Making up part of a national park, Table Mountain is a flat-topped 1086m-high massif overlooking the coastal city of Cape Town in South Africa. So prominent is this mountain that in 2011 it was recognised as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, receiving over 800000 visitors annually.
Table Mountain dominates the skyline, seen from ships over 100km away. In the windy season, the mountain is regularly covered with a tablecloth, a strip of white cloud where legend speaks of it being formed by an eternal smoking duel between the devil and a local pirate.
The mountain is an integral part of the lives of Cape Town residents who use it as a direction beacon, a fitness platform, a fun family outing and a place to walk the dogs, even a sacred site by some faiths. With over 350 hiking trails, mountain bike routes and several sheer cliffs to challenge mountaineers, Table Mountain is a busy place, particularly on weekends. The mountain is growing in popularity as a wedding venue too and why not, after all, it’s one of the most photographed spots in the world.
There is a constellation in the southern skies named after Table Mountain. Called Mons Mensa, it was named by French Astronomer Abbé Nicolas de Lacaille in the 1750s.
Table Mountain is the perfect place to see fynbos, a type of vegetation rich in plant life. These plants number into the thousands, most of which can be seen on the mountain. The endemic ghost frog thrives on the mountain as do many small mammals and birds.
A Portuguese ship Captain, António de Saldanha, was the first European to climb the mountain in 1503 and it was he who named it Table Mountain.
First built in 1929, the cableway has undergone many upgrades over the years. The current cableway is Swiss-engineered and has transported countless Cape Town visitors to the top of Table Mountain. Many celebs have taken the ride up, and in 1947, the British Royal family travelled up the cableway while South Africa’s Prime Minister Jan Smuts hiked up to meet them at the summit. If you are in the city and celebrating your birthday, the cableway company will present you with a free return ticket!
Nelson Mandela once referred to Table Mountain as a gift to the earth.
Visitors to Table Mountain’s summit are presented with 360° views of the horizon, what better place to watch the sun rise over a new day or to enjoy a romantic sunset with a loved one?
