Namaqualand Flower Tour

Drive from Johannesburg to Gariep Dam via Bloemfontein where we pay a short visit to the Women's Monument (Afrikaans: Nasionale Vrouemonument), a monument commemorating the women and children who died in concentration camps during the Second Boer War. On arrival at the dam, we do a walk over the dam wall where the Guide will give you all the interesting facts of this amazing dam. Overnight at A’damsview (or similar) which is considered a place with one of the best views over the interior of South Africa.

After breakfast we leave for Cape Town. Experience the open spaces of the Karoo before we cross the Cape fold mountains. The Cape Fold Belt is a late Paleozoic fold and thrust belt, which affected the sequence of sedimentary rock layers of the Cape Supergroup in the southwestern corner of South Africa. It's a long road but we often stop to stretch our legs, listen to podcasts, music, and visit the Karoo road stalls. Stay at Dolphin Beach Hotel, Bloubergstrand, Cape Town. (or similar)

­ This is where the fly-in group members will wait for us and join the tour from tomorrow.

On the way to Darling, our flower viewing almost starts immediately with a short visit to the Waylands wild flower reserve. Visitors have been allowed access to the spectacular spring display of approx. 300 species of wild flowers every season on the private farm. We go to Evita se Perron where you can take a stroll through the unique Nauseam Museum, find the perfect gifts at the deli, enjoy a delicious rusk tasting at the Swartland Kitchen tasting room, and pick up a snack for lunch. A visit to the Darling Wine Shop follows, and we then drive to Langebaan. We did not forget the delicious West Coast seafood and have dinner at Pearly’s Restaurant, Langebaan.

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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 fields of flowers in the Postberg part. The park is renowned for its rich biodiversity and seasonal wildflower blooms. If the weather is not ideal for the flowers to open today, we can visit this park on the previous afternoon. We spend the night in Elands Bay Hotel. (or similar)

After breakfast we drive to Clanwilliam and visit the Rooibos tea factory shop and the Ramskop Nature Park. Then in the direction of the Bokkeveld mountain range where we will drive up the Van Rhyns Pass which offers some incredible views over Namaqualand. We visit the flower bulb capital of the world, Nieuwoudtville, where the bulb species grow in the 'Boland of the Namaqualand'. We hunt the most beautiful areas for wildflowers, for common flower species, and also visit the Hantam Botanical Garden. If time allows, Nieuwoudtville Waterfall follows, creating a striking contrast against the rugged landscape. After this we travel through the Knersvlakte to Kamieskroon where we stay in the comfortable accommodation venues.

Then to the Namaqua National Park where fields of flowers, quiver trees, enormous granite outcrops and the richest bulb flora of any arid region in the world are but a few wonders that await the visitor. With its winter rainfall, Namaqualand is home to the richest bulb flora of any arid region in the world and more than 1 000 of its estimated 3 500 plant species are found nowhere else on earth. Situated in the heart of the Succulent Karoo the Park has grown enormously and stretches from the well-known Skilpad section, near Kamieskroon, on the escarpment westwards to the coast. The gradient to the coast is important from an upland-lowland and rainfall perspective and contributes to the richness of species within the Park.

We drive to Springbok and enjoy lunch, and then to our lodge near the Augrabies Falls.

Breakfast is followed with a brisk walk to the Augrabies Falls. This National Park is situated on the banks of the mighty Orange River. The Khoi people called it “Aukoerebis”, or place of Great Noise, referring to the water thundering its way downwards in a spectacular waterfall, which freefalls 56 meters into the 18km gorge below. Panoramic viewpoints can be visited. We start the drive from here to the capital of the Northern Cape: Kimberley. Dried fruit can be bought along the road at some of the stalls. Wine tasting can be arranged at Bezalel Wine & Brandy Estate; a winery and distillery located near Upington, offering wine and brandy tastings.

History lies dotted on the R64 that runs East from Upington over places with names such as Groblershoop, Griquatown and Campbell to Kimberley. We can also see some of the Kalahari sand dunes along the way and if we are lucky gemsbok and springbok. We spend the night in Kimberley.

A scrumptious breakfast is followed by a tour through the Kimberley diamond mine museum and you view the great hole during which the glory of the social life that followed the discovery of diamonds is experienced. Depart to Johannesburg through the plains of the old Western Transvaal and across the Vaal River. After another long day we come home with beautiful memories.