Joy River Backpackers

Lovely place at a lovely price

Pros: A lovely place with a lovely host. She puts a lot of attention to the details to make everything look nice and cute. You find all facilities you need - hot shower, common area, a nice kitchen, and a garden. I stayed here while exploring the Blyde river canyon, and can really recommend this place.

Cons: A bit of a road to drive on to get there, but it works!

A pocket friendly stay, giving the vibes of staying in a village setting.

Pros: Offbeat location, in a local village. The rooms are huge and has all amenities. Host is very friendly and gives a lot of information.

Cons: WiFi was not available

Magnificent stay

Pros: The river view behind the chalet.. The peace.. Scenery was beautiful... Arrived on a rainy day however the drive was pleasant. Mariette the host was welcoming beautiful soul and her fur babies with one visiting every night 😂 for a chill by the fire. The village tavern played nice music.. Not too loud. Is was a magnificent stay.. Looking forward to going back again

Cons: Honestly nothing at all..maybe it's because I'm an avid traveler I honestly found nothing at fault.

Pros: At joy river there's peace of mind very nice place to stay..

Cons: On the road to joy river was dirty

Very fulfilling!

Pros: The place is very nice and clean, the host Marriette is very friendly and welcoming, she offered me anything i needed, ensured that i am warm for my entire stay. The place was a home a way from home. I will definately be going back there soon!

Cons: Nothing.

Pros: I liked the view it had from the back door and the river flowing close by. I liked the staff, especially Mariette, and the activities that were in the area. The house was very clean and neat. We had a great stay and will definitely be coming back in the future!

Cons: I didn't like that the house was so cold. The fireplace is a nice touch, but it didn't warm up the place as good as I wanted it to. The cold slips through the holes in the sink roof.

After our initial apprehension while trying to find our way there, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Pros: We battled to find the Backpackers, although my husband had not read the instructions sent to him! We eventually found a road leading to the the outskirts of the township and the house but it was very definitely a 4x4 track! The way we exited according to the instructions given to us by our hostess, took us through the township - busy with many pedestrians and school children making their way to school, but certainly a better gravel road. The house was extremely clean , comfortably furnished, had the most comfortable double bed, a lovely quirky bathroom and fulfilled all our requirements. I was extremely grateful to be able to use the washing machine after several days of rough camping! Our hostess was very helpful and friendly and we enjoyed our interaction with her.

Pros: Great location on the panorama route, perfect stop on the way from Johannesburg to Kruger, literally across the street to Bourkes Potholes. The place was basic but cosy, super clean. Host was super helpful and kind.

Cons: The road to the place is unpaved, could be quite demanding for regular cars. Do not use GPS to get there, read mail instructions and follow them.

Pros: Very unique experience, located very close to some great locations.

Cons: Unfortunately, loud music from the nearby tavern kept up until late both nights. I know this is out of the hands of the hosts, but it did detract from the experience.

Pros: Everything was just amazing! We had a wonderful, magical stay in Joy River. Beautiful place, amazing owner, great chalet (the owner upgraded us just because she could). We enjoyed the atmosphere of the place. When you plan to visit Blyde River Canyon and you prefer authenticity instead of touristy places and this stay is available for booking, do not miss it!!!

Cons: Nothing, it was without mistakes!