Home

GPS Co-ordinates:
24º 56' South
30º 50' East

Graskop is perched on a spur of the Mauchsberg at an altitude of 1493m above sea level, Mpumalanga, South-Africa, 400 km East of Johannesburg, 50 km from the Kruger National Park and within a few minutes’ drive from viewpoints such as God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon and the Three Rondawels, as well as a number of spectacular waterfalls.

A group of about 30 citizens of Graskop and its surrounding areas met at the Flycatcher Castle on 19th September 2007 with the common goal of conserving the environment in which they live and work. At the meeting they decided to form a conservancy. With dedication and determination they set out on a journey and armed with a dream, a constitution, and a map of the proposed conservancy, they undertook the process of registration of the Graskop Conservancy with the Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency (reference number R22/08GC).

Presently the Conservancy has a very active membership base, but would ultimately like the support of ALL the members of the community. We need to have a strong voice in order to protect our area from threats to the environment and community.

The Graskop Conservancy is situated in the Thaba Chweu Municipality in the north-western section of the Province of Mpumalanga in South Africa and boasts a number of areas of biodiversity importance. These untransformed areas consist of grasslands, wetlands and indigenous forest patches and are home to a diverse range of fauna and flora of which several are threatened.

The scenic beauty of the area makes it one of the most famous tourist attraction areas in the country. It boasts the spectacular Blyde River Canyon and Gods Window … two of South Africa’s most beautiful tourist icons, as are Bourke’s Luck and the Potholes. Stunning waterfalls, gorges, passes, rivers, dams and forests abound.

The Graskop Conservancy is centred by the town of Graskop and includes a vast area of land bordering the towns of Sabie and Pilgrim’s Rest. The area of the Conservancy should not only be protected for the threatened species that occur in these areas, but also to ensure the optimal functioning of these areas which provide important ecosystem services such as the provision of good quality water and flood attenuation.

The tourist hub in the Conservancy area is the town of Graskop with its many facilities for the tourist including hotels, guest houses, lodges, self catering accommodation, B&B facilities, curio and gift shopping and it is also the home of the famous “Graskop Pancake”.

The Mpumalanga Tourism Authority (MTA) is linked to the Provincial Department of Economic Planning and it is the official tourism and marketing organisation in Mpumalanga aimed at marketing Mpumalanga and supporting business owners in the tourism industry. Contact International (02713-752 7001) and National (O13) 752 7001.