South Africa (Botany)
"The flowers that bloom in the spring"
The Cape Floristic Region, located at the southern tip of the African continent, is the only floral kingdom to be contained entirely within the geographical boundaries of one country. The area is less than 90,000 square kilometres yet it contains the highest density of plant species in the world, exceeding that of many tropical rainforest ecosystems and with nearly 70% being endemic. Although the smallest floral kingdom in the world, it is home to 3% of the world's plant species.
The emphasis of this new tour is botany but we won't be ignoring the birds and mammals with which South Africa abounds. The holiday starts in Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula area where highlights are visits to Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Point and the Boulders Beach Penguin colony. Our route then takes us up the West Coast where the rugged coastline contrasts with the pristine beauty of the springtime floral tapestry. For most of the year it seems as if this region is unable to support any but the toughest forms of life, but the seemingly lifeless soil sustains thousands of wild flower species which, following the winter rains, come to life during the months of August to October.
Further north still is the Namaqualand which, as part of the Succulent Karoo, is the only arid hotspot in the world. Endemics are clustered throughout the interesting rocky habitats and if you look closely you will find many dwarf succulents - especially in the Knersvlakte (the teeth-gnashing flats) area.
Known as the 'bulb capital of the world' the reserves around Nieuwoudtville offer some breathtaking species such as Geissorhiza splendidissima and Babiana framesii. The great diversity of flowers and particularly of geophytes that occur on the Bokkeveld plateau is what distinguishes this area from the rest of Namaqualand. About 200 species of birds are thought to occur in the vicinity of Nieuwoudtville. including threatened species such as Ludwig's Bustard, Blue Crane and Martial Eagle. The reserves around here also often echo with the noisy call of the Southern Black Korhaan.
Following a brief visit to the Rooibos Tea growing region with its breathtaking sandstone mountains we'll continue to one of the Game Reserves in the area to watch species such as the Bontebok, Eland, Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra and Springbok. The final highlight of the tour is the Overberg, with its diverse reserves and picturesque fynbos-covered mountains while, in Walker Bay, Southern Right Whales grace the area with their presence.
The holiday will be run at a relaxed pace and, as well as enjoying the prolific plant and bird life, we'll take time out to check out some of the local gastronomic specialities such as South Africa's famous wines and cheeses.
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