FULL-DAY TABLE MOUNTAIN HIKE

A full day Table Mountain hike is one of the best days you’ll spend with boots on. More than a dozen hiking trails wind their way to the top of Cape Town’s iconic mountain – some through shady forest, others up steep-sided ravines. There are easy Table Mountain hikes too. Several need only a moderate level of fitness and require little or no scrambling. But whichever way you choose, you’re assured of stunning views, amazing rock formations and fascinating flowers.

You’ll need to decide whether you want to take the cable car down or not. If you do, then your hike can start almost anywhere but will end on the mountain’s famous flat-top at the upper cable car station. If you don’t need the cable car, then an entirely new world opens up. Choose from full day Table Mountain hikes that take in wild waterfalls, secret forests and valleys, swopping views of the Atlantic Ocean for those of the Indian Ocean as you go.

Table Mountain hikes last about eight hours. It takes between two and three hours to reach the top, allowing for a break or two. You’ll learn about the local geology, flora and fauna as well as how Table Mountain was used by the indigenous people of the Cape. It’s an interactive experience – many plants have medicinal or magical uses and you can experiment with a few as we hike!

A Table Mountain hike with The Fynbos Guy is offered on a private basis only and tailored to your fitness and interests. Tea and fresh coffee are provided with an out-the-oven pastry for a mid-morning snack and, if you’re staying in Cape Town, free transport is supplied for groups of between one and three. Healthy picnic lunches are part of the full-day fee and comprise bread rolls, cheese, ham/salami, boiled eggs and raw vegetables and snacks. Extra water is available for you at all times and I carry a comprehensive first aid kit plus plenty of rehydration and energy products. And on hot summer days you’ll enjoy a cold drink after the hike too – and yes, that means a beer if you want one!