Planning Your Visit
What to Expect at the Viewpoint
A short path runs from the parking area to a fenced viewpoint on the opposite side of the gorge. From there you look straight at the fall. A thin stream gathers in the rock channel at the top, then opens into a white curtain on its way down to the dark pool below. Red and ochre cliffs ring the basin, and the forest around it stays green for most of the year. Stay behind the railing. Morning light is softer on the cliff face, and on misty afternoons the spray sometimes throws a faint rainbow.
The falls are named after Berlyn Creek and the farm Berlyn on which they lie. European miners who came to the escarpment during the gold rush named several local farms and streams after places at home, Lisbon among them. Look out along the path for the Blyde River protea, a shrub that grows only on this part of the Mpumalanga escarpment.
Getting There, Fees, and Practical Tips
Berlin Falls lies just off the R532 north of Graskop, on the same road as Lisbon Falls, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels. You pay a small entry fee on arrival, and craft sellers usually set up near the parking area, which also has basic facilities. The path is short but uneven in places, and in summer a hat and water are worth having. The fall is fullest after the summer rains, from about November to March, when the wind can blow spray toward the railing; a lens cloth is useful.
Nearby Highlights on the Panorama Route
God’s Window is a short drive away and has huge views over the Lowveld on a clear day; go early, before the tour buses arrive. Farther north, the Blyde River Canyon lookouts at the Three Rondavels and Wonder View show the escarpment from very different angles. Lisbon Falls, usually cited as the highest waterfall in Mpumalanga, is the easiest to pair with Berlin Falls on the same outing. With time to spare, stop at Pinnacle Rock, or in Graskop for pancakes and fuel. Many travelers see the falls on their way down to the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park.
