Witness the Namaqualand Flowers
For much of the year, the Namaqualand region – which covers parts of South Africa’s Western Cape and Northern Cape provinces – is seemingly barren and arid. It has a rugged beauty all of its own, but it also hides a remarkable secret.
Between late July and early October, the desert comes to life in a truly spectacular way as millions of orange and yellow indigenous flowers open all at once. Like so many of Africa’s most remarkable moments (including migrations), this is in response to the start of the annual rains. (In this part of South Africa, these happen in the winter months).
Blooming lovely
It is hard to express how dramatic and beautiful the Namaqualand flowers are. The region has over 3,500 plant species, many of which are found nowhere else on earth. Daisies are one of the main contributors to this remarkable floral display, along with annuals including gousblomme and vygies.
While it is the rain that prompts this transformation, the flowers open and close each day in response to the warmth of the sun, so the best time to see the flowers is between late morning and late afternoon, ideally on a warm, sunny day. If you watch an area of blooms for a while, you will see that the flowers actually turn to track the progress of the sun across the cloudless blue sky.
Plan ahead for the best viewing
Like all natural phenomena, the Namaqualand flowers in South Africa are hard to predict exactly. The timing and extent of the floral carpets varies year by year, depending on when the rains start, and how much rainfall is received.
The flowers can start to appear as early as July and the season can extend into early October, but the best time to go to Namaqualand to see the flowers tends to be between late August and early September.
Where to see the best of the Namaqualand flowers
Amazing carpets of color can be seen at many different locations within Namaqualand, but some of the most remarkable scenes unfold in the area’s two protected landscapes: the West Coast National Park and the Namaqua National Park.
To make the most of this opportunity, we would recommend working with an expert travel company in advance of your trip, and gathering more information from local guides and lodge team members once you’re on the ground. As well as the flowers themselves, the area is host to wonderfully rugged landscapes that have all the romance of the wilderness even without the flowers, and many creatures that have adapted to life in these very dry conditions, including the iconic oryx antelope.
Take only photographs
While you’re enjoying the Namaqualand flowers, it’s important to stick to marked trails to avoid walking on any of the plants, and no matter how tempting they are, please don’t pick any of the flowers – rather leave them in place for others to enjoy, and so that the seeds can contribute to next year’s display.
To experience the Namaqualand flowers on a South African vacation, contact the journey specialists at Journey Beyond today.