Table Mountain

Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. Table Mountain is a significant tourist attraction and recently chosen New 7 Wonder of Nature finalist.

The flat-topped mountain has withstood six million years of erosion and hosts the richest, yet smallest floral kingdom on earth with over 1,470 floral species. Table Mountain boasts numerous rare and endangered species. It is the most recognized site in Cape Town, the gateway to Africa, owing to its unique flat-topped peaks which reach 1,086 m above sea level.

The flat top of the mountain is often covered by orographic clouds, the so-called “table cloth” of cloud. Legend attributes this phenomenon to a smoking contest between the Devil and a local pirate called Van Hunks. When the table cloth is seen, it symbolizes the contest.

The main vegetation of the mountain is the unique and rich Cape fynbos. These protected areas are a World Heritage Site, and an estimated 2,200 species of plants are found on the mountain alone.

Prehistoric people first left evidence here more than 600,000 years ago. Evidence tools of these Early Stone Age hunter-gatherers were found in a depression near the Cape of Good Hope.

Take the Table Mountain Cableway up the Table Mountain. As the car glides up, the platform rotates 360 degrees, offering every visitor astounding views of the mountains, the city and the ocean. The lines at the cableway can sometimes be incredibly long but the views along the way and from the top are definitely worth the wait!

Since it’s opening in 1929, over 16 million people have taken the trip to the top of Table Mountain. The Table Mountain cableway has since become something of a landmark in Cape Town, and has carried some of Cape Town’s most illustrious visitors including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Sting, Stefi Graf, Arnold Schwarzenneger, Magaret Thatcher, Prince Andrew, Micheal Schumacher, Brooke Shields, Micheal Buble, Tina Turner, Jackie Chan, Dolores O’Riordan, Skunk Anansie and Paul Oakenfold.

If you’re adventurous, try hiking up the mountain. The most straightforward hike to the top of the mountain is via the huge Platteklip Gorge that runs through the centre of the mountain. The trail zig-zags in a gradual ascent and takes an average of two hours to climb. Along the way, stop to appreciate the indigenous fynbos vegetation. A trek up the mountain in spring when the fynbos is in full bloom is especially rewarding.

Photo by Brian G. Foltz