Safari 2017:   Helicopter Run Through The Blyde River Canyon

Safari 2017: Helicopter Run Through The Blyde River Canyon

Over the last 2 weeks, we spent time at 3 different Safari Camps including the Dulini Private Game Reserve, Jaci’s Safari Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve and Khaya Ndlovu where we spent time with the Rhino Revolution team.

In order to get between most camps in South Africa, you either have to fly on scheduled Charters, drive for an unGodly amount of hours over horrible terrain, or take a Helicopter.  When it was time to transit between Dulini and Khaya Ndlovu, we decided to hire a Helicopter through Wild Skies Aviation out of Hoedspruit so that we can take in one of South Africa’s most beautiful natural wonders, the Blyde River Canyon.   The canyon is set apart from other canyons as it is the only ‘living’ canyon in the world, meaning that vegetation is found in abundance at the bottom of the canyon.

These photos will explain exactly what I mean! 🙂

a large canyon with trees and mountains

a rocky cliff with trees and mountains in the background

a rocky mountains with trees and clouds

a river with rocks and trees

However, the photos don’t quite do it justice!

As you’ll see in the video (taken with a GoPro mounted on the belly of the chopper), departing from Dulini and heading towards Bushbuckridge and Hoedspruit is fairly uneventful.   However as you approach the lush borders that surround the canyon, the world below is transformed into something magical.  Pay attention at the 30 minute mark and beyond since it is at that point that we enter the canyon and then weave through the canyon walls following the Blyde River out of the canyon and over a series of citrus orchards as we headed to Khaya Ndlovu.

 

 


a close-up of a plane