The Three Rondavels in Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa, are three round mountain tops with slightly pointed tops. They look similar to the traditional round or oval African homesteads made with local materials called rondavels and this is the reason for the name.
These three geological formations were also once known as ‘The Chief and his Three Wives’. The flat-topped peak was named Mapjaneng (‘the chief’) after a legendary Bapedi chief, Maripi Mashile, who defeated invading Swazis in a great battle near here. The three peaks are named after his three wives (from left to right) – Magabolie, Mogoladikwe and Maseroto.
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Hi Robbie. Your posts about Mpumalanga take me back to my own visits to one of the most beautiful parts of SA.
Thank you for the mini tour. I was also terrified when looking over the railing at view site. It was before I was married so didn’t have any children to worry about, but I am very prone to vertigo.
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I never worried at all before I had kids, Kim. I used to do some low key mountain climbing with ropes. Now, I can’t bear them being near the edge like this.
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I hiked in the Drakensburg and slept in caves, but not to such heights as needed ropes!
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Thanks for sharing these great places, Robbie – big memories for me – on your blog. I’m most likely going to be scratching through old photographs, reminiscing with hubby about the great times we had in Eastern Transvaal, now Mapumalanga – an awe-inspiring part of South Africa.
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Yes, I am sure these pictures do remind you of nice times you had here in South Africa. I have been sharing some of our local holidays as we can’t have any real ones at the moment.
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Thanks, Robbie. I love being reminded of that lovely landscape in Eastern Transvaal – Mapumalanga? 🙂
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Wow! what stunning scenery Robbie. I think I would get the Heebie-Jeebies too, watching your boys at the edge.
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Thank you, Brigid. I don’t like edges and ledges any more, but never minded them when I was younger. I enjoyed this trip to Mpumalanga very much.
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Lovely scenery, Robbie. I am an armchair traveller now, and enjoyed seeing a bit more of the world!
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We are all armchair travelers at the moment, Stevie. I am a bit sad we won’t get to the UK this summer, but that is how life is. Full of change.
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Strange times indeed, Robbie.
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So loved the views… My tummy would wobble too standing too close to the edge… Thank you for sharing these magnificent scenes .. :-0
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My pleasure, Sue. I hope you are well.
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Simply stunning!
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Thank you, Esther.
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Thank you for sharing. I love the legend and lore. AND I would be right at your elbow the entire time. That fence doesn’t bring me all that much comfort.
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I know, Annette, it really is very high up. I am glad you enjoyed this, there are some fascinating places here.
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looks like a wonderful place to visit. And yes, I get the heebie-jeebies when I see people next to the edge of something like that as well.
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I never used to mind before I had kids, Jim. Since I had my boys, I worry a lot more about everything.
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Yes, kids do change our perspective…
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Never heard of those. I wonder what geology caused those?
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That I do not know, Jacqui, I would think it is to do with how the mountains have worn in the weather.
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Spectacular natural beauty, Robbie – with a bonus of your use of the phrase “heebie jeebies!”
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Thank you, John, a rather splendid saying, isn’t it?
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I love it!
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I feel the same standing on the edge of a cliff, Robbie. A beautiful view though!
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Thank you, Denise, it is a beautiful view, I just prefer to admire it from a distance. Have a great weekend.
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Amazing history and geology bites Robbie! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
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My pleasure, Bette. I am glad you enjoyed this. Thanks for the share too.
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What a stunning beauty, Robbie. It reminds me of the Three Sisters in Australia except that Three Sisters are narrower and pointed. The rock formation tells an incredible story of the power of water, the erosion, and weather. Certain kinds of rocks are softer and easier to get washed away and left the stronger rocks standing (even in a mushroom shape). The shape of the Three Rondavels look like the Native American Navajo Hogan except that Hogan has round top.
Thank you for sharing these photos and your trip, Robbie.
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So stunning! Robbie, those photos are amazing. I can only imagine what it must look like to see the Three Rondavels in person. Great share!
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Totally agree 🙂
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Thank you, Barbara.
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Thanks Mae, it is a magnificent place to visit. It is nice to look back and enjoy the photographs.
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I was also going to say this is stunning, because it is, Robbie. Mae Clair has already described them as that :), so I’ll add that they make me want to stare and get lost in thought. Thanks for explaining what a rondavel is. I didn’t know about them. And thanks for sharing these pictures. I’m glad there is a railing, but I’d be nervous too.
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Nature is amazing.
I was nervous myself looking at that fence. (K)
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Nature is a marvelous thing, Kerfe. I am not a big fan of heights any more.
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Gorgeous scenery, Robbie. Some of it is quite similar to some of our scenery here in Australia.
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Hi Norah, I imagine that the scenery in Australia is similar to South AFrica as our climates are fairly similar. I’m not sure if we’ll ever visit Australia now after the coronavirus.
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Hopefully the world will open up again when all this settles down. It might take a while though. Things like this might just be something we have to adjust to, but I hope not.
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Me too, Norah.
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I was thinking more financially thought. The economy here is going to take a hammering as it appears to be doing in the UK and USA. I am not sure yet how this will impact on my direct and extended family. We may have to help family members in the future.
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Our economy is taking a hammering too. Hopefully it will rebound over time. Dead people can’t do that.
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Yes, that is true. There was no choice, I agree, but it will still take some time for things to return to normal in the world.
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It will. But not too much, I hope.
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Wow! As others have commented, these are stunning photographs. I appreciated the contextual information you included as well.
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Hi LIz, I’m glad you enjoy the bit of information I provide. I am keeping these posts short and sharp so that the photographs dominate.
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These posts very effective. I’m enjoying them a lot.
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Robbie, what a wonderful adventure you and your family had — thanks so much for bringing us along. The views are breathtaking! I loved the name Mpumalanga from one of your other posts. Now you’ve also given me Magabolie. I foresee a happy name research tangent in my near future! 😀 Hugs on the wing!
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Those are all African names, Teagan. A lot of African names start with an M. Interesting isn’t it?
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Yes, it is, Robbie. It’s the cadence of the sounds that delights me. What’s particularly interesting to me is how similar the sounds feel to many Native American place names. One of my favorites is Apalachicola. Hugs.
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That is an interesting point, Teagan.
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These are amazing photos, Robbie!
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Thank you, Mark. South Africa has some spectacular scenery.
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A delightful mini-tour. Looking forward to some local explorations when the state parks open up again.
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Something to look forward to, Jules.
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This makes me feel like sharing my Yosemite pictures just to see how heebie jeebies I can get you going, haha!
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Haha, H. I never used to mind heights at all until I had my boys. Now I don’t like them and don’t like them going near the edge either. Mother hormones [smile].
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tx for sharing, Robbie – beautiful as well as colorful!
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Thank you da-Al, it is rather an extraordinary place to visit.
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