Grow your joy: Celebrate, embrace, protect and enjoy biodiversity wealth
Introducing National Gardens Week 2025, a celebration of the beauty and significance of South Africa’s botanical and zoological gardens. South Africa ranks as the third most biodiverse country in the world, recognised for its high levels of endemism and home to over 95,000 known species. From 10–16 March 2025, we invite everyone to enjoy free access to all botanical and zoological gardens, offering a chance to connect with nature and experience its wonders.
This year’s theme, ‘Grow Your Joy’, encourages people to connect with the natural world in uplifting ways. It’s about embracing mindfulness and wellbeing and enjoying the benefits of gentle physical activity and community engagement. Whether it’s a peaceful walk among indigenous plants, joining a yoga session, taking a guided tour, learning about conservation efforts, or enjoying a fun day out with family, National Garden Week gives emphasis to the essential role gardens play in biodiversity conservation, education, and well-being.
Explore, learn and discover:
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
Experience the Witpoortjie Waterfall and the majestic Verreaux’s Eagles soaring overhead at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.
This National Gardens Week, Join us for Daily Guided Walks to uncover the beauty and biodiversity of the garden, featuring the People’s Plants Garden, a rich display of South Africa’s botanical heritage, and a captivating geological rock display.
Explore a stunning array of plants and discover how you can bring nature home. Grow Your Joy by connecting with the beauty of Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden and gaining new inspiration for your own garden.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Set against the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch is a sanctuary of natural beauty. After exploring the iconic Boomslang treetop walkway and wandering through ancient cycads, proteas, and vibrant fynbos, treat yourself to a 2-course meal at Moyo Restaurant for just R195 throughout March.
Visit the Kirstenbosch Bookshop Courtyard Sale for daily book highlights, a specially curated collection, and a kids’ section with fun activities for young bookworms.
Enjoy free entry during National Gardens Week and take a stroll through the breathtaking Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. While you soak in the beauty of the Boomslang treetop walkway, proteas, and ancient cycads, pop into the Courtyard Sale to discover unique botanical-inspired gifts, keepsakes, and treasures that let you take a piece of nature home with you.
KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden
Step into history and nature’s hidden wonders! KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden is one of our oldest gardens, home to majestic centenarian trees, some planted as far back as 1884.
Adventure seekers, this one is for you! During National Gardens Week, enjoy a 30% discount at our Adventure Park with promo code: AcroWild25.
Experience thrills among the trees while embracing the beauty of nature. Don’t miss out!
Join Virgin Active for Aerobics and Health is the New Wealth trial campaign, where fitness meets fresh air. Recharge your body and mind while celebrating National Gardens Week.
Join Palm Tree Events for the launch of Hike and Wine, a unique experience that combines adventure, relaxation, and the beauty of nature. After your hike, take time to discover the exciting activities happening throughout the garden.
Join our daily guided tours and uncover the biodiversity wonders of KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden! Each tour lasts one hour and reveals the beauty beyond what you see.
Interested visitors are required to RSVP by emailing K.rallele@sanbi.org.za or calling 033 344 3585.
Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden
Celebrate National Gardens Week by exploring a beautiful selection of succulents at our Succulent Plant Market. Take home unique, water-wise plants and let nature bring joy to your space!
Explore a world of handcrafted beauty at our Arts and Crafts Market! From unique artworks to locally made treasures, find something special while soaking in the natural splendour of Karoo National Botanical Garden.
Celebrate creativity. Support local artists.
Fifteen (15%) of the species at the National Zoological Garden are threatened due to habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
This National Gardens Week, join our interactive stations for exciting educational activities that connect you to nature and inspire conservation action.
Visitors can explore a diverse array of animals and plants across the zoological garden, reptile park and aquarium, offering invaluable educational opportunities.
Pretoria National Botanical Garden
Visit our succulent plant market and discover a variety of unique, water-wise plants to brighten your home and garden. Let nature inspire you while you celebrate, embrace, protect, and enjoy biodiversity wealth.
Join us for Somewhere in the Garden, a boutique music event filled with incredible performances and family-friendly fun.
Harold Porter National Botanical Garden
Shop, explore, and celebrate local creativity! Our Market Day is the perfect place to find handmade treasures, fresh produce, and unique crafts while enjoying the stunning natural setting of Harold Porter National Botanical Garden.
Join us for the Silly Socks Twilight Run and embrace the joy of nature and movement. Celebrate, Embrace, Protect, and Enjoy Biodiversity Wealth while having fun in your silliest socks.
Join us for a refreshing Park Run that invites you to Celebrate, Embrace, Protect, and Enjoy Biodiversity Wealth as you run through the peaceful beauty of Harold Porter National Botanical Garden.
Art in the Park invites you to celebrate the beauty of nature while embracing your creativity in the breathtaking setting of Harold Porter National Botanical Garden.
