Table Mountain

Part of the Table Mountain National Park, this flat-top mountain is a very popular tourist attraction in Cape Town. The mountain is the only terrestrial feature to give its name to a constellation –Mensa (which means “The Table”) – standing in the Southern Hemisphere right below Orion and being visible in mid-July around midnight.

Location

The mountain’s plateau is flanked by Devil’s Peak to the east and Lion’s Head to the west, forming a drastic drop to Cape Town and the Table Bay Harbor.

There are more than 100 scenic hike trails to clime the mountain, but most visitors prefer to take the cableway. Access on foot is free but you will have to pay Rand 120 (ZAR) for a return ticket using the cableway.

Table Mountain National Park

Opened since 1988, Table Mountain National Park protects the natural environment of the mountain. The park comprises two of the most well-known tourist attractions in South Africa: Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope.

The park is known for its tropical fynbos vegetation. Also there are antelopes and ostriches. Be aware of the baboons though because they are used to tourists and often steal objects.

Within the park, another important area is Boulders. Here visitors can admire the penguins in their natural habitat.

Facilities

Restaurant

Located right on the top of Table Mountain, the restaurant not only offers magnificent view of the city and bay, but also a place to enjoy a lovely meal.

Cableway Cocktail Bar

Inside the top station building you will find the cocktail bar. Enjoy the scenic view, while trying some of the local wines and having fun with friends.

What to Do

Hiking

Hiking on Table Mountain trails is one of the most popular activities for both locals and tourists. There are a lot of trails of varied difficulty but because of the steep cliff around the summit, hiking is limited in that area.

Climbing

Table Mountain is also home to popular climbing routes of varied difficulty.

Caving

Having a unique geology, Table Mountain has several large sandstone cave systems and is highly popular among speleologists. Not far from Jeep Track hiking trail you will find Wynberg Caves, the biggest system here.