As the West Coast prepares for another spectacular flower season, Bergrivier Tourism is encouraging visitors to venture beyond the traditional flower routes with the launch of the new Green Piketberg Route 366.
The route, which winds through Piketberg, Piket-Bo-Berg, Goedverwacht and Redelinghuys, offers visitors an opportunity to combine flower viewing with local food, farm experiences, cultural heritage and sustainable tourism.
Nomonde Ndlangisa, Bergrivier Tourism CEO the route is designed to offer a slower, more meaningful travel experience.
“This is not simply another flower drive. It is an invitation to slow down, meet the people who care for the land, taste food grown in the region and understand the relationship between agriculture, biodiversity, heritage and community. We want visitors to enjoy our flowers while making their travel count,” she said.
Spring visitors can enjoy indigenous fynbos, proteas, flowering rooibos, colourful canola fields and productive farms while learning about the people behind the region’s agricultural success.
Highlights include a visit to Carmién Tea to experience the story of South African rooibos, working protea farms in Piket-Bo-Berg and the monthly Piket-Bo-Berg Farmers Market, where local producers showcase fresh produce, flowers and handmade products.
Goedverwacht offers visitors a glimpse into community life, where local women continue traditions of baking bread in wood-fired ovens, preparing preserves and maintaining productive food gardens passed down through generations.
The route also showcases local restaurants that embrace a farm-to-table philosophy by serving dishes prepared with fresh regional produce.
Bergrivier Tourism hopes visitors will extend their stay in the area rather than making it a quick stop during flower season. Accommodation throughout the region offers access to hiking trails, cycling routes, birdwatching, mountain scenery and farm experiences, while Redelinghuys provides a peaceful rural escape with its heritage attractions and proximity to Verlorenvlei.
“The longer visitors stay, the more the landscape reveals itself. They begin to see that the flowers are only one part of a much richer destination story,” said Ndlangisa.
The route has been developed around regenerative tourism principles, encouraging visitors to support local businesses, respect the natural environment and contribute to the long-term sustainability of rural communities.
Bergrivier Tourism believes Green Piketberg Route 366 offers a fresh perspective on the West Coast flower season by celebrating the people, landscapes and agricultural heritage that make the region unique.
