Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.

Kirstenbosch grows only indigenous South African plants. The estate covers 528 hectares and supports a diverse fynbos flora and natural forest. The cultivated garden (36 hectares) displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country. It was founded in 1913.

Opening Hours
Open 365 days per year
1 April – 30 August: 08h00 – 18h00
1 September – 31 March: 08h00 – 19h00

Flora, Fauna and Hiking

The garden is home to many bird species (including breeding owls, guinea fowl and sugarbirds) and small endemic mammals (Cape Fox, small grey Mongoose, and Cape Otter). For hiking enthusiasts, Skeleton Gorge and Nursery Ravine offer panoramic trails and getaways to the top of the Mountain.

    * On every Sunday afternoon from the end of November until the beginning of April, open-air music concerts take place at Kirstenbosch
    * Kirstenbosch offers guided club car tours of the garden every day
    * As an alternative to eating at one of Kirstenbosch’s restaurants, one can also buy a picnic hamper from Silvertree Restaurant or the Kirstenbosch Tea Room and have a picnic in the Garden.
    * Kirstenbosch offers wonderful hiking trails up Table Mountain
    * Kirstenbosch’s New Year’s Eve concert is one of the biggest events in Cape Town on 31 December.

Facilities:

Silvertree Restaurant
Situated in a near paradise, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden boasts the world-class Silvertree and 'European Deli-style' Fynbos restaurant.
This is a venue competent to meet the wishes of every individual and exploit the beauty of every season!

The Kirstenbosch Tea Room was built in 2003 to replace the popular Tea Room built in 1924 and demolished 75 years later, in 1999. The old favourites like fish and chips and bangers and mash are served with contemporary flair and many new exciting dishes have been added to the extensive menu.

Caffe Botanica is an excellent spot for a light lunch, coffee break or snack. Patrons can sit on the balcony with a lovely view of the mountain, stay inside or sit in the courtyard. Open daily from 08h00-17h30, but may close earlier in winter. Caffe Botanica can be visited without entering the garden or paying the garden entrance fee.

The Kirstenbosch Shop, operated by Natural World Merchants, sells a wide range of gifts and curios, clothing, homeware and botanical cosmetics. The shop is open every day of the year from 09h00 –18h00 in winter and 09h00 – 19h00 in summer. The shop offers a free gift wrap service, 10% discount to Botanical Society members and a comprehensive freight service.

The Kirstenbosch Logo Store, is a satellite store of the Kirstenbosch Shop situated at the Centre for Home Gardening (Gate 2), trading every day from 09h00-17h00. It specialises in a range of Kirstenbosch memorabilia. Amongst other things you will find aloe cosmetics, botanical homeware, clothing and herbal teas.

The Botanical Society Bookshop, located in the Visitors'' Centre, is open every day from 09h00-18h00. It sells a wide range of books on flora, gardens, gardening, fauna and natural history, educational children’s books, as well as stationery and gift cards.There is a smaller, satellite Botanical Society Bookshop at the Centre for Home Gardening (Gate 2), trading every day from 09h00-16h30, selling the same range of books as the main shop.

The Garden Centre is an exclusively indigenous nursery. A wide range of plants including bulbs, succulents, ground covers, trees, shrubs, climbers, annuals, fynbos plants and herbaceous material is on sale as well as garden related hardware, pots, garden implements, and various landscape materials.

Getting Here

By Bus
There is a bus service to Kirstenbosch from Cape Town and Mowbray Station on working weekdays and the CitySightSeeing buses also visit.

By Car
Kirstenbosch lies 13 km from Cape Town city centre. From the city, take De Waal Drive (M3) in the direction of Muizenberg, at the first traffic light intersection turn right (southwards) into Rhodes Drive (M63) and follow the signs to Kirstenbosch.

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