Flower Season. The Capes Floral Kingdom

TIME:
Four days, three nights if you have time on your hands (or one action-packed weekend if work shouts too loudly).

DISTANCE:
About 350km (excluding mileage in the West Coast National Park)

BEST TIME TO GO:
Spring (August to October) when the wild flowers turn the veld into a rainbow carpet, the whales are frolicking beyond the waves and everything’s green after the winter rains. But this is an all-year-round destination, turning sun-bleached and dry in summer, and moody, wild and rugged in winter.

THE ROUTE:
See wild flowers and wild seas all along the Cape’s stormy West Coast, from the West Coast National Park to the quaint fishing village of Paternoster.

Day One
Breakfast at Blouberg (or visit Groote Post wine estate). Veld walk around the Rondeberg Private Nature Reserve. Picnic in the West Coast National Park.
Overnight in Langebaan.

Day Two
Explore Langebaan or try some action sports. Lunch at an open-air seafood restaurant. Watch the sunset from a kayak in the lagoon. Overnight in Langebaan.

Day Three
Head for Paternoster via the West Coast Fossil Park. Lunch above the long beach at Paternoster. Visit Cape Columbine Nature Reserve and South Africa’s rudest bay, then take a lighthouse tour. Overnight in Paternoster.

Day Four
Head for Darling with a stop at the Tienie Versfeld. Wildflower Reserve. Catch a show at Evita se Perron, or lunch at Groote Post. Sunset and dinner at Blouberg.

Before you go
Veld walks at Rondeberg Private Nature Reserve need to be booked in advance.The Cape Columbine lighthouse is only open for tours on weekdays. Groote Post wine estate is closed on Sundays. Be sure to book for Tannie Evita’s show in Darling. This would mean that you’ll miss lunch at Groote Post but you can visit the wine estate on Day One instead. Phone to book ahead for lunch at Die Strandloper restaurant in Langebaan.

Make it a weekend!
This route can be completed in one weekend, especially out of flower season. Visit either the West Coast National Park or the Fossil Park on Saturday morning, lunch at Die Strandloper, then overnight in Paternoster. Grab a show in Darling on Sunday and head back for a leisurely dinner in Blouberg. This route can also be done in reverse, as part of the return journey from the Rocks Route.

Siyabona Africa Travel recommends Western Cape nature reserve accommodation.

DAY 1 - Waterfront to Blouberg – 30min

Turn left as you leave the Waterfront and follow N1 Paarl. Take second offramp onto R27 (Paarden Eiland, Milnerton). At the traffic lights after 15km turn left into Marine Drive (Blouberg, Atlantic Beach). At 18km turn left into Sir David Baird Drive, then second left into Stadler Road (signed for Café Blouberg). Café Blouberg is at 19km. Ons Huisie is 400m further.

This route starts with a sweep around Table Bay harbour. Interestingly, the bay was first named Saldanha Bay by Portuguese admiral Antonio de Saldanha who anchored here in 1503. The bay was given its new name in 1601, with today’s Saldanha Bay acquiring the admiral’s name, even though he in fact never dropped anchor there.

After a rather industrial beginning past the factories of Paarden Eiland you reach Woodbridge Island, which marks the start of the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve. Out to sea on your left is Robben Island, most famous as Nelson Mandela’s prison for almost two decades. Look back every now and then to see one of the most photographed views in the world – Table Mountain looming majestically out of the sea across Table Bay.

Many photographs are taken from Bloubergstrand (originally Blaauwberg), named after the 231-metre mountain that looks blue from across the bay. It’s often windy here, but the kite flyers and kitesurfers skimming over the waves make good use of it! There are loads of curios, kites and other goodies for sale along this stretch of Beach Road.

Café Blouberg is the breakfast spot. Dating back to 1860, it was once a fisherman’s cottage, and some of the original stone walls have been left exposed. Prepare to feast – the menu boasts two and a half pages of breakfast options, including everything from French toast and flapjacks to eggs Florentine. The café is tiny so if it’s full keep going to Ons Huisie, another fisherman’s cottage which is also a national monument.