TABLE MOUNTAIN

Description

Essentials about Table Mountain in brief

It is the striking landmark of Cape Town and one of the most famous mountains in the world: Table Mountain. Ever since the first seafarers sailed around the Cape of Good Hope at the end of the 15th century, the 1,086-meter-high mountain, which in good weather could be seen from a distance of more than 100 kilometers, has been considered an attraction on the southwestern tip of Africa. Hardly any city silhouette is so shaped by a mountain as that of Cape Town by Table Mountain. Because of its height and width, the mountain is not only visible from afar, but it also drops very steeply over a 500-meter-high sandstone wall toward the city center and only then gradually runs out toward the harbor.

The Table Mountain Massif

To be a little picky right at the beginning, it should be mentioned here that Table Mountain is actually not a single mountain, but a whole mountain massif that extends over a total area of about 6,500 hectares. The Table Mountain massif also includes Devil’s Peak on the east side, Lion’s Head and Signal Hill, which are located more or less in the center of Cape Town, and the Twelve Apostles Mountains, which extend south along the Atlantic coast. Since 1998, Table Mountain has been the northern end of Table Mountain National Park, which includes other areas on the Cape Peninsula.

The way up Table Mountain

Those who have brought a little stamina and will to their trip to Cape Town can tackle one of the approximately 100 hiking routes up Table Mountain. The vast majority of tourists, however, opt for a ride on the expensive but much more comfortable cable car. The ascent takes about five minutes, while the gondola rotates 360 degrees – so you don’t have to fight with other passengers for the best window seats.

The views from Table Mountain

Once on top of the mountain, you first find yourself in a chaotic crowd of people. Many visitors to Table Mountain unfortunately make the mistake of walking as little as possible and taking their photos directly near the top station. So, in order to have some peace and quiet and to let the fantastic panoramic view take effect on you, it is recommended to walk a few meters further in different directions.

Towards the north, you have a view of the center of Cape Town, the harbor with the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and behind it Table Bay with Robben Island. To the left, one sees the two prominent peaks of Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. Towards the west, you can see the noble beach suburbs of Clifton and Camps Bay, behind which the endless expanse of the Atlantic Ocean opens up. To the east, you can see the summit of Devil’s Peak. And to the south, the Cape Peninsula spreads out, on whose right side the mountains of the Twelve Apostles “look out” onto the Atlantic.

Eating and drinking on Table Mountain

By the way, if you are hungry or thirsty, there is an open-air bar and a few snack bars below the cable car station. There is also a self-service and a service restaurant. However, if you don’t want the stress of eating surrounded by crowds of tourists, you’d be better off taking your own picnic pack and enjoying it in one of the quieter spots on the mountain.

Wildlife on Table Mountain

By the way, Table Mountain is not only a paradise for hikers and photographers, but also for people interested in botany. The mountain massif is home to the incredible number of over 1,400 species, many of which are endemic (i.e. only found here). The Table Mountain massif used to be home to a wide variety of wildlife, including lions, antelope and even hippos. Today, you definitely won’t run into any lions or hippos on a hike. With a little luck you might spot a Cape grysbok, a porcupine or a tortoise. Who you will definitely run into are the cute little dassies, which by the way are the closest biological relatives of the elephant.

The geology of Table Mountain

With all the attraction and beauty of Table Mountain, there is unfortunately some bad news at the end: the mountain is disappearing. Don’t worry – everyone reading these lines still has plenty of time to look at Table Mountain. But the sandstone of the Table Mountain massif is subject to considerable erosion. Therefore, geologists already consider Table Mountain to be only a “puny remnant mountain”. This is because the mountain is said to have once been a gigantic coastal mountain of more than 3,000 meters in height, which was formed under water and pushed up by the earth’s plate tectonics. Thus, two thirds of the mountain massif have already become victims of wind, sun and rain. The first victim of erosion will be Lion’s Head, of which already today only a cone remains.