Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is proud to announce an exciting new project taking place in honour of their centenary year (2013) – a treetop canopy walkway known as the Boomslang! Situated in the Enchanted Forest, the walkway lures visitors from the forest floor through the leafy foliage and eventually bursts above the treetops to allow for captivating 360˚ views of Castle Rock, the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, and all the way across the Cape Flats and southern suburbs to the Hottentots Holland Mountain. The Boomslang is wheelchair-friendly, and is officially open to the public as of 20 May 2014!
Aptly termed “Boomslang”, the 130m walkway was inspired by the skeleton of a snake. The walkway is built of a galvanised steel structural spine and ribs, and slated timber deck. Built purely from donations, the project’s design was the brainchild of Mark Thomas and Christopher Bisset (Mark Thomas Architects) in conjunction with Henry Fagan (Henry Fagan & Partners structural and civil engineers). Reaching a peak point of 11.5m above the ground, the walkway is painted to attract moss and intertwined with creepers to enhance the natural atmosphere of the garden around it.
The walkway has been built in the Enchanted Forest (Arboretum), one of the less frequented areas of the garden, which houses around 450 of South Africa’s 1,000 indigenous plant species. Its crescent shape allows visitors to enter the walkway from two different points of the garden, with interpretive storyboards providing fascinating insight and facts about the life of the tree canopy. As it is set high above the forest floor, the walkway also allows visitors to spot animals and birds from above. Peaceful shaded seating marks the entrances of the walkway.
The exciting Boomslang aerial walkway is expected to draw both new and loyal visitors to the garden to experience a new perspective of the surrounding area. What’s more, the walkway will be absolutely FREE to Kirstenbosch ticket holders!
What do you think of the Boomslang?
