A multiday hiking tour of Table Mountain and the surrounding area.
The Western Cape of South Africa is the perfect place to plan a hiking tour. Within a very small area you can do a number of hikes with no 2 days being the same. The variety of flora, fauna, views and terrain is difficult to find anywhere else in the world. Have a look at this blog written by Rene. He joined Ridgway Ramblers for 5 hikes in early December.
http://bloggingabout.net/blogs/rene/archive/2010/12/07/the-big-5.aspx
All these hikes are within 1 hours drive of the centre of Cape Town itself.
1. Smuts Track:
This hike follows a route across Table Mountain beginning in the famous Kirstenbosch Gardens and passing the highest point on the mountain. It includes a tough climb through the magnificent Skeleton Gorge and wonderful views of the city itself.
A view from Smuts Track
2. 12 Apostles.
The 12 Apostles are the sheer cliffs that tower over Camps Bay on the other side of Table Mountain. Tremendous sea and cliff views. We also visited the waterworks museum and the reservoirs that are found on the Back of Table Mountain.
The views from the 12 Apostles hike are magnificent
3. The Palmiet River Walk.
This hike in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve is the easiest and flattest of the hikes. The path follows the pristine Palmiet river with plenty of opportunity for peaceful contemplation on white sandy beaches.
The path follows the river for much of the hike
4. The Panorama Trail.
This demanding hike is found in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve in Stellenbosch. After a days hiking through the mountain the last part of the trail passes some magnificent waterfalls and inviting rock pools.
Beautiful waterfalls abound on this hike
5. Cape Point
Our last hike was in Cape Point. Here the hike includes beach, cliff and mountain hiking. Wildlife and birdlife abound and whilst the cheeky baboons often steal the show, Rene and I particularly enjoyed seeing the nesting cormorants.
Cormorants nesting on narrow shelves of the sheer cliffs at Cape Point.
For more details of all these hikes go to the links below:
https://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/hiking-options/full-day-options/
https://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/hiking-options/walks-at-cape-point/
https://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/hiking-options/other-hikes-in-the-western-cape/
