Along the West Coast of South Africa it is very dry and flat.If you don’t know the area well and not sure why your going there, most people would probably go elsewhere, but you would be so very wrong to do that.
The west coast offers a few wonderful stops and things to see unique to its area, but there is one highlight not to miss if given the chance, the Namaqualand display of flowers. It really beats any flower show or garden centre you may have been to, but the there is always a catch, you timing needs to be perfect and this you can’t really prepare for.
The rains come in May till July, warmer weather starts in August and then it starts almost overnight. The flowers come out in the hundreds of thousands, carpets of rolling flowers across the hills. Colours range from anything you could imagine, bright oranges, yellows, blues, whites, the options are endless. After the first week some species of flowers start dying off, after 3 weeks you can already see just the last few flowers remaining.
The animals also take full opportunity of this short display, often see many butterflies, bees, tortoises and birds this time of year, but there is also a chance to see small antelopes, birds of prey and if you’re lucky enough small predators to caracal, wildcats and genets.
As a local its slightly easier, we get all the local gossip and can jump in our cars on a weekend to go and view the displays, having picnics and playing around. You have to enjoy it right there and then, you can’t take them home t, as soon as you pick them they start to close.
I have been lucky enough to see these displays on many occasions, but I have never quite been home at the
exact time to enjoy the full peak display, I still visit every year hoping one day to catch it at its best.