Protect and enjoy biodiversity Wealth through art, nature, and community.
Lowveld National Botanical Garden
Visit our Plant Sale during National Gardens Week and take home beautiful plants for your garden. Plus, exclusive giveaways await selected customers. Celebrate biodiversity and plant a new future today.
Join our gardening techniques and demonstrations to learn new skills, get expert tips, and Grow Your Joy through the art of gardening.
Mokopane Biodiversity Conservation Centre
Join us for a special activity celebrating Water Conservation Month and discover how you can make a difference in protecting our precious water resources. Together, we can celebrate, embrace, protect, and enjoy biodiversity wealth through responsible water use.
Join us for an exciting Waste Management Activity as we prepare for Global Recycling Day. Learn how to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and discover how small actions can make a big impact in protecting our environment.
Join us to learn about the endangered animals housed at the Centre and the steps we taking to protect these species.
Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden
Step into the beauty of Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden with our guided walks! Explore scenic trails, learn about unique plants and animals, and connect with nature during National Gardens Week all for free.
Free State National Botanical Garden
Get an early riser free entry and enjoy the garden at dawn. Whether you’re hiking, running, or simply enjoying the peaceful morning atmosphere, this is your chance to experience nature at its finest.
Enjoy free entry and free guided tours daily from 08:30 – 15:30 during National Gardens Week. Book your spot today call 051 436 3530 to reserve your guided tour.
Take a journey through 43 remarkable indigenous trees on our self-guided Tree Route! Learn about the beauty and significance of these natural wonders, including a 200-year-old Olea Africana tree.
Medicinal plants create jobs, generate income, and support well-being. Join us during National Gardens Week to learn how to cultivate your own healing plants at home. Discover the power of nature and embrace biodiversity wealth.
What you can do:
- Visit a garden: take advantage of free entry to experience the calming, invigorating effects of nature.
- Engage and connect: join group activities, guided tours, and community events to nurture both body and mind.
- Support conservation: embrace sustainable practices and help preserve our natural heritage for future generations. Support our plant sale at various gardens.
Let’s connect on social media! Share your moments of joy in the garden using #GrowYourJoy and #NationalGardensWeek
Tickets: R200 per person
Enjoy Valentine’s in a unique way this year. Picnic under the stars at Jozi’s no. 1 Outdoors, an exquisite and serene venue. Romantic music from the greats such as Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, Celine Dione, Chris De burgh, and many more to serenade you in the garden.
Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and toast your romantic family outing.
🌹💪 Trade Roses for Ropes & Chocolates for Challenges! 💕🌳
This Valentine’s Day, skip the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary! Celebrate love the adventurous way at Acrobranch:
- Navigate hand-in-hand through the treetops
- Share laughter (and a little courage) tackling wobbly high ropes
- Strengthen your bond as you spend quality time together
It’s nature’s version of couple’s therapy – perfect for lovebirds who crave adventure!
EXCLUSIVE Valentine’s Weekend Special:
40% OFF your adventure with promo code: ACROLOVE40
This deal isn’t just for couples – So bring your friends, family or anyone who’s ready to embrace the thrill.
Garden normal entrance fee applies.
📅 Valid from Fri,14 – Sun, 16 Feb 2025
#Gethooked now!
For Bookings:📞 021 201 1121
Constantiaberg Art Society helps artists create wonderful art which we showcase at Kirstenbosch Gardens. Visit the Richard Crowie Hall, next to the tearoom from 21 January to 5 February to see some of our amazing artwork. All of the artwork is original and the prices are as exceptional as the artwork.
5km Run Walk
registration Starts at 18:30
Run Starts at 19:30
- Adults: R60
- Children: R30
Bring your own torch!
Bring along family and friends and enjoy a picnic under the stars!
Phone: 087 260 9757/ 087 260 9755
Email: D.Appel@sanbi.org.za
We are excited to announce that our Carols by Candlelight will be presented by the Hermanus Rotary Club. Bring your friends and family, pack your picnic basket, and sing along to your favorite Christmas carols. A candle will be provided for the adults and a glow stick for the little ones. We kindly ask that people share.
Ticket Prices:
- Adults: R120
- Children (6-18 years): R60
- Children (2-5 years): R25
- Gates Open: 6:00 PM
- Concert Starts:7:00 PM (feat. Debbie Best), with the pageant at 8:00 PM
- Curfew: 9:30 PM
Participating Breweries
- Woodstock Breweries
- The Breweries Hemel-en-Aarde
- Folks & Goode Brewing Company
- Twice Blessed Brewing Co
Live Music:
House DJ
DJ Cotic
Enjoy great music, and delicious food, and relax with your picnic on the beautiful lawns while savoring the best beer in the Western Cape.
