The Jacaranda Kensington Johannesburg Walk

Intro – The Jacaranda Kensington Johanesburg Walk

London has Wisteria, Japan has cherry blossoms and South Africa has the purple plumage of the Jacaranda trees. Lasting around four weeks, Spring blooms cover tens of thousands of trees, transforming the city and laying a thick carpet of purple petals on the streets. Walking through a sea of petals through a tunnel of purple flowers is like a real life fairy-tale! The flowers last from early October until early November.

Start, End and Time

At 8am, we meet in the parking area just outside Fournos Bedfordview (Bedford Mall), Shop U23 & U57 Bedford Gardens, Smith Rd, Bedfordview, Johannesburg, 2008. Join us for brunch afterwards.

Pace and Duration

Moderately brisk pace. We do not run but we do not walk slowly. A degree of fitness is important as this is a hilly area. We do the walk in about two and a half hours.

A Good Workout – 11 km, 10000+ steps, you will Burn 1000 Calories and get 300 Vitality Points

This is a good workout. You will be burning 1,000 calories and you will be able to put them all back again at Fournos.😁 You will get your 300 Vitality points should you be on Vitality.

Brisk Walking Bedfordview >

Brunch & Social

After the walk join us for brunch and a social at Fournos.

The Kensington Jacaranda Walk – 2026-10-25

It was a well-attended event. A big thank you to everyone who joined this morning’s Kensington Jacaranda Walk, and a special thank you to everyone who shared their photos, including Alec, Brian, Britt, Catherine, Paul, Sashi and Tony. 📸

A BIG THANK YOU to Mandi Green, Co-ordinator at the Buddhist Centre, for kindly allowing us access to the property. We really appreciate your generosity and hospitality!

Our own little “United Nations” was out walking in Kensington! 🌍 Our group included people from Bulgaria, China, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Portugal, Russia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and obviously from South Africa — all coming together to enjoy Johannesburg’s beautiful jacaranda trees and celebrate the spirit of friendship and community.

We enjoyed wonderful social interaction both during the walk and over brunch afterwards. It was a lovely opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, make connections and share the morning with friends.

Best wishes to Allegra for every success in her Matric examinations, and best wishes to Catherine for a safe journey and all the best on her return home to Nairobi, Kenya.

Walking Statistics

Distance	Steps	Moving Time	Elapsed Time	Calories
12,41 km	17,182	2:34:21	3:05:40	943

The Kensington Jacaranda Walk – Previous Years

Japanese Tourists Travel to South Africa to See Jacaranda Trees in Bloom

Thousands of Japanese tourists travel to South Africa every year to appreciate them in flower. The blossoms are as well known in Japan as Table Mountain…

How to make Walking Workouts more Effective >

Jacaranda Trees Imported into South Africa by J.D. Celliers

Two jacaranda trees were imported into South Africa from Brazil in the 1800s by Mr J.D. Celliers. They were planted in his garden at Myrtle Lodge, Sunnyside, Pretoria. Large-scale planting of jacarandas began in Pretoria 10 years later.

Johannesburg, the Largest Human-Made Urban Forest in the World has 70,000 Jacarandas

Johannesburg, the “largest man-made urban forest” in the world has more than 10 million trees and in South Africa, Johannesburg is the city with the most Jacaranda trees. There are over 70,000 trees in Johannesburg compared to 60,000 in Pretoria.

Is it Illegal to Plant Jacaranda Trees?

It is now illegal to plant Jacarandas, as they are classified as alien plants. Jacarandas guzzle up much needed city water.

Kensington a Treasure Trove of Heritage Sites

Kensington is a treasure trove of Heritage sites. We will walk past the following Heritage sites: Jeppe High School for Girls, Dykeneuk Stone House, Tibetan Buddhist Centre, Jeppe High School for Boys, Scottish Horse Memorial, Kensington Castle. This is a most enjoyable walk year-round and it is a free event. Following the walk you are welcome to join us at Fournos, Bedfordview Mall for brunch and a social.😋

The Route – The Jacaranda Walk – Kensington

Heritage Sites We Walk Past

	Heritage Site
	Jeppe High School for Girls	Established in 1918.
	Dykeneuk (Stone House)	Architect: Sir Herbert Baker (1904).
	Dix House (Tibetan Buddhist Centre)	Built by C.W. Dix (1904).
	Jeppe High School for Boys	Architect: Sir Herbert Baker (1909). The school was named after Julius Jeppe who donated the grounds to the school.
	World War I Monument	Prime Minister Jan C. Smuts unveiled the World War I Monument at the school.
	Scottish Horse Memorial	Erected in memory of men who died during the South African Anglo-Boer War in 1901 – 1902.
	Kensington Castle	Built by Samuel Scott Wilson in 1911. This is a replica of the Rothesay-on-Bute Castle in Scotland
		Source: ILK – Kensington Heritage

The Route on Strava – The Jacaranda Walk – Kensington

Do Join Us – All Welcome!