Maegan-Leigh JacobsRalph Waldo Emerson famously wrote, “The earth laughs in flowers.” Nowhere in South Africa is this more evident than in Namaqualand during its spectacular wildflower season.
The fleeting beauty of the Namaqua wildflower season is something everybody needs to experience at least once in their life because the flowers of Namaqualand do not simply bloom. They perform.
And few individuals are as passionate about the majesty of these flowers as Lysta Stander and Allan Johnston, Co-Founders and Executive Directors at South African Experiences, the organisation behind the Namaqua Flower Beach Camp.
This immersive floral experience, now in its 14th year, started in August 2011, when Chiefs Tented Camps made its debut in Namaqua National Park, arriving with 30 tons of equipment in the dead of night on a rainy evening. After getting bogged down in thick sand on the coastal route, the team managed to reach the site, unpacking only the essentials to set up camp for the night.
As dawn broke and the mist lifted, revealing an awe-inspiring sunrise, the true wonder of Namaqua unfolded before their eyes. It was then that the scale of the adventure they had embarked on became clear. This marked the start of an incredible journey into the world of flowers, and the learning and discoveries have continued ever since.
After experimenting with this unique concept in its early years, Chiefs Tented Camps decided to take the leap and expand the offering. In 2019, SANParks issued its first tender for the Namaqua Flower Camp, and Chiefs Tented Camps was awarded a 5-year concession. As the 2025 season approaches, Chiefs Tented Camps is set to begin the second 5-year term of this remarkable venture, which has blossomed into a symbol of grandeur, growth, and adventure.
Namaqua Flower Camp opens for four weeks exclusively when the flowers are in peak bloom, from late August to mid-September. It’s an immersive experience like few others – simple but stunning and truly one of the most iconic floral regions on Earth
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Images: Supplied
