Flora of the CapeAn amazing journey through the flora of South Africa.

Cape Town to Cape Town in 15 daysThis tour starts in the mother city of Cape Town with its impressive Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope. Southern Africa is home to more than 24.000 species of plants and every year about 50 new species are found. One of the reasons for this huge diversity of species is the multitude of different habitats. Here you find two different oceans, rainforest, grassland, savanna, desert and many mountainous regions. Explore the spectacular “Fynbos”, the unique Namaqualand and De Hoop Nature Reserve with its lowland Fynbos.

Day 1: Cape TownAfter the pickup from the airport and transfer to your accommodation you can spend the day at leisure. We recommend a walk through the beautiful city.

Day 2: Cape Point In the morning we drive to Cape Point, the southwestern most point of Africa. Here we find two different kinds of Fynbos. The Strandveld with its many succulents species and the Mountain fynbos with its diversity of Proteas and Ericas. In the afternoon we visit the Silvermine Nature Reserve, famous for its orchids (Disas) and Mountain fynbos (i.e. endemic leucodendron argenteum).

Day 3: Table MountainToday we go for a walk on the eastern side of Table Mountain in the famous Kirstenbosch botanical gardens. Here about 6000 plant species occur on 36 hectares. The adjacent areas consist of 500 hectares Mountain fynbos and afro- montane forest with another 900 plant species.
In the afternoon we take a walk on the dry western side of Table Mountain.

Day 4: Kogelberg Nature ReserveWe leave Cape Town and head east to Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Here about 1600 Mountain fynbos species grow, of which 150 are endemic.

Day 5: De Hoop Nature ReserveAfter spending the morning in Kogelberg Nature Reserve we drive east to De Hoop Nature Reserve. On the way we visit Hermanus, famous for its Southern Right Whales and Cape Agulhas, the southern most tip of Africa.

Day 6: De Hoop Nature ReserveDe Hoop Nature Reserve is the biggest reserve in the Cape region. On a game drive we will almost definitely see some Ostrich, Bontebok, Mountain Zebra and Eland, the largest antelope in Africa. One of the highlights here is whale watching. From May to November this is the main breeding and calving spot for Southern Right Whales, which can be observed from the high sand dunes along the beach. This is one of the last areas where Lowland Fynbos occurs. We explore its many bulbs, succulents, Erica- and Restio species.

Day 7: Wilderness und OudtshoornThe Garden Route is one of the most beautiful areas in southern Africa, and hosts a vast diversity of plant species. We visit Wilderness National Park where we take a walk in an afro- montane forest. Via the Outeniqua Pass we reach the small Karoo and overnight in Oudtshoorn.

Day 8: Small Karoo We explore different parts of the small Karoo, which is famous for its Mountain fynbos, succulents and aloes.

Day 9: Cederberg MountainsToday we take a long drive through the small Karoo with several stops to look at many interesting flowers. In the evening we reach the southern parts of the Cederberg Mountains.

Day 10: Cederberg MountainsWe explore the area around Ceres. Here we find many different species of Mountain fynbos like Leucospermum reflexum and Protea Cryophila, which is found nowhere else in the world.

Day 11: Niewoudtville We head north through the Cederberg Mountains and the orange plantations of Citrusdal to reach Niewoudtville in the evening.

Day 12: Bokkeveld We explore the „Bokkeveld“ with its tubers and aloes such as the famous Quiver Trees, Aloe dichotoma.

Day 13: NamaqualandToday we explore the Knersvlakte (succulents and „living stones“) and the flowering Namaqualand. Depending on where the rain has been falling the flowers are found in different areas in this unique semi-desert area.

Day 14: West Coast National Parks We visit the West Coast National Park which is an important reserve for the rare coastal Fynbos. The National Park is situated around the bird sanctuary of the Langebaan Lagoon.