It might not feel like it every day in Cape Town, but springtime is around the corner and that means the flowering season is almost upon us on the West Coast! Self-driven or guided tours, day-trips or overnight stays, here are some tips to make the most out of the abundant wild flowers.

1. Get going! The flowering takes place between mid-August and late September (it might continue into October if you’re lucky), so now is the time to see this fleeting beauty.

2. Take advantage of National Parks Week (18-22 September 2017) where all parks in the country offer free entrance. That’s a bit of a kick to get going and save where entry to Western Cape National Park would usually be R70 for adults and R35 for children (R100 for foreign visitors) and R136 per day for adults visiting Tankwa Karoo National Park.

3. Go to one of the many annual flower shows to see the different varieties in one spot and even enjoy some live music and good food all in one. The Darling Wild Flower show and Hermanus Botanical Society have their respective showcases in mid-September. If you’d rather enjoy the flowers in their natural setting and get your festival on all at once, check out the Wolfkop Weekender (Citrusdal) in September or even Rocking the Daisies (Darling) in October.

4. If you’re discovering the flowers for yourself, drive/hike/walk South-North (i.e. with the sun to your back) so the flowers are always facing you. They turn towards the sun, so you might just encounter a blanket of dullness if you’re facing the same direction. This also means you’ll not have much luck on a cloudy day, so check that forecast before you go!

5. Hike the 2-day Postberg wildflower trail in the Western Cape National Park – the Postberg section of the park is only open to the public in August and September. Other fantastic guided trails include the Steenbok one-day trail and Eve’s trail (2.5 days). These walks can take a maximum of 20 people at once though and fill up fast, so book in advance! Bookings open in June. Visit https://www.sanparks.org/parks/west_coast to do so.

If you’re happy to see the show for a few hours or just a day, why not stay with us at Ashanti? Check out our accommodation options in Cape Town: