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White world of botanical treasures
Knersvlakte
Knersvlakte plants in the succulent Karoo.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
There are dwarf mesembryanthemums in the Knersvlakte that only open their seed capsules when raindrops fall on them.
If you drove through the area known as the Knersvlakte without being told, you’d cast a bored look across the white quartz-strewn plains and think there was nothing there.
However, it is a world of miniature succulent plants, sheltered from the worst of the summer heat (from December to February) by the reflective quartz gravel.
This botanical treasure is sprawled between the towns of Vanrhynsdorp and Bitterfontein, about a 3-hour drive from Cape Town.
It falls within the Succulent Karoo region, considered 1 of the biodiversity hotspots of the world.
Knersvlakte (pronounced k-naers-fluk-teh) means gnashing, or grinding, plains. Opinion is divided about whether this refers to the difficulty of crossing the plains in an ox wagon (and the attendant gnashing or gritting of teeth), or the crunching noise made by iron wheels on quartzite gravel.
Here you will find plants with names as cute as they look: baby bums, donkey ears, little buttons, fingers-and-thumbs.
Some look like tiny green marbles, others like flowering pebbles. Others emerge above the soil only during the temperate spring and retreat back into the soil, almost invisible, when the summer heat arrives.
Experts say these plants are extremely vulnerable to climate change and a number of strategies are being explored to safeguard them.
Not surprisingly, a large section of this botanically rich area is on the verge of being proclaimed a nature reserve by CapeNature. A conservation manager, based in Vanrhynsdorp, is available to give information on the area.
There is also a community-owned reserve, called Ratelgat, where you can stay. Here you can experience Griqua culture, history and food. You can stay in a traditional matjieshuis (a cosy shelter made of branches and woven reed mats) or in chalets.
However, if you have no time to take the drive north from Cape Town, you can also see a Knersvlakte section in the conservatory at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, or at the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden outside the town of Worcester.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Knersvlakte conservation manager
Adrian Fortuin
Tel: +27 (0)27 219 1480
Cell: +27 (0)82 336 5936
Email: afortuin@capenature.co.za
Ratelgat
Tel: +27 (0)27 213 5472
Fax: +27 (0)27 213 5465
Email: ratelgat@trusc.co.za
How to get here
The Knersvlakte starts just north of the town of Vanrhynsdorp, 3 hours’ drive along the N7 north of Cape Town. Here you can obtain information on the region. If you’re headed to Ratelgat, its entrance is off the N7, 35km north of Vanrhynsdorp.
Tours to do
Enquire at the numbers below for guided tours. If you’re staying at Ratelgat, you can go on guided walks among the plants to rocky overhangs with San (Bushman) art.
What will it cost
The quartzite plains at the side of the road are, obviously, free. Should you want to stay at the Ratelgat Griqua community reserve, you will pay approx. R95 per person to stay in a matjieshuis, or R250 to stay in a 2-bedroomed chalet. A 4-bedroomed chalet costs approx. R400 per night.
Length of stay
Whether you’re staying in Vanrhynsdorp or the Ratelgat Griqua community reserve, it’s best to stay at least 2 nights.
Where to stay
Vanrhynsdorp has many guest houses, or you could stay at Ratelgat, within the Knersvlakte.
What to eat
If you stay at Ratelgat, you can order traditional South African food, like barbecue, potjiekos (a stew made in a 3-legged pot), maize or even offal.
Best buys
It’s strictly forbidden to take plants from the wild, but if you fall in love with them, there are 2 nurseries where you can legally purchase Knersvlakte succulents – 1 in the town of Vanrhynsdorp, and the other close by, along the N7 road. Check to make sure the laws in your country do not forbid the importing of plants.