If you’re traveling to Africa anytime soon, be sure to visit at least one of the beautiful botanical gardens on the continent. If you’re not sure where to start, here is a list of some of the gardens to have on your itinerary.
Mauritius National Botanical Garden
Formally known as Sir Seewoosagur Botanic Garden, the Mauritius National Botanical Garden is one of the most visited attractions in Mauritius. Located in the district of Pamplemousse, it is populated with more than 650 varieties of plants.
One of the main attractions of the botanical garden is the 85 different varieties of palm trees brought from different corners of the world.
Aswan Botanical Garden
Also known as Kitchener’s Island, Aswan Botanical Garden is located on an island in the Nile River at Aswan in Egypt. What you will find during your visit are various rare and exotic plants, including the Sabal Palm tree and Royal Palms.
If you plan to visit, you’ll have to get there by traveling on water. Public ferries travel to and from the island.
Another thing to note is that Aswan Botanical Garden is not just for leisure as it serves as an important entity for botanical research. As a result, some areas are not open to the public.
Jardim Tunduru
Located in Maputo, Mozambique, Jardim Tunduru is a century-old garden that’s perfect for a picnic or just to escape the midday heat. The gardens feature a tennis court and a statue of Mozambique’s first president Samora Machel.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world.
Located at the eastern foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, this garden is one of ten National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa’s six different biomes and administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute.
Aburi Botanic Garden
Travel approximately 18 miles north in Accra, Ghana, and you will find Aburi Botanic Garden.
Aburi Botanic Garden is absolutely stunning and is an amazingly peaceful attraction. Not only is it known for its mixture of indigenous and exotic trees but its array of butterflies and bird species truly make it a unique experience.
Sarius Palmetum Botanical Garden
There are more than 400 species of palms and 1,000 species of exotic trees housed in Nigeria’s Sarius Paalmetum Botanical Garden. Located in Abuja, the garden houses Nigeria’s popular palms including oil and coconut palm as well as Bismarckia, golden and royal palm.
Jardin Majorelle
Named after French painter Jacques Majorelle, it’s its namesake’s botanical masterwork. Over the course of four decades, Majorelle created a beautiful tapestry of plants, calming streams, and lovely roads. When it’s time to relax, this beautiful oasis awaits.
