Succulent Karoo biome, South Africa (UK)

VVisit the Karoo (Northern Cape) in spring and you’ll be rewarded with an expansive tapestry of flowering annuals. This beautiful display of wildflowers – splashes of white, orange, purple, yellow and party-pink – is just one of the reasons Succulent Karoo is so special. If the rains have come at the right time and in the right quantities, you won’t be able to put down your camera.

The conservation of Succulent Karoo is crucial. It’s one of the world’s most biodiverse biomes, with well over 4 000 species – 40% of these found nowhere else on the planet. You’ll find one-third of the world’s succulent species in this arid wonderland, which is why ecologists are scrambling to protect the area.

MMany succulents are known best by their evocative Afrikaans or Nama names: donkey ears; little buttons; fat fingers; chicken feet; goose droppings; butter-trees; and baby's bums.

Visit Namaqua National Park or the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park to see the incredible flora for yourself. The botanical gardens in Worcester and Nieuwoudtville are also worth a visit.

Did You Know?

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Who to contact

South African National Biodiversity Institute

+27 (0)12 843 5000

https://www.sanbi.org

Namaqua National Park

+27 (0)27 672 1948

http://www.sanparks.org/parks/namaqua

Best time to visit

Visit in spring (August to September) to see the wildflowers in full bloom.

Things to do

Go on a guided game drive or a scenic hike.

What to pack

A camera is a must, to capture the beauty of the area.

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Succulent Karoo

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