It’s Finally Here: Blyde River Canyon and All the Beauty and Blunders That Comes With It

Day 1 – The Grand Departure:

At long last, the day had arrived! Salt and I were finally off to our much-anticipated Blyde River Canyon getaway.

Our respective annual leave secured months in advance, research done in obsessive overdrive, and now—finally—it was here!  

Naturally, the spreadsheets were in place, and the itinerary was set in stone—because nothing says "relaxing vacation" like a minute-by-minute schedule, right? 

I even asked for some suggestions from the Facebook hiking communities when the sheer weight of my beloved spreadsheets started to feel overwhelming. Some of those made it into the mix, proving that I do, occasionally, listen to people and not only Google.

First a pit stop at Milly’s Café, which I had carefully selected through rigorous research.

What a gem of a place! It’s a trout farm with accommodation that’s so picturesque you almost forget it's a highway pit stop. 

Just close your eyes when passing by the usual suspects—Wimpy, Mug & Bean, and the gas station—and you’ll be blissfully unaware of where you actually are!

Onward we went until a sign for Sudwala Caves caught my eye. “Hey Salt, I’ve heard of those! Let’s be spontaneous for once and ditch my precious itinerary!” I said.

“But we’re supposed to see the Echo Caves, Mom,” Salt reminded me, ever the voice of reason.

“Why not do both?” I retorted, because who needs downtime on vacation?

So, we detoured to Sudwala Caves. 

As incredible as they were, and as knowledgeable as the guide was, the whole experience was just too... people-y and tourist-y. 

Too much commercialization—ziplining, a dinosaur museum, a restaurant... It felt like we’d stumbled into a theme park. And I loathe tourist traps!

So while I highly recommend it, I also hated every single minute of it. Make sense? No? Good, because I’m still trying to figure myself out.

There’s a section where you have to duck and some stairs to climb, but nothing too taxing if you’re not into the whole "breaking a sweat" thing. 

The humidity in the top certain section was literally 100%. Just immediately it changes.

My relationship with humidity has become increasingly toxic with age. Within a minute, my hair—oh, my hair—decided to go into a humidity-induced frizz. It was a mess and I was done!!

Was it worth the price? Meh, I was too busy being grumpy about the heat, the crowds, and the fact that I didn’t get to discover the cave myself to really appreciate it. But hey, you might like it!

We made a stop at Bourke's Luck Potholes—beautiful, sure, but again,  people-y and tourist-y. 

Seriously though, these potholes are something else, probably the most unbelievable natural formation I’ve ever seen. If I had stumbled upon them during a hike, I might’ve pitched a tent and refused to leave.

So yeah, minus the crowds—mind-blowing. With the crowds? Still mind-blowing, but with a side of "ugh."

The next day, we knocked out two of the most breathtaking hikes we've ever done (which I'll blog about next), but by 2 PM on day 1, I was already itching for more. Heaven forbid we actually relax on this vacation!

Salt suggested we chill out for the afternoon. I, of course, shot that down immediately. “Okay, let’s go see the Echo Caves,” I said, clearly having learned nothing from the previous day.

As we drove there, my irritation levels were already climbing, and we both silently prayed that the tour would be unguided. When we arrived, our worst fears materialized: a school bus full of kids was unloading.

“Ugh, let’s just leave,” I groaned.

“Maybe we should grab a coffee and wait for the next tour,” Salt suggested, trying to inject some calm into the situation.

We went to inquire, and lo and behold, the lady told us we’d be on a separate tour from the school group. fabulous!

Enter Evans, our guide, who led us in through a different entrance. What a revelation! It was just us, and suddenly these caves felt like I was the first person to ever set foot in them. We loved every minute of it!

At one point, Evans explained that the water dripping from the stalactites is considered holy by some.

I recalled that the previous day, we were told this same water was believed to have anti-aging properties.

I wanted to lie down right then and there and let the water drip into my mouth until I reached my ideal age, but I held back—mostly because I didn’t want to embarrass Salt. 

Today, though, it was just the three of us. So, naturally, I asked Evans for a straw. He just laughed. Why? I have no idea.

But selfish Evans didn’t have a straw, so I had to settle for catching a few drops in my hand. 

Let me tell you, no joke—that was the sweetest water I’ve ever tasted.

Note to self: Next time, bring a bottle.....or a straw.

Evans even treated us to a mini concert, playing what sounded like marimbas on two different stalactites. 

We spotted a few varieties of bats and navigated some tricky ducking and stair-climbing sections, but nothing too extreme if you don’t have major issues.

At one point, I crouched down to take a picture and ended up on my backside in the most graceful, slow-motion "yep, you're not as young as you think" kind of way.

I gave Salt a quick pssst for a hand, trying to play it off like sitting on the dusty cave floor was all part of the master plan.

We left feeling absolutely elated.

The Echo Caves are privately owned, unlike the Sudwala Caves, so it’s unfair to compare the two. But wow, what a difference! 

We even enjoyed a coffee afterward at a quaint little coffee shop.

And Evans, if you’re reading this, for heaven’s sake, get some straws for next time!