The namaqua flowers are a natural phenomenon that is considered to be one of the world s botanical wonders and. Namaqualand is one of the capes most famous flower wonderlands and the location of those incredible fields and fields of flowers. The namaqua park is reached via a very bad gravel road from kamieskroon on the n7. Blog posted on sep 3 2014 many people have visited the namaqua national park during the flower season. The world renown namaqua daisies namaqualand national park and the namaqua flowers spectacle perk up your garden with these handy tips. Why a south african desert blooms into an annual flower show. Port nolloth, namaqua national park, wupperthal, gottesidnets in. The updated cape west coast flower report 16092014, 16 september 2014. And being spring day and the peak of the namaqua flower season, there are flowers that line the vines. The further north, the earlier the flowers as a general. Namaqua national park northern cape 2020 all you need. Best places to view flowers in the cape this spring.
Cape west coast tourism awards it is once again that time of the year. Overnightstay in namaqualand accommodation, northern cape. Self drive the cape flower route, west coast and namaqualand. But desert and semidesert areas do have their own appeal. If youd like to come and see the spectacular flower show, the best way to approach the flowers is from the north, as in spring, the sun is in the north. The area stretching north and west from cape town is an austere landscape with its own, rather minimalist, aesthetic and its not much appreciated outside of flower season. The park is part of namaqualand, an area covering 55,000 km 2 located within the semidesert succulent karoo biome. This special trip is something that i still have on my bucket list. Youll laugh til it hurts, go on beautiful bush walks, learn traditional dances and explore the depths of culture and nature. Namaqua synonyms, namaqua pronunciation, namaqua translation, english dictionary definition of namaqua. Town from new york in april 20, at the beginning of its soggiest season, bypassing. And according to recent reports, the flower season promises to be absolutely spectacular.
The namaqua flower fest is for the young and adventurous at heart. The art of namaqua west coast local donovan stevens will enjoy pride of. West coast flower report 2014 updated 2909 2014 for updated weather reports, you may visit the following websites. Stay in a luxury tented camp set up especially for the flower season from 1 august to 30 september 2011. Exploring the cederberg the cederberg wilderness reserve was our first stop and explore on the epic road trip. Wherethe real flower show belongs to a series of drives that centre on the towns of garies, springbok, kamieskroon and port nolloth, namaqualand, northern cape, south africa.
The flowers only come out in the sun, and always face the sun. We know exactly where to take tourists to make their visit to namaqualand unforgettable. Tips for viewing the namaqualand flowers namaqua wines. The west coast flowers season presented beautiful flowers and new hope with. Namaqualand northern cape 2020 all you need to know. A two hour drive from cape town, will take you into the heart of the west coast national park, one of sanparks favourite viewing sites amongst locals. Namaqua flower skilpad camp is situated a mere 22 km from kammieskroon and 29 km from the namaqua national park. Enjoy an experience of a lifetime with this excellent 3day namaqualand spring flower tour. Its that time of the year again that the west coast of south africa proudly displays its spring flowers. The ultimate flower destination in south africa is namaqualand, in the northern cape, several hours drive north of cape town. Your contribution helps fund our conservation efforts of this. E xperience a life of camping, dancing in the moonlight, singing to your hearts content and losing yourself under the stars. West coast flower report 2014 updated 1609 2014 for updated weather reports, you may visit the following websites.
This area of south africa receives little rain throughout the year but after the winter rains from may to julyaugust, the normally dry landscape becomes a carpet of wild flowers with vibrant bands of gousblomme and vygies, as well as nemesias, lachenalias, babiana and ixias. Wonderful, knowledgeable guides took us places we would never have. Provides information boxes on activities and facilities available in the region. Visitors can enjoy selfcatering accommodation at the skilpad rest camp or enjoy various camping options along the coast. Kimberley the namaqua district is set to burst into bloom as the annual flower season approaches. The namaqualand spring flower tours are organised and run by annelee steyn of happy holiday flower tours. Join us at the namaqualand flower festival for a wholesome weekend filled with dancing, singing, trail exploring and an unbelievable vibe. Posted on august 29, 2014 august 15, 2016 by karen elowitt namaqua flowers. Theres something in bloom year round with the peak flower season in the spring. We booked the tour with toere namakwanamaqua tours. On the weekend there are 2 distance trails available for. Namaqualand khoi nama kwa land meaning nama khoi peoples land is an arid region of namibia and south africa, extending along the west coast over 1,000 kilometres 600 mi and covering a total area of 440,000 square kilometres 170,000 sq mi.
The camp is only a few metres from the beach, so when youre not admiring flowers you can explore the shoreline. A total of 10 tents are established each year in a remote and scenically stunning location 1 km north of the groenrivier entrance to the namaqua national park. The best way to see the namaqua flowers south africa travel news. Her contribution over the years to the clanwilliam wildflower show and vast experience in the tourism industry makes her the perfect candidate to. Namaqualand, outside of the flower season the spring flowers in namaqualand. If you want to stay over, you need to book at least a year ahead for the spring flower season at namaqua national park or in the surrounding. Some of the featured viewing sites include agulhas, bontebok, namaqua, tankwa karoo and west coast park. Chasing elusive flowers in south africa the new york times. To help you do this, we put together a guide that gives you a monthbymonth breakdown of what flowers are in season, so youll know when your favorite flowers are at their best. Escape to the land of contrasts, where the rigorous climate has created a myriad of life forms superbly adapted to their specific habitat. An enclosed veranda, two comfortable chairs, dining table, concertina windows which open completely, or close to block the wind. You cannot describe the magnificent flowers during the flower season more.
