Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is the most beautiful garden in Africa and one of the most beautiful in the world. It is one of 10 botanical gardens in South Africa and was established in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the extraordinarily rich and diverse flora of southern Africa. The setting is like no other, on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. Kirstenbosch is the first ever garden to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kirstenbosch displays a wide variety of the unique plant life of the Cape Flora, known as fynbos. Plants from all the diverse regions and biomes of southern Africa are also grown at Kirstenbosch, including a near-complete collection of cycads. The Botanical Society Conservatory is a custom-built glasshouse which grows and displays plants from the arid regions that cannot survive outdoors. There are over 7 000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species.

Tucked away between some 430 trees, visitors to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden should not forego the opportunity to traverse the Boomslang, an arboreal ‘bridge’ that offers stunning views over the garden and the mountain.
The walkway was built to commemorate Kirstenbosch’s 100 th year in 2013 but, due to construction delays, only opened to the public in May 2014.

It is a steel-and-timber structure of 130m, starting at ground level and rising to some 12m above the ground. Because it’s crescent-shaped, the walkway ends a short distance from the start. It is also suitable for wheelchair users.

Its ingenious design makes it a sinuous structure that winds its way through the trees – like the indigenous tree snake it is named after that is rarely seen on the ground.

In an act of ‘bio-mimicry’, the outer steel frame resembles the rib cage of a snake enclosing the wooden bridge and looks a bit like a roller-coaster ride for pedestrians.
More than just a garden, Kirstenbosch is part of a nature reserve – the garden is part of a larger estate on the mountainside that supports natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. The Kirstenbosch Estate borders the Table Mountain National Park, and the Garden merges seamlessly with the natural fynbos and forest of the mountain.

Picnicking on the lawn is allowed, but ball games are not allowed in the gardens.

HOW TO GET HERE

Take a taxi or self-drive. The garden is also a regular stop on the City Sightseeing hop-on, hop-off bus route.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

All year as there is always something different flowering in the garden.

AROUND THE AREA

Kirstenbosch lies in the heart of Cape Town's southern suburbs. Not far from here is the Cavendish Square Shopping Centre, which has a range of restaurants and shops.

TOURS TO DO

The garden offers free guided tours at 10am and 2pm from Mondays to Saturdays. For those who don't wish to walk around, you can join a shuttle car tour (which leaves every hour) for an additional R55.

GET AROUND

Within the garden, you'll have to walk. There are also shuttle car tours (at a cost of an additional R55 per person).

WHAT WILL IT COST

Entry into the garden is R45 for adults and R10 for children. Holders of a Botanical Society card get in free. There is no additional cost to enter the tree canopy walkway.

LENGTH OF STAY

Spend at least a morning or afternoon here.

WHAT TO PACK

Cape Town is a winter rainfall area, so take a rain jacket if you visit between May and July. Summers (November to February) can be warm but the weather is highly changeable. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Birders should take binoculars, and photographers will want to have their cameras with them.

WHERE TO STAY

Cape Town has a great variety of tourist accommodation, from B&Bs through to five-star hotels.

WHAT TO EAT

There are two restaurants in the garden, one of which is a tearoom and the other a Moyo African-style restaurant.

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Kirstenbosch has an active programme throughout the year. Check the listed website for details.

BEST BUYS

Natural history books and indigenous plants.