5-day 

 

Namaqualand Flower Tour    

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Namaqualand is a place where one can experience nature in a special and extraordinary way and is steeped in the story of the Namaqualand daisies; an abundance of fertile flowers that transform the almost lifeless Namaqualand into a beautiful floral display of beauty in spring.

It was once the hunting ground of the Bushman, with wonderful stories of survival in an unfriendly and unforgiving world, until the rains come and everything unfolds in an unprecedented floral splendour.

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     Itinerary:

 

Pick Up:

You will be picked up at any of the following spots for the start of the tour between 7 am and 8 am:

1. Hotel Verde Airport, 2. Your Waterfront Hotel

Pick up point must be indicated on the booking form. 

Drop Off:

At your pick up spot from 6pm.

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Day 1: Cape Town – Langebaan – 130km

 

We drive from Cape Town via the Bloubergstrand area, passing Melkbosstrand, Atlantis, Mamre and Darling. From here we travel to the West Coast National Park, against the background of the blue lagoon, white dunes, rare fynbos, green wetlands and boundless waves, there is much to experience, we see the wildlife in the park, and especially enjoy the Postberg Flower Nature Reserve part where we get to see Namaqua’s beautiful flowers in full bloom!

(Optional lunch/dinner possible at "die Strandloper" if group agrees and time allows)

We spend the night in Langebaan.

 

Day 2: Langebaan – Clanwilliam via Lambertsbaai – 220km

 

We make a short trip to the Triplet-Towns of Velddrift, Port Owen and Laaiplek. These small West Coast towns are known as the bokkom capital of the world built around at the estuary of the Berg River. From here we drive to Lambertsbaai who owes its origins to simple beginnings as a fishing village. Here we have a light lunch and then visit the Lambert's Bay Bird Island Nature Reserve.

As the only accessible spot in the world to see Cape gannets breed, Bird Island is a bird-watcher’s paradise. The island’s hide is perfectly situated to observe their activities first-hand and learn more about their breeding habits. Other birds include the Cape cormorant and the kelp gull. Here you can visit a Walkthrough Museum where you can explore a variety of sea mammals and sea bird skeletons such as the Cuvier’s beaked whale, Cape fur seal, Cape gannet, Dusky Dolphin, etc. From here we make our way to Clanwilliam to visit the Rooibos tea factory shop and the Ramskop Nature Park (if open). We overnight here.

 

Day 3: Clanwilliam - Nieuwoudtville - Vanrhynsdorp - 200km
 

Breakfast folows the drive up the Van Rhyns Pass, towards the Bokkeveld Mountain range, which offers some incredible views over Namaqualand. Then to the quiver tree nursery in Vanrhynsdorp, a refuge of species from the region. We visit the flower bulb capital of the world, Nieuwoudtville, where the bulb species grow in the 'Boland of the Namaqualand'.

You proceed to Nieuwoudtville, the bulb capital of the world, then to the Nieuwoudtville Waterfall and the quiver tree forest. We hunt the most beautiful areas for wildflowers, for flower species, and also visit the Hantam Botanical Garden if weather conditions allow. We overnight at Vanrhynsdorp.

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Day 4: Vanrhynsdorp – Springbok Area- 300 to 500km

 

Today is an early start as we make our way to the Knersvlakte. From a distance, the plains seem to contain nothing, yet on closer inspection, we encounter a magnificent diversity of dwarf succulents. These tiny plants grow between the white quartz stones and extraordinary. Of the 1 500 plant species in the Knersvlakte, about 190 species are endemic to the region. Around 155 of these are threatened with extinction, as they succumb easily to climatic conditions and changes. We drive further on to the North, enter the Hardeveld with its signature towns Nuwerus and Bitterfontein and proceed to the Namaqualand Klipkoppe. This stunning mountainous area extends from Garies past Springbok in order to see Namaqua's beautiful flowers! Group consent will determine when to turn back, and then drive back to overnight at the same accommodation at Vanrhynsdorp.

 

Day 5: Vanrhynsdorp – Cape Town – 400 to 600km via West Coast National Park

 

Breakfast follows the drive back to Cape Town through the valley between the Cederberg and Olifants River Mountain ranges over the Piekenierskloof Pass. Once we traverse the pass, we enter the ironically named Swartland with its golden canola fields and green wheat plains. We finally reach Cape Town after what would most undoubtedly be the most soul satisfying and inspiring experience.

In the event that the flower show at the West Coast National Park

was not as spectacular as it can be on a sunny day on the first day,

we turn off the main road at Piketberg and go back to hunt for those

best picturesque flower plates. This will increase our travel time and distance for the day, having to start earlier and also to be back later

in Cape Town. We can arrive back in Cape Town from 6:30pm in this

case.

We come home with beautiful memories.