Meeting Place: Stellenbosch, the entrance to Conservatorium of the Stellenbosch University in Victoria Street, Stellenbosch
Departure Time: Monday, 1 September 2008, 8:00 for 08:30 a.m.
Cost: R6000 (South African Rand), excluding air ticket
Limit: 40 persons (2 small coaches)
Guide: Annelise le Roux, Succulent Karoo Knowledge Centre, Kamieskroon, aleroux@capenature.co.za, Cell: 082-484-6993; assisted by Tessa Oliver

NOTE: The cost of the accommodation for nights of August 31 as well as September 6 and 7 are NOT included in the costs of this excursion. We suggest that the participants would book the nights of September 6 and 7 in the same guesthouses/hotels which they are going to use during the Symposium Week.

Tour members will have to share 2 per room and in Kamieskroon there are 2 rooms where 3 people will have to share.

Day 1: Monday, 1 September 2008
Route: Stellenbosch – Darling surroundings
Stops: Different farms in Darling surroundings, a region known for spring flowers with a local farmer/amateur botanist as a guide to add local flavour.
Vegetation: bulb-rich renosterveld herblands on granite; coastal vegetation; endemic-rich sand fynbos; species-rich limestone and granite strandveld shrublands.
Dinner & Accommodation: West Coast Estates near Darling

Day 2: Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Route: Darling – Clanwilliam – Vanrhynsdorp – Kamieskroon
Stops: Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show, Ramskop Wild Flower Garden, Olifants River Valley where Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes meet
Vegetation: sand fynbos; succulent shrublands. The stop at Clanwilliam is a show case of using local biodiversity richness to promote tourism – good or bad for biodiversity?
Accommodation: Succulent Karoo Knowledge Centre & Kamieskroon Hotel. Dinner at a historical house in Kamieskroon.

Day 3: Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Route: Kamieskroon – Kamiesberg - Kamieskroon
Stops: Namaqua National Park and/or top of Kamiesberg depending on condition of vegetation and the condition of the roads.
Vegetation & sites: spectacular flower displays of ephemeral flora (keep your fingers crossed) and taller Succulent Karoo on granite hills and mountains; beautiful landscapes of central Namaqualand
Accommodation: Succulent Karoo Knowledge Centre & Kamieskroon Hotel. Dinner at a historical house in Kamieskroon.

Day 4: Thursday, 4 September 2008
Route: Kamieskroon – Springbok – Goegap N.R. – Spektakelberg – Kommagas – Houthoop at Kleinsee
Stops: Goegap N.R.; Spektakelberg Pass; Kommagas "woodlands"
Vegetation & sites: visit to Hester Malan Garden (succulent plants); drive through Goegap Reserve (succulent, deciduous and ericoid leaf shrublands); shales and granite of higher altitudes in the Spektakelberg Pass (W of Springbok); Kommagas with "arid Acacia woodland"; coastal plain succulent shrubland
Dinner & Accommodation: Houthoop Accommodation on a farm in the coastal plains near Kleinsee

Day 5: Friday, 5 September 2008
Route: Houthoop at Kleinsee – Hondeklip Bay – Garies – Vanrhynsdorp - Vredendal
Stops: on road to Hondklip Bay; Hondeklip Bay; near Garies
Vegetation: Tall & low succulent coastal shrublands along the road from Houthoop to Hondeklip Bay; 'heuweltjieveld' or historical termite hills near Garies
Dinner & Accommodation: Vredendal Hotel

Day 6: Saturday, 6 September 2008
Route: Vredendal – Vanrhynsdorp – Stellenbosch
Stops: Quagga’s Kop Farm in Knersvlakte; Vanrhynsdorp (stone plant nursery); Klawer
Vegetation: very low, sparse succulent shrublands dominated by famous dwarf stone plants
Accommodation: Stellenbosch (see the NOTE above)
Dinner: pre-booked venue for the whole excursion (joining several other IPE Excursions)

Day 7: Sunday, 7 September 2008
On this day we shall be joining the IPE Excursion Namaqualand (Leader: Prof L. Mucina); more field leaders will be present to assist (100-head strong troop of botanists)
Route: Stellenbosch – Sir Lowry’s Pass – Hottentots Holland N.R. – Stellenbosch
Activity: moderately strenuous hike up the mountain in the Hottentots Holland (from Rangers Station to Landroskop Hut and back) through the species richest temperate flora of the world – the pristine mountain fynbos on Table Mountain sandstone (70-80%) of endemism!
Return to Stellenbosch around 18:00 to the venue of the Symposium registration (Conservatorium in Stellenbosch)

Dinner: cocktail/social mixer (Conservatorium; starting 19:00) followed by bigger dinner (if still hungry) or just a drink or two with friends on your own in Stellenbosch