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Visit the West Coast National Park to See Wildflowers in Spring
Visit the West Coast National Park to See Wildflowers in Spring.
Daisy colors include orange, white, pink, and yellow. This time of year, Postberg and other locations in the Western and Northern Cape are covered in a carpet of multicolored wildflowers.
I took a vacation from my desk last week to go from Cape Town to Postberg, one of the most well-known locations for Western Cape wildflower viewing, on the West Coast.
South African people can enter the West Coast National Park for free this week (8–13 September) as long as they have their ID book with them!
Naturally, Wild Card holders also get free admission.
The wild flowers are blooming, right?
Yes, or almost, the springtime blooms are in full bloom. Although the buds have begun to open, the floral display is still in its early stages. The blooms ‘arrived’ late this year (2014) due to the rainfall being a few weeks behind schedule, and it is already early September.
Seeing these native wildflowers in bloom in August and September is made even more memorable by the fact that many of them are endemic.
The most recent Flower Reports for the 2014 flower season are available on the West Coast Tourism website. These reports describe the kinds of flowers that are available and their abundance in the various national parks, reserves, and guest farms.
What is the location for seeing wild flowers?
Go to the Western Cape’s Cedarberg region or the Northern Cape’s Namaqualand region if you’re searching for other locations to see the wildflowers. The Cape Columbine Nature Reserve is located in Cape Town, in the Darling area, just a short distance from the West Coast National Park.
The most well-known location for wildflower viewing is Namaqualand, which is located closer to the Namibian border and further north along the west coast. On the way to Springbok, you can stop at the well-known Namaqua National Park, Goegap Nature Reserve, Kamieskroon, and the Skilpad Wildflower Reserve.
Another popular location to see the wildflowers is Tankwa Karoo National Park, which is located just inland and somewhat north of West Coast National Park.
Along with Biedouw Valley and Boskloof Valley, the Ramskop Wildflower Reserve near Clanwilliam is a gem of the Cedarberg region.
Check out the ShowMe South Africa guide for more specific information on where to see the wildflowers.
A Day in Postberg Among the Wild Flowers
The morning air was still cold, and there weren’t many people around when we arrived shortly after the gates opened.
A road sign warning vehicles to be mindful of tortoises was followed immediately by a tortoise crossing the road, which was the first animal I observed in West Coast National Park.
A brilliant pink vygie was the first flower I saw, and a Franklin was the first bird I saw.
I saw some kudu, a grey mongoose, and other fluttering birds while driving up through the West Coast National Park towards the Postberg portion. I stopped at the Atlantic Viewpoint and Kraalbaai, which are both excellent places to have coffee and some snacks. Great views of Langebaan Lagoon, with its turquoise fringes, may be seen from the Kraalbaai stop in the morning.
It was fascinating and visually appealing to witness some of the cast members of the Afrikaans television program ‘Boer Soek ‘n Vrou’ (which translates to ‘Farmer Looks for a Wife’) try SUP boarding.
A senior member of the Honorary Rangers came up to my window as the Postberg gate was opening and offered to sell me a laminated color copy of the Postberg map along with a reference to the city’s flora and wildlife, which I naturally purchased. The revenues from the R30 guide/map card are used to support zebra research in the Postberg reserve and the Honorary Rangers’ work in South Africa’s national parks.
The calm and tranquility of being in nature, especially early in the morning before more people arrived, was the highlight of my day excursion to the West Coast National Park, aside from the vibrant flowers. Watching some slothful lizards sunbathe on the rocks at the Lookout Point (sign-posted as Uitkyk in Afrikaans) was my favorite stop. Along with some lovely peachy flowers, a few tortoises, birds, and a scurrying mongoose, the views over the lagoon were breathtaking.
With views of the ocean and a beachside knoll blanketed in flaming-orange wild flowers, the Plankiesbaai picnic area—a popular destination—was equally breathtaking.
In addition to zebras and ostriches, I saw a few bokkies (antelopes), including springbok, eland, gemsbok, and a lone wildebeest.
Duiker, steenbok, polecat, wild cat, bat-eared fox, caracal, porcupine, and Cape fox are among the other fauna found in Postberg.
Travel Advice for West Coast National Park
1. Because it gets hot outside, wear cool clothing and drink lots of water.
2. Bring sunglasses, a sun hat, and sunscreen (flowers look much nicer with sunglasses on!).
3. When the sun is high and the day is hot, the flowers look their finest.
4. Binoculars will be useful for observing animals and birds.
5. To avoid the crowds, arrive early. West Coast NP gates open at 7:00, allowing you to stroll to the Postberg gate, which opens at 9:00.
6. If you intend to eat at the Geelbek Restaurant, reserve a table (it’s highly suggested), or purchase a full picnic basket to take with you.
7. Have brunch at the Plankiesbaai picnic area, which is a great location by the sea but gets crowded.
8. Slow down and pay attention to the traffic signs; because the dirt lanes are small, automobiles crush the flowers.
9. Respect speed limitations (50 km on paved roads and 30 km on dirt roads) to prevent causing needless dust and running over tortoises and other animals.
10. To avoid squashing flowers, plants that aren’t yet in bloom, and other flora, stay on the walkways and avoid the veld.
The national park also offers hiking and walking trails, including the shorter Bakoor Trail, the two-day Strandveld Trail, and the one-day Steenbok Trail.
Traveling by car to the West Coast National Park from Cape Town
At a sensible (within speed limits) pace, the travel from Cape Town to the West Coast National Park takes slightly over an hour. Fortunately, both directions are avoiding the main commuter traffic, so I left at around 6:30 to escape traffic and see the sunrise and returned to the city at 16:00, avoiding some of it.
It takes fifteen minutes to take the R27 from the Langebaan gate at the top of the national park to the West Coast gate to the south.