In a small town far away in the countryside, a magical spectacle is about to occur. Rain! From the arid earth emerges a breathtaking pink tapestry, a display that lasts for just a few weeks. It is impossible to predict when and if its appearance will occur. That is the Namaqua’s secret season, the March lilies.
Be warned; this article is a pink overload!
Psst! Plus I tell my secret on how I knew when to book for Nieuwoudtville’s secret flower season.
The March lilies
As we drove towards Nieuwoudtville, patches of pink lilies were often woven into the arid landscape. In addition to Nieuwoudtville being known as the bulb capital of the world, this area is also renowned for its wild flowers during the Springtime.
But these are the March lilies (Brunsvigia bosmaniae), belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, which only appear when it rains at least a certain amount. This year is the second year in a row that the lilies made their appearance after a few years of lying dormant, we were told. While walking in the field, you would never imagine that this dry land could produce such magnificent blooms. As the bulbs push through the dense soil, they produce a few dark green leaves that open up too big, thick round heads with anything from 20 to 40 flowers on them. Certain moths are attracted to flowers with a sweet scent. The flower balls are about 30cm in diameter, but we saw a few larger ones. And the pink, from soft baby pink hues to blush through to the most intense cerise pink. It is truly a spectacular sight to witness.
Things to know about Nieuwoudtville’s secret flower season
Where
Although the flowers can be found all the way from southwestern Namibia to Tygerberg, they appear in massive colonies, especially around Nieuwoudtville.
Nieuwoudtville lies on top of the Bokkeveld Escarpment. To reach, you will take the N7 from Cape Town through to Vanrhynsdorp and then drive up the Vanrhyns pass. At this point, you will leave behind the Western Cape and enter the Northern Cape, where Nieuwoudtville is situated.
| Where | Distance from Cape Town |
| Nieuwoudtville | | +- 360 km |
Also read: All you need to know about where to see the Namaqua flower season
When
A rather tricky question to answer. As the March lilies only appear if it rains a certain amount during March. As mentioned before, there were a few years they did not bloom (probably leading to that allure of the mysterious secret season)
Here is my insider tip: The best bet would be to follow Nieuwoudtville tourism or any of the Namaqua flower sites. They usually update their pages if it rains and when the flowers start to appear.
As soon as they post, that is the best time to book. I even contacted their Facebook page to confirm and was provided with an estimated date they predicted it would still be around (remember, not guaranteed).
Booking and where to stay
As soon as they start posting images of the lilies, you know you only have a few weeks. However, booking accommodation can be difficult. It is a small town with only a handful of hotels and Airbnbs. So my suggestion is to book your accommodation as soon as you have your dates.
I covered a few fantastic places in my Namaqualand flowers Nieuwoudtville article, but for this one, I want to focus on a place we stayed. We loved the rustic, nostalgic charm of the Willemsrivier Trek pad guest house. No TV, no wifi, no aircon, no service and only 4 km outside Nieuwoudtville. A secluded getaway from it all. Willemsrivier Trek pad is a working farm with a few chalets that immediately transported me back to a bygone era. The rooms are carefully decorated to aid in this nostalgic charm, from the metal frame beds and vanities to the kitchen units. My grandmother had a similar table and chairs.
Not only that, but there are a few historical buildings on the farm that you can visit and learn more about the area and history of Nieuwoudtville. With a few routes to walk, you might discover a few of the lilies on your way to the famous church building and old school.
Also read: Best seafood on the Westcoast
Eating
The town is small and does not see many visitors outside of peak season. So not all cafes might be open; you might be lucky like we were and catch Die Nedersetting open for lunch and breakfast. But most, if not all of the other places, were closed; you would need to contact them beforehand to make a reservation.
If you plan to prepare your own meals, there is a butchery in town for those keen to braai and a Savemore with a few essentials. We stopped at Clanwilliam, as they have a rather large Spar.
You might want to try Bagdad Cafe, which is a few km before the Vanrhyns pass for lunch if you’re on the route.
(Reminder, a lot of the restaurants that are open during the Namaqua season, are seasonal, so they might not be open now).
Read more: I slept in a luxury cave in the Cradle of humankind
Where to see the flowers
This time, the nature reserve had the most lilies. It is situated a few km out of town towards Calvinia on your left. The gates are usually closed, and you need to contact them to have them opened. However, during flower season, the gates were open. (best is to ask in town where the flowers are blooming, that is what we did)
The ideal times to visit would be early morning or later afternoon. Primarily for better lighting if you are taking photos. It was not very crowded. On our afternoon visit there were only three other vehicles and the following morning only one, which was the same photographer as the previous day.
Be mindful, take care when walking around, follow the park’s rules, no picking of flowers, etc. And when taking photos, do not step on the flowers.
Was it worth the 5-hour drive? Absolutely! How many people can say they saw the secret flower season in Nieuwoudtville? Not only that, but the road trip away from the busy city and fresh air feels great, and you support a small town’s economy. Make sure to save this article so you too know when and how to visit Nieuwoudtville’s secret flower season.
Stay tuned for more ‘secrets’ or off-the-beaten-track adventures.
xxx
*As always all opinions expressed are my own.
*Always check and do research before visiting, as details might have changed.
All photos were taken with my phone, Samsung Galaxy S20 note
Rust C. (2009, April). Brunsvigia bosmaniae. PlantZAfrica |. https://pza.sanbi.org/brunsvigia-bosmaniae
One thought on “Nieuwoudtville’s secret flower season – 5 things to know”