Hiking Table Mountain

Our first hike of the trip! The skies were clearing and our guides picked a safer route up Table Mountain, around the backside of the horseshoe. We would begin at Constantia Nek and return back down on foot as the cable car was not only on the other side, it was also not running due to the winds. I'd read options of what trails people took when they were here and figured this could be the hardest hike. In actuality, it was a good opening hike, we got a bit of the steps that we would've had to face a steep 3 hours of had we chosen the Platteklip Gorge route (perhaps next time), but the stunning views were all the same.

Our local guide was knowledgeable and fun, pointing out the various flora and vegetation that we came across. For most species, the meaning of the Afrikaan name was more fun and memorable. We split into 2 groups halfway, one taking the more challenging route where you have to use your hands and forge a path up rocks in a few sections and the rest along a small jeep road. Either way, we would get to the top.

There was little debate in my decision to join the road group. It was only the beginning of our tour and best to ease into things. We were all of similar pacing as well and just took our time taking in the views as we headed up. The sprawl of Cape Town was as wide as we could see. A motorway runs across but it still takes an hour to commute from the outskirts to the city itself. Closer to the mountain were houses of those better off, depending which side of the mountain itself you were on, you were either old money or new money, some might even say heroin or cocaine.

At the top, we pass the caretakers cottage to take in lunch at Alexandra dam. The water level is scary low. After lunch, we walk a little further to Victoria dam where the water level is higher, there's enough a bit of a beach along the side. It turns out the dam levels are due to overflow from the previous dam.

A beautiful place for hiking and definitely more trails to explore on future trips, I suppose a hiking fanatic could spend a week here wandering the trails.Read more