Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden — Attraction in Breede Valley Local Municipality

I visited the Kokerboom Botanical Gardens which is situated at the foot of the outgrowth of the mountains. Ofcourse there are indigeneous plants and protected species of the most beautiful and succulant plants. Some of them are marked with some literature on a specific specie which makes a good read. Can you enjoy the picturisque mountain side without having to do the hiking trails? Yes you can. There is a resturant called the Kokerboom Resturant. The view out faces toward the mountains and you can enjoy the tranquillity of nature at its best. The resturant offers an average menu with reasonable prices. The staff are friendly and attentive to ones' order. The resturant is accessible from the parking area. Walking towards the entry door you cross a shale path. My obeservations are that it is not wheel chair friendly or practical for moms and tots with a pram. There is a play park to keep children occupied. Other activities: you can do the hiking trails. Probably the best time fir a hike would be between August and October during...

Today was our first visit to these fine gardens at the foot of the Hex Valley mountains in Worcester, Western Cape. There is a good restaurant and grassed picnic areas shaded by trees to cater for everyones' needs. It is October already and close to the end of the flower season but there was still plenty to see. And what there was was abundant and spectacular! The gardens specialise in desert and semi-desert plants many of which are adapted to store water and limit transpiration. Generally these plants flower after the first rains and then, a few weeks later, the heat and arid conditions return and the plants lie dormant again until next time. And so we were a bit late this year - there was more to see around a month ago! Noted in my diary for next year! But the mountain setting and 3 hiking trails of varying length and difficulty make this a garden to visit...

The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is beautiful, but the communication regarding trail difficulty and conditions is dangerously poor. Do not trust reviews calling the trails "very easy." Even the shortest 30-minute red trail includes a steep, rocky downhill that isn't suitable for all visitors. The main issue is the complete lack of signage for major hazards. After climbing the blue trail, we found the path closed with no prior warning, forcing us to backtrack the entire way. Likewise, the unannounced green trail requires climbing with a rope, which is unsuitable for many, including those with a fear of heights. Finding these critical path issues and closures almost at the end of a long hike was shocking and frustrating. The garden is beautiful, but management must urgently improve signage and communicate closures. Always check conditions with staff...