Do you think you know the story of the world’s most beautiful garden? Have you ever found your way in through the back door? Are you a human being with adequate senses and aesthetic criteria? Well you’ve come across the right Saturday outing!

If a traumatic wildfire like April 2021’s can ultimately prove to be of meaningful value, it should come by inspiring us to relish the heritage we keep on our doorstep, no matter how beloved and indestructible it may seem. That’s why I want to take you through Kirstenbosch via Cecilia Forest in the span of one afternoon this Saturday, spelling out the history and litanies of beauty stuffed into the small borders of the city’s favourite world-class botanically-themed amusement park.

To me it seems we don’t quite know how to value greenery beyond being the best incidental scenery, but through the story of Kirstenbosch’s founding and global power as the throne of the Fynbos kingdom, we can discover all we could ever need to know about the contradictions of colonialism, the ‘beloved’ texture of our country, the roots of our gated community and the many varieties of splendour upon which we can base our visions for the future.

There is no more florally biodiverse space in the universe (as far as we can tell), and by anthologising the best of our biome under the sometime shadow of Castle Buttress, the city has spent four generations battling brutal urban planning, compulsory veldtfires, enervating tourists and all the hecticness of the anthropocene to bequeath us with a site that millions of visitors and citizens could hardly have dreamt up before.

You’ll learn about the loneliest tree in the world, the famous ‘Bird’ bath named after a chap and shaped like a bird, the first still-living vestige of Apartheid and Cecil Rhodes’s half-finished plan for a private highway stretching from his back-garden to the pub at Constantia Nek. And we’ll also point out some nice flowers and birds and smells along the way too.

So let’s gather at 14h00 on Saturday at the Cecilia Forest entrance car-park with a picnic basket and walking shoes, pay homage to the wonders of our soil, and aspire to finish the day knowing at least two more facts about the fauna and flora of our alien peninsula than we woke up with.

RSVP for places, ensure your transport details beforehand and pay your entrance fee to me (since we’re not going through the front gate) so you can join next week’s one knowing you’ve helped spread love and knowledge of our gorgeous home for a few more weekends at least.

Specs:
– We’ll be starting by the entrance to the Cecilia Forest Car Park and finishing after an hour-long hike and a 90-minute wander around the historic parts of Kirstenbosch, by one of the lakes in the middle of the rolling greens. Park on either side or organise an Uber carpool if needed.
– Pre-booking system: R120pp via Quicket or R150pp on the day (cash/EFT). WhatsApp 076 033 8164 or message via our home page to secure your place.
– This is a heritage-focused walking tour requiring curiosity about Cape Town’s past and stamina to walk just less than 4km in one afternoon (with stops and snacks).
– Reviews on Facebook or Google help spread our mission of curiosity and appreciation.
– Optional R10 donation on your ticket goes directly to the NGO Streetscapes to support Cape Town’s people and histories.
– Spread the word and invite friends!