The Kruger to Canyon Biosphere Reserve (K2C) bridges Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces while being at the interface of the Eastern Drakensberg Escarpment and central Lowveld. It aims to acknowledge and protect the greater Kruger National Park bioregion, the eastern savannah and the Eastern Escarpment of South Africa – a vast area of vital ecological importance.
Biosphere Reserves | | |
| |  K2C offers spectacular scenery | |
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Biosphere reserves are important ecosystems designated as protected areas by the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Worldwide there are 400 such reserves in 93 countries, with the K2C biosphere being registered in 2001.
Place of Fortune
The K2C includes three different biomes – or types of habitat: savanna woodlands, afromontane forests and montane grasslands. It is a unique combination covering a massive 4 800 000 hectares of natural resource areas from public, provincial and private reserves.
The Kruger part of the concept obviously refers to the Kruger National Park (KNP), while the canyon aspect refers to the Blyde River Canyon, which is the third deepest in the world and is soon to be incorporated in South Africa’s newest national park. To be named the Mapulaneng National Park, the place of fortune, it is set to be declared on Heritage Day, 24 September 2007.
Endless Possibilities | | |
| |  Kruger to Canyon Biosphere Reserve includes three different biomes | |
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For visitors, there are a wide variety of possibilities for adventure in the K2C. It has spectacular scenery ranging from deep canyons and thick mist-belt forests, to rolling bushveld and mountain grasslands. Many travellers will already be familiar with the Panorama Route, which goes through this area and includes legendary scenic spots like God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Strijdom Tunnels.
Obviously game-viewing is a prime attraction, but other activities on offer within the K2C run the whole spectrum from leisurely to extreme. These range from picnicking and horse-riding to white water rafting, abseiling, gorge swinging and even hot air ballooning. And golfers will be thrilled to hear that there are courses adjacent to the Kruger where game wanders about the greens.
For walkers and hikers, the K2C is compelling indeed. There are many existing outdoor trails that range from one day to three or four, including guided walks in ‘Big 5’ reserves. There are also many specialist trails for those with specific interests: from birding and botanical walks to butterfly rambles and photographic safaris.
A Rich Cultural History
Central to the development of the K2C is community-driven tourism and developments. By linking all its different components, the K2C will also connect different towns in the region to create tourist routes and tourist hubs. Here there will be accommodation for backpackers and jetsetters and everyone in-between.
This will also mean there is something of attraction for practically everyone who visits the region – whether it’s a stop over in the quaint and historic gold mining village of Pilgrim’s Rest, a morning at the Masorini Iron Age museum inside the Kruger’s Phalaborwa Gate, or guided tours to San cave paintings.
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