Exploring the Blooming Beauty of the West Coast

Every year, the captivating spectacle of wild flowers unfolds on the Cape West Coast, revealing one of the most breathtaking flower exhibitions globally. And every year, I manage to miss it, even though the West Coast National Park and its vibrant Postberg Flower Reserve can be reached within a mere hour’s drive from Cape Town. I must confess, this negligence on my part almost feels like a crime.

Guess what? I got lucky this year! I mean, really lucky. Let me tell you all about it. So, I was invited to join this super cool group of hikers on what I later found out is a really exclusive trail called the Steenbok Trail. You should definitely check out these awesome hikes to see spring flowers, by the way. Anyway, back to my story. The weather was absolutely amazing, and it was the kind of perfect spring day that you can only dream of. And you won’t believe this, but the group said that this year’s wild flower display was the best they’ve seen ever. Well, at least in the past 16 years. Can you imagine that?

Now, if you’re anything like me and you’ve been putting off visiting the West Coast National Park, it’s time to stop being lazy and just go! Trust me, you won’t regret it. Especially not today, because right now, the flowers are at their absolute peak. I mean, we’re talking about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here. And even if you think you’ve already seen it all, think again. This year’s flower extravaganza will leave you absolutely speechless, no matter how many flower seasons you’ve witnessed before.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to experience the Steenbok Trail this year. It’s only available in August and September, and you have to book it in June. The spots fill up quickly, so make sure to mark your calendar for June 1st, 2013 to book the Steenbok Trail. The hike is supposed to last five hours and cover around 14km, but somehow we ended up walking 17km in over seven hours. It’s an easy walk with a few small hills, but my legs are screaming in pain. I’ve realized that flower photography involves a lot of squats and pushups (check out these 5 tips for spring flower viewing).

I’ve also added the two-day Postberg hiking trail to my wishlist.

If you can still drive around the reserve in your car, there’s no need to wait until you secure a spot on one of the trails (even though they are the best way to experience the reserve). If possible, I suggest visiting on a weekday because there were quite a few cars on Sunday, and I imagine sitting in a traffic jam might ruin the joy.

These are only a few of the countless photos I took on the hike. If you want to see more, you can find a bigger gallery on alisonwestwood.com.

Did you get a chance to see the beautiful wild flowers this year? What did you think?

If you couldn’t make it up the West Coast, I have some great recommendations for you to check out the top spots for spring flowers around Cape Town.