Page 223 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa
P. 223

THE  WEST   C O AST      221




 Keetmanshoop
              7 Goegap Nature Reserve
            Situated 15 km (9 miles) east of
                Springbok, the “capital” of
           Namaqualand, the Goegap Nature
            Reserve’s flat plains and granite
              koppies support hundreds of
             succulents. Over the years, the
             reserve has recorded 580 plant
             species within its boundaries.

    Upington
 Springbok

                            5 Nieuwoudtville Wildflower Reserve
                            This reserve contains the world’s largest
                            concentration of geophytes (plants with
                            bulbs, corms or tubers). Of the 300 plant
                            species, the more prominent ones are the
 Kamieskroon                irises and lily family.



 Groen
                                    4 Vanrhynsdorp
                                   This town is situated
                      0 kilometres  50  in the stony Kners vlakte
                      0 miles  25  (a name that literally
                                 translates as “gnashing
                                plains”). Spring ushers in
          Nieuwoudtville           dramatic displays of
                       Calvinia    succulents such as
    Olifants    J                such as botterblom and
                                   vygies, and annuals
                                  gousblom (Ursinia sp).
   Doring Bay
       J                                       Tips for Drivers
               Clanwilliam
  Lambert’s             Doring                 Tour length: Due to the extent
     Bay         Clanwilliam                   of the area, trips can vary from
                   Dam
                                               one to three days. Contact Cape
                                               Town Tourism for details of tour
                Cederberg Mountains
                 Citrusdal                     operators.
  St Helena                                    When to go: Flowers bloom
   Bay
                                               Aug–Oct. Call Namaqualand
                                               Tourism for the best viewing
 J           Piketberg  Ceres                  areas. Flowers open only on
 Saldanha  Langebaan                           sunny days, and are best
                                               between 11am and 4pm; drive
                                               with the sun behind you and
               Berg
     West Coast            3 Biedouw Valley    the flowers facing you.
    J National Park        This valley is famous for its   Where to stay and eat: Each
        Darling
  Yzerfontein              mesembryanthemums, a   town has its own hotel, as well as
             Malmesbury    succulent species more   guesthouses and a camp site.
                           commonly known by its   n Cape Town Tourism:
                Paarl      Afrikaans name, vygie.   ∑ capetown.travel.com
     Cape                  Daisies and mesembryan­  Namaqualand Tourism:
     Town                  themums form the major   027 712­2820;
                           group of Namaqualand’s   ∑ namaqualand.com
                           4,000 floral species.
   220-221_EW_South_Africa.indd   221                        25/05/17   2:46 pm
   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228