There are many things to do in Cape Town, but no visit is complete without ascending to the top of Table Mountain. This mountain, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, along with Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head dominate the city, rising 3562 feet above the city. It is part of Table Mountain National Park which creates a wilderness with significant bio-diversity in the middle of an urban area of over 3.5 million people.
The mountain get its name from the seemingly 2 mile level plateau at its top.
While it appears level from the ground, trust me it is not.
There 5 well marked trails on the mountain top and many viewing platforms from where you can see Cape Town, Camps Bay, and much of the Cape Peninsula.
There are numerous routes to hike up Table Mountain, none of them easy. We took the Cable Car, which been in operation since 1929. It ceases operations when the winds are too strong. Michelle and her friends had previously hiked up the mountain. She was kind enough to ride the cable car with us when we visited.
One of the other fascinating things about Table Mountain is it’s biodiversity. It has over 2,200 types of plants that are unique to Table Mountain. The Cape Floral Region is one of 6 recognized Floral Kingdoms and contains many unique plants, found nowhere else.
There is also much history surrounding the mountain. Including the original inhabitants who grazed their cattle on it’s slopes and the first European to climb Table Mountain (Jan van Riebeeck). Even bungee jumpers, para gliders and base jumpers have used Table Mountain. Needless to say, we took the cable car back down.
Tags: Mountain, Nature, South Africa, Table Mountain