Directions: Corner of Clarence Drive and Broadwith Road, Bettys Bay 7141
Tickets can be purchased online at Quicket or the garden on the day of the event.
For more information contact the Garden on 087 260 9722/087 260 9757
Email: D.Appel@sanbi.org.za
Art Portfolio is hosting an exhibition by a group of highly talented local artists
Theme: Applications of Genetics in Wildlife Management, Molecular Ecology, and Conservation Genetics.
When: December 9-15, 2024 at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. UP is one of Africa’s top universities and the largest university in South Africa.
Course Objective: To train participants to understand and use population genetics principles and DNA-marker data to improve biodiversity conservation. The course will teach research approaches, monitoring, data analyses, and interpretation (RADseq, amplicon-seq, targeted capture, WGseq). The course will help bridge the gap between research and management to improve conservation (e.g., Allendorf et al. 2022, Chapter 24). This course is urgently needed and timely given the extinction crisis and the recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in which 196 parties committed to reporting the status of genetic diversity for all species wild and domestic (Mastretta-Yates et al. 2024; Hoben et al. 2024). For details on ConGen-Africa: see here
Who should apply: Advanced Undergrads, M.S. & Ph.D. students, post-docs, faculty, agency researchers, and population biologists. To maximally benefit from days 3-5, attendees should have taken a course in population genetics and population ecology – or understand most of Chapters 4-10 in the book Allendorf et al. 2024). Participation on days 3-5 is limited to ~30 people to allow efficient instruction with hands-on computer exercises.
Dates and Content: Monday – Friday, Dec. 9-13, 2024. 9 am to 4 PM daily. The first two days include basic concepts (mechanisms of evolutionary change) and applications of genetics for conservation. Days 3-5 include hands-on data analysis and interpretation using microsatellites, SNPs, and next-generation sequence datasets) using popular programs like Structure, NeEstimator, GeneClass/RUBIAS, and packages in Rstudio on days 4-5.
You will learn (or review) the following including real-life examples (as in the book Allendorf et al. 2022):
- mechanisms of evolutionary change: genetic drift, gene flow, selection, & mutation (days 1-2)
- importance of testing for Hardy-Weinberg proportions and linkage disequilibrium (some basic knowledge of HW- and LD-testing is recommended mainly for days 3-5)
- basic use of R (writing simple command line arguments to make graphs, and conduct statistical tests, including HW tests and PCAs for population structure assessment. We’ll teach use of R and command line programs during an online Zoom lecture one week before the course. R is the most widely used software and language in statistics and biology and increasingly for population genetics (Pardis 2020; Jombart & Ahmed 2011; Kamvar et al. 2015, 2016; Kardos & Luikart 2021; Kardos et al. 2022; Hemstrom & Jones 2023; Zhang et al. 2023; Yang et al. 2023; Jenkins 2024; Bailey 2024).
- Participants should have an advanced understanding of spoken and written English
Field trips to Kruger National Park & Mabula Hornbill Sanctuary are possible, including wildlife safari drives.
Main Instructors: Gordon Luikart, Will Hemstrom, Other local and international instructors to be announced.
Contact person
Mahlatse Kgatla
E-mail: m.kgatla@sanbi.org.za
or
Monica Mwale
E-mail: m.mwale@sanbi.org.za
December
Sun 8 Dec: Cradle to the Cape concert
Thu12, Fri 13, Sat 14, Sun 15 Dec: The Rotary’s Christmas Carols at Kirstenbosch
Sun 22 Dec: Unity at Kirstenbosch
Sun 29 Dec: Goldfish
Tue 31 Dec: New Year’s Eve with Will Linley & Lloyiso
January
Sun 5 Jan: Freshlyground & Congo Cowboys
Sun 12 Jan: Mango Groove
Sun 19 Jan: Bok van Blerk & Elandré
Sun 26 Jan: Mafikizolo & Ross Learmonth
February
Sun 2 Feb: The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra
Sat 8 Feb: Soul II Soul (brought by Showtime)
Sun 9 Feb: Matthew Mole
Sun 16 Feb: The Golden Oldies
Sun 23 Feb: Stef Bos and friends
March
Sun 2 Mar: Mi Casa
Sun 9 Mar: Mandisi Dyantyis
Sun 16 Mar: Watershed
Sun 23 Mar: Jeremy Loops
Tue 25 Mar: Goo Goo Dolls (brought by AMP Events)
Wed 26 Mar: Goo Goo Dolls (brought by AMP Events
Thu 27 Mar: James Bay (brought by Breakout Events)
Sun 30 Mar: Ami Faku & Simmy
Tickets are exclusively available through Webtickets, and at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden gate. Please note that Webtickets is the ONLY online ticketing partner of the Summer Sunset Concerts. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden cannot guarantee that tickets purchased from third parties will be valid.
