The flower route nobody finishes, and what they’re missing
· The South African
They’re not wrong to go there…
But there’s a reason the ones who don’t stop always come back with a different story to tell.
Visit rocore.sbs for more information.
The stops that start it all near Cape Town
West Coast National Park remains the closest proper flower reserve to the city, open only during August and September.
Head straight for Postberg, where the Postberg Flower Trail winds through a section of the park that’s locked up for the other ten months of the year.
Darling, roughly 90km up the coast, turns into a feast of flowers each spring, with the annual Wild Flower Show, the Renosterveld Reserve behind the primary school, and the Tienie Versveld Reserve on the way to Yzerfontein all worth the detour.
Paternoster isn’t technically on the flower route, but its white fishermen’s cottages, seafood and long beach make it a natural overnight stop for anyone stretching the trip into a weekend.
Where the route turns inland
Roughly 200km from Cape Town, the Cederberg Wilderness Area holds well over 200 indigenous flower species, reportedly the greatest variety found in one district anywhere in the world.
On its northern edge, the Pakhuis Conservancy shows what farmer-led rehabilitation looks like, turning once-degraded farmland back into fynbos.
Just outside Clanwilliam, the Ramskop Nature Reserve packs in more than 350 wildflower species and is best visited between 11:00 and 3:00pm on a sunny day.
Clanwilliam itself hosts its own Wild Flower Show each year, while the Olifants River Valley Wine Route offers a break from flower-spotting with some of the country’s most westerly vineyards.
The reward for going all the way to Namaqualand
Push further north and the Nieuwoudtville Wild Flower Reserve delivers some of the rarest bulbs and geophytes on the entire route, including species found nowhere else on earth.
Nearby, the Hantam Botanical Gardens, once a sheep farm made famous by Sir David Attenborough and the BBC, and the more low-key Nieuwoudtville Bulb Nursery round out the area.
Close to Kamieskroon, the Skilpad section of Namaqua National Park is dense enough with flowers, butterflies and birds to justify a multi-day stay. While Goegap Nature Reserve supports close to 600 indigenous species and is home to the Hester Malan Wild Flower Garden.
Further out still, the Riemvasmaak Community Conservancy isn’t strictly on the flower route, but its hot springs and rock formations make it worth the detour for anyone going the distance.
I always thought Postberg was the whole story, turns out it’s just the opening chapter.
Would you rather stick to one reserve, or turn it into a proper multi-stop road trip all the way to Namaqualand?
Let us know in the comments below…
Have you spotted the flowers blooming near you? If so, please send your photos to [email protected]