Flowers by season winter flowers, summer, spring flowers. Top 5 mustvisit spots during the flower season in south africa. Accommodation comprises 15 fully serviced cottage tents with ensuite bedrooms. Sanet stander sanet stander from clanwilliam tourism started the rooibos route with her sister marietjie smit in 2014.
Because the flowers follow the sun, the best way to make sure that you see them is to drive backwards, or with the sun. Visit namaqua national park on your trip to northern cape. The postberg area of the west coast national park that is only open in flower season is a brilliant spot and the park itself is also a sight to behold, where wildlife on the plains mingle with the flowers. While youll see flowers all along the highway and side roads, the namaqua national park, dotted with photogenic quiver trees, is the center of it all. The awards function will take place on 10th october 2014. You may not be the only one with the idea but there are lots of great spots to. The first sightings of the upcoming floral splendour have already been reported.
Day trips from cape town or overnight stays, here are our tips to best enjoy the. We really want to encourage the tourism sector to enter the annual tourism awards. Namaqua definition of namaqua by the free dictionary. The namaqualand flower trail run and festival is in its 8th edition fun in the spring sun. West coast tourism publishes a flower report during the season. Flowerfilled fun in the namaqua experience the northern. Weve started thinking about next years trip, and talking to some sa wine producers set us off thinking about. Just you, and the view, all the way, across rolling hills, down to the sea.
It is said by the locals that when god was making the earth, he left the best for last and took his time with the amazing and spectacular spring flowers of namaqualand creating the garden of the gods. Namaqua national park is a south african national park situated approximately 495 km north of cape town and 22 km northwest of kamieskroon. Namaqua quest mountain bike gives you flower covered valleys, rugged, ancient mountains, unexplored trails. The west coast tourism website features the latest flower reports for the 2014 flower season, detailing the types of flowers you can see and how abundant they are in the various national parks, reserves and guest farms. If the rains start only in july, the flower season may press on into october. The main entrance, reception, administrative offices and prime accommodation are all at skipad. We have been every year since 2014 which was outstanding. The namaqua district is set to burst into bloom as the annual flower season approaches. Namaqua national park flower report as on 12 august 2014. Flowers by day and start by night above all fully catered luxury tented accommodation, in namaqua during the wild flower season. Springbok is a great springboard from the north, with the top flower destinations of the namaqua national park. Still technically part of the cape winelands, there is wine.
We based ourselves next door to the namaqua national park at the little kamieskroon hotel where it was easy to pick the brains of other guests for the. We invite people to post pics and reports of areas where wild flowers are blooming. A version of this article appears in print on april 27, 2014, section tr, page. There are four general seasons occurring on earth spring, summer, autumn and winter. Namaqualand spring flower tour 3 days of fun and colour. The namaqua national park is situated west of the n7, one of south africas national roads. The namaqua region of the northern cape is set to burst into bloom as the annual flower season approaches. The camp offers guests a fully catered luxury accommodation experience during the flower season. The flower season is brought to life when the seasonal winter rains. Namaqualand, south africa, fields of flower blooming naturally over hundreds of square kilometers one of the most beautiful natural wonders of africa. The flower season is dependent on the winter rains, the wind and other weather factors, and the displays vary from place to place each season. The flower season peaks between early august and late august and it is dependent on the winter rains. The spring wild flowers are a phenomenon that never ceases to amaze and delight, even for those who live in what is considered south africas outback namaqualand.
South african national parks sanparks would like to update guests about the flowers in namaqua national park this season. The distant hills and the manycoloured rocks are an awesome sight even though their colour ranges are a palette of browns and greys. Whether youre planning to revamp your garden or looking for seasonal wedding flowers, understanding when flowers are at their peak bloom times is important. Namaqua tours, which offers tours to the pictureperfect region, is a familyoperated business with individuals who are passionate about tourism in namaqualand. A flower power experience of the outdoors, camping, dancing, music, a trail run, a spit braai, star gazing, and some unique outdoor. The spring flowers of the cape west coast, cederberg and namaqualand in the northern cape have a worldwide reputation. Its springtime and the wild flowers of the western and northern cape are. All meals and activities are included in the rates. Flower season at sanparks peaks during august and september. Namaqua flower beach camp is located in the namaqua national park for a limited period over the peak flower season and the 2014 dates are 15th august until the 15th september. Spring flowering in the namaqualand area is one of the wonders of the. Spring is approaching in south africa and so is flower season. As you cruise down the n14 highway, the bucolic sight of pastures, the odd cow and lone windmills will cause unconscious braking. Keen botanist and flower followers are advised to start planning their itineraries to see the spring spectacular in all its blooming glory.
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