A whole gold-rush village preserved as a living museum, strung along one street in the Mpumalanga hills. Tin-roofed Victorian shops, miners' cottages and a diggings site where you can still pan for gold, on the Panorama Route.
Pilgrim’s Rest is the Panorama Route’s step back in time, a whole gold-rush village kept much as it was a century and a half ago. Gold was found in Pilgrim’s Creek in 1873, and within months a tent town of diggers had sprung up in these hills; the tin-roofed shops and cottages that replaced the tents still line the single street, now preserved as a living museum and a national monument.
The village is the attraction, and it’s small enough to walk. It splits into Uptown and Downtown, with the Royal Hotel and its old bar, a string of shop and house museums, a printing press and the cemetery on the hill, where the curious ‘Robber’s Grave’ lies apart from the rest. Buy your museum tickets and a map at the information centre on arrival, and ask what’s open on the day and whether any panning demonstrations are running.
Down at the creek, the diggings site is where the story comes alive. There’s a gold-panning demonstration, and usually the chance to swirl a pan yourself, which is the easy, hands-on way to grasp why a town grew up out here. Pilgrim’s Rest sits a short way off the main Panorama loop, close to Graskop and the Lisbon and Berlin Falls, so it slots neatly into a day of viewpoints and waterfalls.
Walk the old street, take in the gold-rush story, and watch the panning. An hour or two.
The whole village is the attraction, one street of tin-roofed Victorian shops and miners' cottages split into Uptown and Downtown. Buy museum tickets at the information centre and look in at the house and shop museums, the printing press, the Royal Hotel and its old bar, and the cemetery on the hill with the famous 'Robber's Grave'.
Down at Pilgrim's Creek, the diggings site museum tells the story of the 1873 rush and runs gold-panning demonstrations, with a chance to swirl a pan yourself. It's the easy, hands-on way to understand why a whole town sprang up in these hills, and good for kids.
Pick up museum tickets and a map there, and ask what's open and whether any panning demonstrations or events are on that day.
The village is small and made for walking. Park at one end and stroll Uptown and Downtown past the shops and cottages.
The demonstration at the diggings is the highlight for most, and you can usually have a go with a pan yourself. It's the heart of the place's story.
The old hotel and its bar are part of the heritage, and a good stop for a drink or lunch in period surroundings.
The cemetery on the hill has long views and the curious 'Robber's Grave', the one headstone set apart from the rest, with a story attached.
Pilgrim's Rest sits off the main Panorama loop, close to Graskop and the Lisbon and Berlin Falls, so it folds easily into a route day.
Reach Pilgrim's Rest on a guided day through our trusted partners, at the same price as booking direct.
A full guided day of the route from Hazyview, taking in Pilgrim's Rest, the Blyde canyon, God's Window and the Graskop Gorge Lift.
Book on GetYourGuide →A guided day on the route from Hoedspruit, taking in the canyon and the Three Rondavels, with the history stops along the way.
See day tours →Close by at Graskop, a glass lift drops into a forested gorge with boardwalks and bridges, an easy add to the day.
See the Gorge Lift →Guesthouses and lodges around Graskop, Sabie and Hazyview, the bases for the route and a Kruger add-on.
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Pilgrim's Rest is the gold-rush chapter of the Panorama Route. See the rest of what the route holds.
