Namaqua National Park - Soebatsfontein - South Africa

Namaqua National Park is a South African national park situated approximately 495 km north of Cape Town and 22 km northwest of Kamieskroon. It has an area of more than 700 km2. The park is part of Namaqualand, an area covering 55,000 km2 located within the semi-desert Succulent Karoo biome. This biome is a biodiversity hotspot with the largest concentration of succulent plants in the world.

The park also has an arid environment with succulent plants. The park was created to protect its flowers. During the spring, wildflowers bloom there in a spectacular fashion. The park’s main tourist attraction is this abundant spring bloom of brightly coloured wildflowers.

Namaqua National Park is located in Northern Cape Province, near South Africa’s border with Namibia. The park is located approximately 495 km north of Cape Town and 22 km northwest of Kamieskroon. It was officially gazetted in August 1999. Skilpad Nature Reserve, formed in 1993 to protect Namaqualand’s plant life, formed the nucleus of the new national park with the addition of 500 km² of land to create the park. 270 km² has since been added to the park, and it now has an area of more than 700 km². The park is semi-desert, with hot and dry summers and cold winters with variable, generally sparse rainfall. Most precipitation occurs between May and August. The eastern part of the park receives more rainfall than the west.