Explore the breathtaking Natural Beauty of Africa, where vast savannas teem with wildlife, towering mountains pierce the sky, lush rainforests whisper ancient secrets, and pristine coastlines stretch endlessly, promising unforgettable adventures in the heart of nature.
Natural Beauty of Africa
Natural Beauty of Africa Club TravelScape has developed a variety of experiences that highlight the remarkable array of native plant life found throughout the continent, from the highland plateaux of the Simien Mountains to the volcanic slopes of Kilimanjaro.
Madagascar- Giant Baobab
They may resemble a tree your child would sketch in nursery school, with their simple, straight lines and unimaginative leaf canopy, but they are actually one of nature’s real survivors. The enormous baobabs, whose name in Madagascar is Renala, which translates to “mother of the forest,” are all that remain of the once-thick rainforest that once covered the island nation. Their survival owes much to utility. The baobab fruit, rich in vitamins and nutrients, hailed as a “super-food” by health enthusiasts, played a key role in preserving forests amid agricultural and urban expansion.
However, they are also revered. Standing beneath a towering baobab evokes a palpable, almost spiritual presence, and it’s accurate to say that this is a sentiment that Madagascans also share. They believe these enormous trees keep the spirits of the dead alive.
South Africa – The Fynbos
The botanical diversity of the Cape peninsula in South Africa surpasses that of a rain forest. It’s the sheer diversity of the fynbos that most amazes, despite the low-lying carpet of tiny, closely spaced shrubs, flowers, and bushes giving a deceptive appearance at first.
The great majority of the 9000 plant species that are present here are native and unique to this planet.
The fynbos, one of the “six floral kingdoms” of the world, is a region of mountain slope, lowland valley, and coastal plain. It is also the smallest, measuring only 1000 km to 200 km in width (other kingdoms are as large as the entire North American coast.) Look closely, and you’ll discover a miniature world, featuring delicate heathers, vivid pink sugarbush proteas with nectar collected for syrup, and finely branched plants ideal for growing in poor soils.
Some of the world’s most popular cut flowers, including agapanthus, freesias, and gladioli, are also in bloom here. The slopes are ablaze with color and fragrant with geranium and pelargonium scents in the spring.
Kenya – Giant Groundsels
These alien-looking interlopes, with their internal irrigation system, natural anti-freeze, and burnt-looking woody trunks, are actually a distant relative of a roadside weed you could easily find on the edges of Hampshire or Harrogate. However, here, at 14,000 feet above sea level on Mount Kenya’s slopes, it has transformed into a monster that can reach a height of 20 feet.
Search for the unique terminal rosette, which is the lone green splash. Like lagging your pipes against the coming of winter, the dead leaves on the plant form a protective layer around the trunk as it grows. Evolution is the most environmentally friendly.
Tanzania – Impatiens Kilimanjaro
Nowhere in all our travels gives you the chance to witness the minute changes in ecosystems and climate as you ascend higher. And when you do, it’s like living through four different seasons in four days. With the highest rainfall and a widest range of flora, the forest zone is found between one and two thousand meters above sea level. This is where you can find the impatiens Kilimanjaro, popularly known as
the “elephant’s trunk flower,” an eye-catching display of red and yellow that is the mountains’ signature botanical emblem. With its inch-long tuba vividly displaying shades of hot pink, rich purple, and burnt amber, this eye-catching burst of color seems to light your way through the jungle and forest path. It truly is a flower fireworks.
Ethiopia – Red Hot poker
The simian mountains of Ethiopia are home to a remarkably diverse array of flora. A rich and astonishing variety of endemic species find their home zones within the region’s steadily rising altitudes, rising from 1,800 meters to 4,000 meters, against the backdrop of one of Africa’s most dramatic mountain landscapes. Within
the higher Afro-alpine communities, specifically at altitudes of 3,000 meters and above, vibrant pops of color emerge— the red-hot pokers (Kniphofia spp.). Not surprisingly, their namesake stems from the orange and red spear-shaped flowers that grace these elevated landscapes. They belong to the aloe family, and the nation’s bees work hard during the rainy season because of their delicious nectar. It must be acknowledged that they also appear fantastic in a British herbaceous border!
