Kirstenbosch’s identity is rooted in its history and land footprint. SANBI’s historical notes record that in May 1913 the government set aside the Kirstenbosch estate to establish a national botanic garden. The estate covers 528 hectares, of which about 36 hectares are cultivated displays; the rest is protected natural area supporting indigenous forest and fynbos and a wide variety of wildlife (birds, reptiles, frogs, and invertebrates). This mix is what makes the visit feel “layered”: you can move from manicured protea and cycad collections into shady forest paths within minutes.

A modern highlight is the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, informally called the “Boomslang” (tree snake). SANBI notes it was built in 2013–14 to mark Kirstenbosch’s centenary and opened to the public on 17 May 2014—a curved, steel-and-timber structure that threads through and above the Arboretum for a canopy-level perspective. It’s one of the best “single feature” experiences in Cape Town because it changes the way you read the landscape: instead of looking at the forest as a green mass, you see layers of trunks, canopy texture, and the mountain geometry beyond.

Kirstenbosch also sits within a globally important biodiversity context. The broader Cape Floral Region Protected Areas are a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2004), reflecting the exceptional plant diversity of the region. In practical visitor terms: even if you’re not a botanist, the garden’s indigenous focus makes the collections feel distinctly “Cape”—proteas, ericas, restios, cycads, and seasonal blooms that are hard to replicate anywhere else. (Britannica describes a collection of roughly 6,200 species focused on Cape plants and southern African flora.)

Finally, Kirstenbosch is also a lifestyle venue, not just a garden. SANBI’s events listings include the well-known Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts (seasonal dates and line-ups change year to year), which turn the lawns into a relaxed picnic-and-music experience under the mountain.