South Africa's first desert botanical garden has officially opened at the Sendelingsdrift Rest Camp, on the Richtersveld side of the |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.
Transformed from an indigenous nursery, the Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden is the work of SANParks resident botanist, Pieter van Wyk. The garden, a collaboration between SANParks and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, features 24 themed floral beds showcasing the unique flora of South Africa's Desert Biome.
Sendelingsdrift Rest Camp, styled after an old mining camp, has 10 chalets and camping facilities. It serves as the entry point to the South African side of the park and a border post leading to the Namibian side.
The Richtersveld landscape is known for its stark, seemingly lifeless appearance but the area reveals a wealth of life, including the iconic halfmens plants and some of the richest desert flora in the world. The park's rugged terrain, comprising lava mountains and sandy plains, makes up southern Africa’s largest Mountain Desert Park.
Despite being the driest area in the Northern Cape, the Richtersveld supports 30% of South Africa’s succulent plant species. With less than 50mm of rain annually, the park relies on morning fog, locally known as ‘Ihuries’ or ‘Malmokkies’, which sustains a variety of small reptiles, birds, and mammals. The Richtersveld is a haven for adventurers, offering experiences such as 4x4 trails and river paddling through one of the world’s most unique desert environments.
