Table Mountain Trail - South Africa Tours, Special Interest
Table Mountain Trail
A three-day, guided, portered, self-catered, hiking experience that offers you rich, diverse and unique fauna and flora - with rugged cliffs, steep slopes and sandy flats.
Tour Code: TMT
Depart From: Cape Town
| Ending at: Cape Town
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Duration: 3 Days
Country:
South Africa
Departures: Daily
Type: Adventure | Special Interests | |
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Tour Description
Table Mountain National Park is a walking Park with exciting trails for all levels of walkers from the super-fit to the casual stroller. There are many routes to choose from along the Table Mountain Chain offering spectacular views of the City of Cape Town, rugged mountains and deep blue seas.
Most of the popular hikes up Table Mountain such as Platteklip Gorge (north face), Nursery Ravine and Skeleton Gorge (the latter two being accessible from Kirstenbosch) are fairly strenuous.
This guided 2-night trail is portaged and self-catering. Food and overnight gear will be ferried from your departure point to your camp. You need good walking boots, daypack with lunch, snacks and two litres of water and weatherproof gear for sun, wind and rain.
Please note
- the route is weather permitting. On days that are too windy, rainy or misty the cable way is closed and alternative routes will be taken. The alternate routes are scenic in their own right and still showcase the many wonders of Table Mountain National Park.
- you need to be fit and able to manage steep inclines.
- no children younger than 12 years are allowed on the trail.
Accommodation
The maximum size of a hiking party is 16 people with a minimum of 2 people. There will be one Trail Guide per 8 hikers plus a lead guide.
There are two four-sleepers and four two-sleepers in each overnight facility. You need to book either for two or four people.
What to take
- Food - 3 x breakfasts, 2 x lunches and 2 x dinners
- Good hiking shoes and warm socks.
- A comfortable daypack for water, a light lunch, snacks and rain gear.
- A small bag with your clothes and toiletries – this will be portered to your accommodation.
- Wet weather gear: a good raincoat.
- Clothing for warm and cool weather.
- A hat and sunscreen
- Binoculars and camera.
- A book to relax with in the evenings
Itinerary
Day 1: Cape Town
Meet at the beautifully restored Platteklip Wash Houses on the banks of the Camissa (sweet water) River on the lower slopes of Table Mountain in Oranjezicht from 15h00 onwards. Here you will meet the Trail Guides - your hosts on days 2 and 3.
You have ample time to prepare your own dinner in the kitchen area. After dinner you can relax around the fire, watch a DVD, send an e-mail or simply chat to your fellow hikers.
Day 2: Table Mountain (9,5 km, approximately 6 hours)
The morning starts with an early rise to prepare your breakfast. After breakfast you will hike to the lower cable way station. From there, weather permitting, you will catch the Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain.
From the upper cable station the trail winds through pristine fynbos to Maclear’s Beacon. The Beacon is the highest point on the Cape Peninsula and was constructed in 1884 by the astronomer Thomas Maclear who initiated the first geodetic survey of the Cape. You'll stop for a light lunch.
After lunch continue via the historic Smuts Track to the overnight accommodation at the restored Overseers Cottage which offers awesome night time views of the City and the mountain chain.
An outdoor braai is available for those wishing to prepare a barbeque dinner, but will only be lit on a low fire-risk day. Should the wind be too strong or the vegetation too dry meas can be prepared in the kitchen.
Day 3: Kirstenbosch & End of Tour (9 km, approximately 6 hours)
Today a morning hike will take you to the north western edges of the mountain. The route offers plenty of interesting and historic features and scenic trails.
After lunch the guides will lead you down the magnificent, forested Nursery Ravine to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where the trail ends.
Two day (1 night) Trail
Provision has been made for people that cannot join the trail group on the 1st night, to do the Table Mountain Trail by joining the trail group the next morning at 08h00.
Tour Include
Accommodation, guides and portage.
Tour Exclude
Food
Items of a personnal nature.
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