|
THE CAPE FLORAL ROUTES
The floral wealth of the Cape coastal belt and the hillsides and mountains of the hinterland rank amongst the top ten floras worldwide.
The Cape Floral Kingdom is the smallest of the world's six plant kingdoms, covering only 0.04% of the earth's surface. It is however by far the richest in variety, boasting 8 600 species of which 68% occur nowhere else in the world.
An interesting fact is that more plant species are to be found in the Cape Peninsula than in the whole of the United Kingdom. Why so many different plants thrive in so small an area as the Cape Floral Kingdom is still not fully understood. In all probability, changes in climate over millions of
years, frequent fires, the broken terrain and a variety of nutrient-poor soils created a huge range of habitats, encouraging plants to evolve in new ways.
As with so much of the world's natural heritage. Cape flora is under severe pressure. It is thus important that the majority of people become aware of the value of their flora and commit themselves to safeguarding it.
FLOWER ROUTE TIPS
The best flower displays usually occur from August to mid-October. Weather patterns, particularly hot berg winds, determine the duration of the flower season, making accurate prediction difficult.
Flowering starts in the Northern Cape in the Springbok area and spreads southwards as the season progresses and the weather becomes warmer.
The flowers are at their best during the hottest part of the day, from approximately 1 1 am until 3pm.
The flowers turn towards the sun, therefore they should be viewed while driving or walking with the sun behind one.
Although fynbos is at its most spectacular during late winter and spring, there are flowers to be enjoyed in any season.
Diversity is one of the miracles of the wild flower regions and it is only by taking a closer look that one is able to enjoy their variety.
FLOWER ROUTE AREAS:
Namakwaland & Hantam Karoo
Breede River Valley
The West Coast
The Overberg
Greater Cape Town
The Karoo
Cape Winelands
Garden Route
What is Fynbos?
|
|
|
IN THE AREA:
RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION:
BUDGET:
LUXURY:
SELF CATERING:
BED&BREAKFAST:
GUEST HOUSES:
GAME LODGES:
HOTELS:
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES:
RECOMMENDED ATTRACTIONS:
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS:
RECOMMENDED SHOPPING:
RECOMMENDED TOUR OPERATORS:
RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
RECOMMENDED CAR HIRE / HOLIDAY HIRE:
RECOMMENDED SAFARIS:
RECOMMENDED CONFERENCE VENUES:
RECOMMENDED WEDDINGS AND HONEYMOONS:
RECOMMENDED ROUTES & MEANDERS:
|
|
