Pilgrims Rest.
There are many shops and restaurants in Graskop as well as a doctor. (Dr Van Vuuren 013 767 1124)
Horse riding is available in Graskop
WATERFALL ROUTE SABIE
There are 7 main waterfalls in the region other than Lisbon and Berlin on the Canyon route and Graskop Falls at the Gorge. On the Road to Sabie you will pass Forest Falls, Maria Shire Falls and Mac Mac Falls. In Sabie itself are Sabie Falls, and outside of Sabie to find Bridal Veil Falls, Lone Creek Falls and Horseshoe Falls. During the rainy season, many smaller falls can be seen along the road. The route to Sabie is 34km from Pilgrims Rest, and the town of Sabie is lovely, voted South African Town of the Year in 2012. The Road beyond Sabie to the further falls is a total of 13km in length however you can visit whichever falls you like not necessarily all of them.
On the Long Tom Pass from Sabie to Lydenburg the gravity defying Toboggan ride is a must, approximately 20km further on from Sabie at Misty Mountain Hotel.
ORIGHSTAD AND THE ECHO CAVES
The Voortrekker encampment town of Orighstad, and just beyond it the Echo Caves lie 74km to the northeast of Pilgrims Rest and can be driven in a round trip joining on the top of the canyon and ending in Graskop. Orighstad has shops and restaurants, the interesting “old shoe” was built to look like the shoe in the nursery rhyme ‘Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe’ which has a restaurant and shop. Further on you come across the Echo caves which offer guided tours and have a tea garden. Turn left towards Graskop and the 35km long Canyon Route begins.
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
The World-Famous Kruger National Park is only 66km from Pilgrims Rest, the nearest entrance gate is Phabeni in Hazyview. A Self-drive option or open vehicle safaris in the Kruger are available, Booking is essential for all entry into the park, and each person entering must have a valid passport or South African Identity Document.
HOEDSPRUIT CENTER FOR ENDANGERED WILDLIFE, MAHOLOHOLO, AND THE REPTILE PARK
In the Hoedspruit region are many interesting wildlife experiences, the rehabilitation centre for wildlife at Maholoholo, the cheetah and endangered species breeding and safari park, the reptile park as well as Jessica the Hippo can all be visited and enjoyed. The distance to Hoedspruit is 118km.
HAZYVIEW
ELEPHANT WHISPERS AND THE ELEPHANT SANCTURY- both these outstanding facilities allow you to interact and observe the elephants in the wild. Tours are available to walk among the elephants, groom them or feed them and the tour of the museum is very informative. 42km