The spring flowers of the West Coast, Cedarberg and north to Namaqualand have a worldwide reputation. The area receives little rain throughout the year but after winter rains, the normally dry landscape is swathed with vibrant bands of flowers, with nemesias, lachenalias, babiana and ixias seen in great profusion. Our tour will include Nature Reserves near the towns on our route.
The wide variety of wild flowers in this area is largely due to the varied topography - fertile valleys, high mountains, semi-desert plains and the unique sandveld region near the coast. Higher up in the Cedarberg, the protea flowers are seen with their spectacular large bulbous flowers.
On the first day we will drive north all the way to Nieuwoudtville from where we can then drive at a leisurely pace from NORTH to SOUTH, thus viewing the flowers as they look towards the sun. With the sun behind us we will see the colours at their best.
Interested in booking for 2025? Contact our flower tour expert, Sonja on Sonja@cedarberg.co.za.
We leave Cape Town between 08:00 and 08:30 and head through the wheat fields of the Swartland and over the Piekienerskloof Pass. We descend into a different world. You are only two hours drive from Cape Town and yet the country has changed; wilder, warmer with a raw, dramatic beauty.
Towering mountains, brilliant purple in the late afternoon light, preside over a fruit-filled valley laden with the scent of orange blossom in the spring. Hopefully we will start seeing the wild flowers along the road as we continue to Clanwilliam.
We break our long drive with a stop in Clanwilliam to visit the Ramskop Wild Flower Garden, after which we head off to Nieuwoudtville for our two night stay at The Nedersetting.
During the two days in Nieuwoudtville we will visit Matjiesfontein, the Nieuwoudtville Wildflower Reserve and the Hantam National Botanical Garden with their bulb species some of which are not found anywhere else in South Africa. Time permitting we may also visit the Quiver Tree Forest and the Nieuwoudtville waterfall if the river is in flood.
The Nedersetting is situated in the little ‘dorp’ of Nieuwoudtville, known as the bulb capital of South Africa and one of the main areas for wild spring flower viewing. This remote country area is swathed in flowers during this time but even during other months, there is something quintessentially South Africa about this area. The plant life is divided between the Cape Fynbos and the Karoo succulent’s species and is particularly varied.
The Nedersetting is situated in the little ‘dorp’ of Nieuwoudtville, known as the bulb capital of South Africa and one of the main areas for wild spring flower viewing. This remote country area is swathed in flowers during this time but even during other months, there is something quintessentially South Africa about this area. The plant life is divided between the Cape Fynbos and the Karoo succulent’s species and is particularly varied.
This morning we leave the Nieuwoudtville area to continue down the dramatic Botterkloof Pass to visit the Biedouw valley (depending on quality of flowers) with its splendid flower displays and have a picnic lunch in the valley.
We leave the valley in the early afternoon to head to Clanwilliam for your overnight stay at Cederberg Ridge where you will also enjoy Dinner this evening.
Cederberg Ridge is a luxurious wilderness lodge offering delicious food, hospitality and adventure. It overlooks the panorama of the Cederberg Mountains with its raw, rugged beauty. With 9 spacious rooms and suites, a restaurant with a view, a large swimming pool and indigenous gardens flowing into the veld, this boutique hotel offers the luxury of space and style in the midst of wilderness.
We leave Cederberg Ridge after breakfast and head to Lamberts Bay to visit the Cape gannets on Bird Island. We take the coastal route via Elands Bay and the west coast road to Paternoster for our overnight stay at Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel.
Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel is tucked away in the quaint fishing village of Paternoster, which lies along South Africa’s unspoiled West Coast, approximately 157 km from Cape Town. Â The 14 exquisite rooms and suites are a fusion of beach style and contemporary luxury with organic lines, hues and textures and an overall feeling of simplicity.
The lounge has breath-taking views and their restaurant serves authentic West Coast cuisine with an innovative twist using fresh and seasonal ingredients. The setting is surreal with cool ocean breezes of the Atlantic edged by white sands with seagulls overhead. Definitely one of the best locations in Paternoster.
After breakfast we visit the West Coast National Park where you will experience breathtaking views of wild flowers in the Postberg Flower Reserve. Postberg is a privately owned piece of land of about 6000 hectares inside the national park which during August and September plays host to thousands of enthusiasts looking for flowers. You will also see eland, zebra, bontebok, wildebeest and springbok in the veld amongst the flowers.
We will return to Cape Town in the late afternoon where you will be dropped at your guesthouse/hotel.
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