The Blyde River Canyon is situated in the northern part of the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. The Canyon is on the Panorama Tourism route where other scenic attractions include Gods Window, The Pinnacle, Bourkes Luck Potholes and Wonder View. The Canyon is situated within the Blyde Canyon Nature Reserve. The Blyde Dam can be seen at the base of the canyon. The dam was built primarily to supply water to the mines near the town of Phalaborwa. Hippos and Nile Crocodiles flourish in the dam. Other wildlife within the canyon includes Leopard, a number of antelope such as the Klipspringer and also Dassies, a rodent wich is the staple food of the African Black Eagle(Aquila verreauxii) which nests on the near vertical cliffs of the canyon. The Canyon is one of the most biodiverse places in South Africa. The word "Blyde" means happiness in the Afrikaans language and "Rondawel" refers to an african tribal hut, thus the naming of the three peaks as the Three Rondawels. The canyon stretches for about 30 kilometers and is in average 800 meters deep