Thoughts of Africa tend to bring images of the vast wilderness and incredible wild animals to mind. However, the scenic places in South Africa don’t stop at that. There are also many manicured and not-so-manicured sites where abundant gardens showcase the country’s incredible floral wealth.
Embrace the softer side of a southern African safari when you meander around these gorgeous and lush gardens scattered throughout South Africa.
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
This long-established Cape Town treasure has been growing since 1913 and is a delight for picnickers, floral enthusiasts and those who enjoy a Sunday afternoon concert. The gardens sprawl against the backdrop of Table Mountain and include some 6 800 species of South Africa’s indigenous plants.
Enjoy it all on well-marked paths or get a bird’s eye view from the Boomslang walkway which towers 12m above the arboretum.
From dainty Namaqualand daisies and vygies to huge baobabs and cycads, you’ll find it all at Kirstenbosch gardens.
- Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden
Long hailed as Johannesburg’s best place to immerse yourself in nature, and one of the most beautiful places on Earth, the Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden offers a breather from all the exciting things to do in the city.
Here, you’ll be transported on a journey through South Africa’s rich floral diversity on walks incorporating dams, waterfalls, bird hides and boardwalks. Some of the 600 Highveld species on show here include clivias, wildflowers, proteas and aloes.
A highlight is the breeding pair of Verreaux’s Eagles often seen near the waterfall.
- Lowveld Botanical Garden
Busting from the bushveld landscape outside Mbombela, The Lowveld Botanical Garden, is well worth a visit on route to the Kruger National Park.
This lush environment has a tropical feel and is the evergreen home to over 2 000 species, including the largest cycad collection on the continent.
Other highlights are the yellow bush lilies, vermillion flame creeper and a gushing waterfall.
- Durban Botanic Garden
Bot Gardens, as it’s fondly known, is Africa’s oldest formal botanical garden, with a long history stretching back to 1849. The gardens have survived through drought and political upheaval to become one of Durban’s top attractions and a popular venue for events, weddings and day trips.
The Palm Walk boasts specimens as old as the gardens themselves. You can wander among the Japanese Garden and Herb Garden, lose yourself in the indigenous forest, visit the inhabitants of the Living Bee Hive or get to grips with nature in the ‘Garden of Senses’’.
- Karoo Desert Botanical Garden
The Karoo is well-known for its unique vegetation and you can see it all at the Karoo Desert Botanical Garden outside Worcester.
This Botanical Garden, placed at the foot of the Hex River Mountains, is a collection of all the Karoo biomes – the Great Karoo, Little Karoo, the Worcester Robertson Karoo and the Ceres Tanqua Karoo. There’s also a section showcasing Namibian flora with a welwitschia in place.
Have a Blooming Good Time when you visit one or all of these South African gardens on your Southern African Safari.
Get in touch if you’d like to include the beauty and diversity of the most scenic places in South Africa in your Southern African safari itinerary.
