Cape Town, South Africa has more than its fair share of “must see attractions”.
With that said, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden truly is something you don’t want to miss.
Visiting The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (Cape Town, South Africa)
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a series on my trip to South Africa.
About The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
This UNESCO World Heritage Site was founded in 1913 and sits at the base of Cape Town’s infamous Table Mountain.
Specializing in indigenous plants, this garden contains any species from five of South Africa’s south different biome regions.
Location & Getting There:
Getting to the garden is about a 15-minute drive by automobile from downtown Cape Town, but it’s also accessible from “stop #20” on the City’s Hop-On-Hop-Off bus‘s Blue Line.
Map Of The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
The Visitor Center:
As you arrive, you’ll enter the park near GATE 1 at the Visitor Center.
Be sure to check out the exhibits on South Africa’s indigenous flowers (of which there is a vast variety).
Red Pincushion Protea
The Tree Canopy Walkway
As you enter the garden, you are free to wander the grounds of the park via the many trails of the Tree Canopy Walkway.
Table Mountain’s Castle Rock looms beyond the entrance gate
Keep an eye out for the ancient Cycads plants extinct in the wild by 1916).
The Boomslang
The star of the show on the Tree Canopy Walkway, is the infamous “Boomslang,” a beautiful winding bridge that leads visitors through the garden’s canopy.
Standing on the “Boomslang”
Nursery Ravine, Castle Rock, and Skeleton Gorge (with the Boomslang below)
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Views Of Table Mountain
Fernwood Peak and Devil’s Peak
A Common Coral Tree
Indigenous Flowers:
A King Protea flower
Pincushion Protea
The red flowers of the Common Coral Tree
Yellow Pincushion Protea
The Silvertree
The Dinosaurs
There is a small “Dinosaur Zone” exhibition with metal dinosaurs placed among the Cycads near the Tree Canopy Walkway.
Pterodactyl
Native South African Aloe Vera
Other Wildlife
Helmeted Guinea-fowl
Egyptian Goose with goslings
Final Thoughts: Visiting The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
As it turned out, we only visited the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden because it was included as part of the tour we were on.
Although we had never even heard about it before we went, it turned out to be one of the major highlights of Cape Town for us.
The location of the garden near Table Mountain was stunning, and the grounds of the garden was absolutely beautiful. I definitely recommend travelers to Cape Town save a half-day when paying a visit to he Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, it’s well-worth a visit.
Cheers!
