8 Reasons why you have to visi

8 Reasons why you have to visit Table Mountain

Cape Town has been named one of the most beautiful cities time and time again. We don’t call it the Mother City for nothing. It can nurture your soul whether you have a relationship with nature or not.

8 Reasons why you have to visi

Listen to me babbling, the thing is there are so many tourist attractions in the city but my number one has to be Table Mountain.

You might only know it as the flat topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the City of Cape Town, but what if I told you that there’s more to it? Well, I just did and here’s why you absolutely have to visit.

1. History13664618_1613449448967787_1070829479_n

Let’s start with where it all began. In May 1503, A Portuguese navigator by the name of Antonio de Saldanha climbed Table Mountain and named it ‘Taboa do Capo’ which means ‘Table of the Cape’. Table Mountain is the first sight to greet seafarers as they enter Table Bay harbour and is easily the cities most distinctive feature.

Did you know that for many years it was the principal source of drinkable water for the city? It also determines the micro-climate of the city and its surrounding environment, with the regular picturesque cloud cover popularly known as ‘the table cloth’.

2. Table Mountain Aerial Cable way
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The aerial cableway was built in 1929. It offers you a scenic ride, allowing you to have a bird’s eye view of the city of Cape Town from the ground up.

The cableway car rotates to give you a 360-degree view as you make your way to the top, While in the cableway car you learn a thing or two as a voice delves into the history behind one of the renowned 7 wonders of Nature.

3. Hiking Trails13672091_1613454048967327_322452231_n

If you think the cable car is the only route up the famous mountain, think again. There are several hiking trails that lead up to the mountain. The routes depend on fitness with Platteklip Gorge, or Plattes as it is known by the locals, being the most popular and “easiest” routes up. Make no mistake, though, easy is a relative term. You are, after all, clambering up to over 1000m above sea level.

If you’ve not hiked the mountain before, it’s recommended that you take a guide or an experienced hiker with you, especially if you take one of the more adventurous routes. Don’t worry, though, you’ll be greeted by plenty of friendly faces up and down the climb – no matter what the season.

Dress comfortable (especially on your feet) and take plenty of water up to the top. Make sure you take something warm as Cape Town’s infamous “four seasons in one day” is more prevelant on the top of the mountain than anywhere else in the city.

4. People
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The people make your trip worthwhile. Imagine hopping into a cableway car with just a driver, boring right? There are always plenty of people making their way to the top from school children to tourists – local and international. You get to meet new people from all parts of the world. If you are lucky enough to talk to them, you stand a chance of also learning about their culture and the country of their origin. All fascinating stuff.

5. The kiosk
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Before hopping on the Cableway car you can grab a snack at the Kiosk. Not dressed for the weather? There are shops with all necessities. When you get to the Table Mountain there’s a cafe serving all sorts of delicious treats – including beer for those who made the strenous hike. The trip is designed for all kinds of occasions and the shops have everything you need to survive on the Table Mountain.

6. Views from the Table Mountain13672398_1613449975634401_736918153_n

While at the top you get to see city of Cape Town in its entirety. The views include; Upper Cable Station, Clifton, Granite & Malmesbury ancient rocks, Lion’s head, the famous Robben Island, Tamboerskloof & Gardens, Signal Hill, Cape Town Stadium, Sand Dunes at Duinefontein, Molten Reservoir, Foreshore, Castle of Good Hope, District Six, Table Bay, Tygerberg Hills, N1 Highway, Hottentots Holland Mountains and Devil’s Peak. Of course you will not be able to see all the 18 mentioned places unless you use the binoculars that are readily available around the mountain worth R5.

7. A tour around the mountain13681942_1613457538966978_1736342543_o

There is a pathway circling the mountain which affords you a tour around the mountain. The pathway helps with getting you back to where you started in case you get lost. While walking, there are blocks all around that contains the history and important information you might need to know about the mountain. Pretty cool, right?

8. Nature13699501_1613454188967313_1349309142_o

To all nature lovers out there, you will definitely love what Table Mountain has to offer. You will get a chance to enjoy wonderful views of the Rock Hyrax (Dassie) darting along the rocks, lizards sunning themselves, butterflies flying past and you might even be lucky enough to spot a porcupine digging for bulbs. You will also experience the birds from the large Verreaux Eagles to the small colourful sunbirds.

Interesting fact: The Table Mountain National Park (which includes the mountain itself) has more plant species than the entire United Kingdom!