Zolani Mahola leads the Cradle to the Cape Concert as it opens the 2024-25 Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts
The Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, in collaboration with the NIROX Foundation, are thrilled to present the Cradle to the Cape Music Concert at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on Sunday, 8 December 2024. Zolani Mahola will headline the concert alongside notable acts such as Arno Carstens, Albert Frost and Tubatsi Moloi amongst others. This event celebrates a cross-country collaboration, uniting the cultural and natural beauty of the Cradle of Humankind with the iconic slopes of Table Mountain.
Zolani is renowned for a rich musical blend of genres, including Afro-pop, jazz, soul, and world music, creating a sound that resonates across diverse cultures. Her music is characterised by its eclectic rhythm, uplifting melodies, and thoughtful lyrics that often touch on themes of love, unity, social change, and the African experience. As a member of Freshlyground, Zolani helped craft some of South Africa’s most beloved songs, including hits like “Doo Be Doo” and “I’d Like.”
“Kirstenbosch is delighted to partner with the NIROX Foundation to host this special concert, uniting South Africa’s vibrant musical talents in one of the world’s most iconic settings,” said Sarah Struys, Events and Tourism Manager at South African National Biodiversity (Kirstenbosch). “It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy exceptional local music and celebrate the beauty of nature and our country.”
For more than three decades, Kirstenbosch has been home to the Summer Sunset Concerts, bringing musicians from around the globe to the Mother City to perform amidst its breathtaking natural setting. Simultaneously, over the past decade, the NIROX Foundation has hosted live music concerts spanning all genres of music in its outdoor amphitheatre, offering local artists a unique platform to showcase their talent. The NIROX Foundation also supports South African artists through its unique music residency programme, helping to foster collaboration and innovation of cultural significance among local artists.
“The Cradle to the Cape concert embodies our mission to nurture artistic expression and foster meaningful connections between South Africa’s cultural and natural heritage. Collaborating with Kirstenbosch allows us to extend our vision beyond the Cradle of Humankind while showcasing the transformative power of music in local iconic spaces,” said Lloyd-Anthony Smith, Concert Producer at the NIROX Foundation.
The 2024 Cradle to the Cape concert epitomises this rich tradition, showcasing an extraordinary line-up of South Africa’s finest musicians:
- Zolani Mahola (voice, acoustic guitar)
- Arno Carstens (voice, acoustic guitar)
- Albert Frost (voice, guitars)
- Laurie Levine (voice, guitars)
- Tubatsi Moloi (voice, multi-instrumentalist)
- AusTebza (voice, bass)
- David Watkyns (keys, trumpet)
- Wynand Davel (violin)
- Sky Dladla (percussion)
- Keketso Bolofo (percussion)
The concert promises an unforgettable evening of music, art, and community, blending soulful melodies with nature’s splendour. Each artist brings their unique sound, collaboration and celebration.
Gates open at 16:00, and attendees are encouraged to bring picnic baskets, blankets, drinks, and sun hats to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Moyo Restaurant Kirstenbosch will also have festival food options and non-alcoholic beverages for sale at the event. Tickets can be purchased online via Webtickets, our ONLY online ticketing partner.
Prices are as follows:
- General Admission: R310 per adult
- Ages 6-21: R235
- Free entrance for ages 5 and under
This event is proudly supported by Nedbank Private Wealth as the presenting partner, with Renault as the official automotive partner and Cape Talk as the media partner.
Enjoy an afternoon of world-class musical performances on the slopes of Table Mountain. Don’t miss the chance to experience the magic of Cradle to the Cape and the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts.
It’s the festive season, and it’s time for razzmatazz. If you are not going away on holiday, why not join us at the Joburg Family Picnic, a colourful kids’ carnival?
There will be entertainment galore with various games including jumping castles, slides, face painting, water splash and many more as well as markets.
End the year in style and make your family outing the one your kids will remember.
Tickets are available at Computicket and Webtickets. Brought to you by Incredible Families.
Acclaimed British singer and songwriter JP Cooper, will be performing as a double act with London-based Kiwi singer, songwriter and record producer, Jordan Rakei.
JP Cooper‘s debut album “Raised Under Grey Skies”, included the huge global hit “September Song” and South African favourite “The Only Reason”, along with the sophomore album ‘SHE’, introduced an artist of great depth with a voice and songs to match. Breakout Events in association with One Fiinix Live are proud to announce his next tour of South Africa this coming November as part of his 2024 World Tour and tickets are now on sale from Breakout Events.
Jordan Rakei, the globally acclaimed producer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, will captivate fans with his signature fusion of soul, jazz, and R&B. Hot off the success of his fifth studio album, The Loop, Rakei’s emotionally charged performances promise to resonate deeply with audiences. Highlights from The Loop, including the lushly arranged “Freedom” and the groove-filled “Trust,” showcase his evolution as a trailblazing artist.