Harold Porter Botantical Gardens

Harold Porter Botantical Gardens
These beautiful gardens are well worth a visit. Laid out in a perfect corner, where two mountain rivers join, it provides many tranquil walks in the region. The grass lawns stretch out towards the mountains, where a variety of ecosystems have been cultivated. Walk around the rivulets, and observe real pools, containing all the natural life of the area. The proteas here are spectacular in season, along with a host of ericas. The Western Cape Fynbos is the richest floral kingdom in the world, supporting more species than any other area, and these mountains here are host to some of the most beautiful species that can be found. Look out for Cape Sugarbirds, found in the Cape and no where else in the world. Their long tails, as they fly from protea to protea is a dead giveaway. There are one of a few species that are entirely dependent on proteas, the most famous South African flowers.

One of the main walks in the region is up DIsa Kloof. This is easy to do as its mostly on a very easy to navigate flat path. The path starts as you cross the first bridge on the western side of the gardens. Follow the path up the river to eventually come to a beautiful large waterfall. The water here is dark brown as a result of being stained by the tannin in the soil. Its still perfectly good for drinking.

The other walk, is called Leopards Kloof, and has its own entry in our Portfolio. Its best done from early in the morning, as your primary walk. Please find the entry here.

There is an entry fee to the Botanical gardens charged at the gate.
A PDF is available below for downloading to provide you with full details on how to get to this incredible place, along with MAPS and interesting facts about the region.

Driving and Safety

How far do your drive?

<10 min from Cape Town.

Get Actual Distance/Time

Driving Difficulty?

Tar all the way, no difficult or dangerous inclines or road

Personal Safety

Extremely low risk

Parking

Privately owned area or park. Considered safe

How wild, beautiful and Spectacular

How Unknown?

A large amount of people know this place

How Wild?

The wildness of this area is ranked 4/10

How Spectacular?

Spectacular.

How beautiful?

Really Beautiful

Walking and Danger

How Tough

Simple - Not really a walk. Park next door

Time it takes one direction, no stopping

1 hr Half Day, Low fitness . Allow 4 hours+ for this walk.

Path Quality

Path is 100% planked, on a platform, could almost be done in a wheelchair

No Path whatsover

0% is not a path at all.

Exposure?

Path is not exposed

Rock Scrambling

Hands are never used, and no rock scrambling or climbing

Suitable for 9-11 yrs old?

Very Suitable

All our walks/hikes/explorations are not suitable for less than 9 year olds. 12 years old plus generally can cope with a lot with the right encouragement.

Download the PDF to get...

Detailed instructions on how to get there
A Map Layout
Hints and tips about the area