Alistair's Cape Town Tours

30/09/2025

During the recent wild flower season I visited Nieuwoudtville on at least four occassions. With one group we were priveledge to se this flock of Blue Cranes flying overhead.

26/06/2022

18/03/2021

Did you know that the little village of Nieuwoudtville on the Bokkeveld Escarpment in the Northern Cape and on the border with the Western Cape, is known as the Bulb Capital of the World and that when the weather gods cooperate with Mother Nature, about once every ten years and send the correct amount of rain at the right time, then Nieuwouldville has two flower seasons. The first one is now February, March and April and then again in August and September. If you recall last August and September the flowers were spectacular and now bulbs that haven't flowered for years are sending up their flowers by the thousands. Species such as Boophone haemanthoides (Gifbol), Brunsvigia bosmaniae (Maartbloom), Haemanthus barkerae (Bokkeveldkwas) are coming into their own. I have arranged a trip after Easter to see this spectacle but am looking at arranging a further trip from 12th. to 15th. April depending on the state of the flowers at that time so I will only be able to confirm the dates around the 2nd April. I intend to keep the group small, 8 is the maximum number. Accommodation is in a self catering guest house. I attach photographs of some of the flowers some of which have been taken over the past few days (the Gifbol and Bokkeveldkwas)and some (the Maartbloom) a few years ago and they were all taken by Hendrik van Zijl a long time resident of Nieuwoudtville and an absolute expert on the flora of the Knersvlakte and Bokkeveld. He will, I hope, give us a talk or talks on the flora of the region and Namaqualand.
Should you want to make a provisional booking for this once in a lifetime experience please send me an email on [email protected] or Whatsapp on 0834004451.

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08/02/2021

Another very happy Monday spent doing the shipwreck trail at Cape Point and then walking the street art on display in Salt River, all part of the International Public Arts Festival which starts on Wednesday. Artists are busy with their new creations. Want more info on the Arts Festival or the hikes I do please send me an email on [email protected]

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06/02/2021

Did another great walking tour through Cape Town CBD this morning in preparation for the International Public Arts Festival running from Wednesday 10th. February through to Sunday 14th. February. This Salt River street art festival is now in its 4th. year of existence and there are now about 100 art pieces scattered throughout Salt River done by South African artists and artists from all over the world. It is well worth a visit. If you do a self guided tour there is no charge and if you want a guided tour it is R200 per group, maximum 10 people per group. You can book by going to www.baz-art.co.za/what-we-do/street-art-tour. If you do book a guided tour and would like me to guide for you please mention that on your booking form. I will be doing guided tours from Thursday. I will also attach some photos.

01/02/2021

I have had another week of really great hikes and walks. On Saturday in preparation for the International Public Arts Festival I attended a guide educational walk through the streets of Cape Town's oldest suburb, Salt River, to see the street art of previous years. What an interesting walk it was, please see the photos. This years artists will be painting new works under the theme 'Sustainability' during the festival. Today we did a walk to Crystal Pools in the Koggelberg. It was fantastic. We managed to get up to the top pools, so beautiful. We did learn a lesson - never leave your back packs on the ground unattended as we had a lone baboon following us and as quick as a flash he grabbed an unattended bag moved off about 10 meters and proceeded to unzip the bag and take out the food, open the tupperware container and remove the biscuits. Once he had finished his biscuits he went off into the bush taking his water bottle with him. If you want to do any walks or hikes around Cape Town send me an email at [email protected]

06/12/2020

During this past week I have done two really great bumbles. The first one I did was up on Silver Mine with some fellow guides. It was a 7.5kms. walk from the car park to the Silver Mine Dam. Very pretty, great views and some great flowers. The second one was on Grootbos, near Gaansbai, with my daughter and her children and we went in search of the not so common Spider Orchids. We found three and some other beauties. I attach pictures of the walks. If you would like to join me on any of my walks please send me an email on [email protected] and I will forward details to you of walks that I do.

20/11/2020

Yesterday was the perfect day to do a hike at Cape Point with fellow guides. There was a bit of wind around but that didn't deter fellow guides to do the walk from Cape Point Lighthouse to Cape of Goodhope. As usual the walk didn't disappoint with magnificent views, some great flowers, two small snakes, and four beautiful Eland and very few people. The whole Reserve is looking magnificent at the moment with the Lessertia frutescens or Cancer Bush in full bloom and the Syncarpha vestita in full bloom and living up to its name of Cape Snow, see the photos I have posted.
I also took the opportunity to explore some of the side roads and came across some great looking hikes which I intend exploring, especially now while there are few visitors and the park is looking so magnificent. If you want to join me please contact me on [email protected] for further details.

11/11/2020

No need to travel outside of SA to see some amazing sights. Just look at some of the stops we have in our Bumble through the Karoo. From desert, to quirky towns, from ocean to caves. This tour offers it all. Contact Alistair in 0834004451 to book your personalized private tour (minimum of 6 people is required)

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06/11/2020

It's cool, wet and windy in Somerset West today so I thought I would post the photos I took yesterday whilst on my mountain, the Helderberg. So there is one photo of the view from the path and as I have said before the view changes every day depending on what the mountain wants you to see. The photos of the flowers are all the very small flowers, most of which are blue. The one pink one is small, pretty but deadly. It belongs to the insect eating Sundew family and is a Drosera pauciflora, I even found a small Angulated tortoise.