Articles
SPRING TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA
September is the beginning of Spring in South Africa. There’s excitement in the air as nature comes alive and days get warmer. The Cape Floral Region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising 8 protected areas, has 8,500 plant species, 70% of which occur nowhere else in the world.
During spring, from September to mid-October, the dry semi-arid regions of the Northern Cape come alive with millions of flowers that carpet the landscape. Many South Africans flock to Namaqualand at this time of year to see the Namaqualand daisies. There are popular flower shows in the Cape and shoes in Caldeon, Darling and Clanwilliam.
For those who enjoy hiking, the South African Spring season is the ideal time when temperatures are not too hot, and there’s not too much rainfall.
There are many reasons to visit De Hoop Nature Reserve on the southern Cape Coast near Bredasdorp. One is that it is a nursery for southern right whales. The other is De Hoop Vlei, a Ramsar wetland and birders’ paradise. Thousands of Cape shovellers, and greater and lesser flamingoes, pelicans, and yellow-billed duck are among the 260 bird species that migrate here at this time of the year.
Although a year-round destination, the Addo Elephant National Park is great to visit in spring or autumn when it’s not too hot or too cold. Home to the Big 7 (buffalo, lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, great white sharks and southern right whales), its elephant population has swelled to 450 today.
