8-day 

 

Namaqualand Flower Tour    

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Namaqualand is a place where one can experience nature in a special and extraordinary way and is steeped in the story of the Namaqualand daisies; an abundance of fertile flowers that transform the almost lifeless Namaqualand into a beautiful floral display of beauty in spring.

It was once the hunting ground of the Bushman, with wonderful stories of survival in an unfriendly and unforgiving world, until the rains come and everything unfolds in an unprecedented floral splendour.

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     Itinerary:

 

If you arrive a day or two earlier, we recommend booking an excursion to Soweto or the Apartheid Museum.

 

You will be picked up at any of the following spots for the start of the tour between 6 am and 7 am:

1. O.R.Tambo Airport, 2. Gautrain Centurion Station,

3. Your centrally located hotel, 4. Home pick up

Please request a quote (info@amatungulu.com) for home pick up, or if your hotel is not on our route. (Between the O.R.Tambo Airport and our destination.) Pick up point must be indicated on the booking form. 

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Day 1: Johannesburg - Kimberley -500km

Depart early from Johannesburg / Pretoria in a westerly direction. The road takes us through the plains of the old Western Transvaal, across the Vaal River. We stop several times along the way and view the great hole of Kimberley during which the glory of the social life that followed the discovery of diamonds is experienced. We spend the night in Kimberley with your normal or luxury accommodation options.

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Day 2: Kimberley - Upington -410km

History lies dotted on the R64 that runs west from Kimberley over places with names such as Schmidtsdrift, Campbell, Griquatown, Boegoeberg to Upington. Already here we can see some of the Kalahari sand dunes along the way and if we are lucky gemsbok and springbok. Dried fruit is bought along the road. A stop at Augrabies is part of the travel program. We spend the night in Upington.

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Day 3: Upington – Kamieskroon- 550km

We hope that this year's flower season will be long and the East wind will stay away. We drive to Springbok and enjoy lunch at a restaurant. Then to the Namaqua National Park. Here it's just splendour of colour where you look. We spend the night in the vicinity of Kamieskroon.

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Day 4: Kamieskroon - Lamberts Bay -425km

After breakfast we travel through the Knersvlakte in the direction of the Bokkeveld mountain range where we will drive up the Van Rhyns Pass which offers some incredible views over Namaqualand. Then to the quiver tree nursery in Vanrhynsdorp, a refuge of species from the region. We visit the flower bulb capital of the world, Nieuwoudtville, where the bulb species grow in the 'Boland of the Namaqualand'. We hunt the most beautiful areas for wildflowers, for common flower species, and also visit the Hantam Botanical Garden. After this we drive to Lamberts Bay, with a stop at Clanwilliam to visit the Rooibos tea factory shop and the Ramskop Nature Park.

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Day 5: Lambertsbaai – Langebaan - 170km

Lambertsbaai owes its origins to simple beginnings as a fishing village. From here we travel to the West Coast National Park, against the background of the blue lagoon, white dunes, rare fynbos, green wetlands and boundless waves, there is much to experience, we see the wildlife in the park, and especially enjoy the Postberg part. We spend the night in Langebaan.

 

Day 6: Langebaan – Matjiesfontein – 300km

Start the drive back inland after we say goodbye to the West Coast and experience the open spaces of the Karoo after we cross the Cape fold mountains. The Cape Fold Belt is a late Paleozoic fold and thrust belt, which affected the sequence of sedimentary rock layers of the Cape Supergroup in the southwestern corner of South Africa. Overnight in the Matjiesfontein area.

(Optional lunch at "die Strandloper" if group agrees)

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Day 7: Matjiesfontein - Gariep dam- 600km

After breakfast we leave for Gariep dam. It's a long road but we often stop to stretch our legs. Overnight at A’damsview which is considered a place with one of the best views over the interior of South Africa, and enjoys the breathtaking views over the largest dam. (or similar accommodation)

 

Day 8: Gariep Dam - Home -650km

From Gariep we drive to Bloemfontein. There we pay a short visit to the Women's Monument. After another long day we come home with beautiful memories.