Harold Porter National Botanical Garden

Cape Town & Western Cape Tourist Attractions

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden

Just 100 kilometres from Cape Town, take the beautiful coastal Route 44, between Gordon’s Bay and Betty’s Bay, to reach a peaceful and secluded garden lying snugly between mountains and sea.

The Harold Porter National Botanical Garden lies in the epicentre (heart) of the Cape fynbos region - a dedication to this natural shrubland vegetation with 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos garden, and a further 190 hectares of natural fynbos to gratify the visitor. The peaceful garden includes sweeping mountain slopes, deep gorges, and four vegetation types that occur naturally in the Overberg - afro montane forests, wetlands, coastal dunes and fynbos. Harold Porter is a magical display of proteas, ericas and leucadendrons set amidst meandering nature trails that take one up mountains, down gorges and through gardens in which some 60 species of bird, including the Cape sugarbird and the orange breasted sunbird, come to play.

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden

Leopards are rare but have been sighted, as have the nocturnal porcupines and genets, whilst mongooses, otters, dassies and baboons are more frequently seen. Educational storyboards about the plant and animal life are dotted throughout the garden making it easy for the visitor to take a self-guided tour along the paths, although organised guided tours are available.

Nature trails meander up into both Disa and Leopard’s Kloof, whilst the Khoi-San indigenous garden displays a host of local useful and medicinal plants and the important role these play within indigenous groups of people in South Africa. There’s a wonderful indigenous plants nursery, picnic areas for drinking in the surrounds, and sunset concerts in summer.

Contact: Harold Porter National Botanical Garden
Telephone: +27 (0)28 272-9311
Garden Hours: Weekdays: 08h00-16h30; Weekends and public holidays: 08h00-17h00

Harold Porter National Botanical Garden

Accommodation nearby

For accommodation nearby see:
• Gordons Bay Accommodation
• Bettys Bay Accommodation
• Kleinmond Accommodation
• Pringle Bay Accommodation

Or to see all accommodation in this region, visit Cape Overberg Accommodation.

Attractions / Activities nearby

De Hoop Nature Reserve

The De Hoop Nature Reserve is approximately 34 000 ha in size and one of the largest natural areas managed by Cape Nature Conservation. It is a favourite destination for hikers, cyclists, bird watchers and during the winter and early summer months, whale watchers. The entire length of the De Hoop coast is ... more information

Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve

Lying within the southern extension of the Hottentots Holland Mountain range about 90 kilometres south-east of Cape Town and 8 kilometres from Kleinmond, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve has managed to remain largely unspoilt, in no small part due to its ability to remain relatively ... more information

Visiting Harold Porter Botanical Gardens?
Also see Things To Do in Cape Overberg or check out Things To Do in Western Cape to view activities by category, including watersports, sightseeing activities, arts & crafts and many, many more.

destinations / attractions in the western cape

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