September and spring are coming to the West Coast of South Africa.
It hosts what is arguably the greatest flower show on earth!
This means you can witness millions of wild flowers blooming in the National parks.
It is an amazing thing to witness, as far as the eye can see a landscape full of colour, blossoming flowers, and life.
When and where?
The flowers begin to bloom in the North, starting in Namaqualand. Occasionally as early as late July. From there they spread like wildfire along the West coast reaching Yzerfontein and Darling by late August, beginning of September. Yzerfontein, West Coast National Park and Darling are about one hour drive from Cape Town. We personally always go from beginning of September till around the third week.
What to expect?
The West Coast is open field, a lot of it not ruined by human hands. As you drive through it you will see fields of flowers as far as the eye can see, in all different shapes and colours, millions of them. Depending on the hour of the day and where the sun stands in the sky the fields show different colours. After all the flowers are turning into the sun and moving all the time. This is quite spectacular and exciting to witness, you can take pictures of a certain field in the morning and go back to the exact same spot in the afternoon and take a completely different picture of the same flowers. It is like the land is moving, and the colours change by the hour. With millions of flowers around you, you will not be able to count the birds and butterfly’s and take in all the nice songs you hear from them. It is extremely liberating and destressing, it will completely take you in the moment making you forget about time and your worries if you have any.
Timing.
Cape Wildflower season is all about timing, there is a three to four-week window to see them. And the time of day is also very important when you want to see them at their most beautiful. We feel the flowers are best seen in the late mornings (10-11am) or in the late afternoon between (3-5pm). What we do is, we make a day out of it. Driving around bringing our picnic basket along, binoculars and camera we do not miss a thing of this natural phenomenon of beauty. Here are some of the greatest wildflower spots on the West coast or the world for that matter.
West Coast National Park. https://www.sanparks.org/parks/west_coast/
Blaauwberg Nature reserve. https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/See-all-city-facilities/Our-recreational-facilities/Nature%20reserves/Blaauwberg%20Nature%20Reserve
Darling Renosterveld reserve. https://www.sa-venues.com/game-reserves/renosterveld.php
Tienie Versfeld Wildflower reserve. https://www.sa-venues.com/game-reserves/wc_tienie-versveld.htm
Groenekloof reserve. http://www.groenlandberg.co.za/
Waylands wildflower reserve. http://www.waylands.co.za/the-farm/
Contreberg. https://www.contreberg.com/
Postberg. Paternoster.
Darling wildflower show. http://www.darlingwildflowers.co.za/
Last words to flower you up.
You will see the most flowers and colours you have ever seen in your life, you wont have to buy your wife any flowers for the next ten years if she has witnessed this. Please realize that you are in a very unique place in the world where you can see this. You are welcome to hop out of your vehicle and walk amongst the flowers to photograph and fully appreciate them up close. But please do not pick them or trample them. Leave them where they are for others to enjoy. Take as many pictures as you like, leave only footprints. Bring a good wind jacket along for the day, after all you will be in open fields all day an it could get a bit windy. Don’t forget your binoculars, millions of flowers attract countless birds, butterfly’s, etc.
You are in for the best art and concert you have ever witnessed, Nature.