Table Mountain Trail, Cape Town, Western Cape | Cape Town Hikes | Hiking Guides for the Table Mountain Trail in Cape Town in the Western Cape

Table Mountain Trail - A review by Karen Watkins (Author of Adventure Walks & Scrambles in the Cape Peninsula)

The Table Mountain Trail will delight both culture vultures and nature lovers.

Sniffing fynbos-scented air while watching peaklets transform from manganese black to quartzite pink and then sandstone cream, as sugarbirds sing, it’s easy to imagine that you’re in the sticks and not above a metropolis.

When I was offered a place on the upmarket Table Mountain Trail, I jumped at it. Who wouldn’t - three days and two nights of luxury with “white linen” accommodation, exquisite cuisine, transported and guided? For many years I’ve been a regular hiker and know many nooks and crannies on Table Mountain, but I resolved to see Cape Town and the mountain through the eyes of a tourist.

Early morning we met Carline, our guide on the Footsteps to Freedom Tour. Dropping off our overnight gear at the Wash Houses we met up with Sara and Ken, two American backpackers at the Nelson Mandela Gateway. This was the only disappointment of the day. A section of the video wall-story was broken as were some of the television screens.

The harbour tour was a different story. We boarded the Queen Victoria and were taken into the bay, offering an unusual perspective of the city and mountains. Carline and the captain regaled us with interesting facts. Did you know that seals eat 7kg of fish each day and they can jump 2m, while males weigh 300kg and females only 100kg? I didn’t know that the concrete puzzle pieces around the worlds’ harbours, called dolosse, and used to break the sea-swell, are a South African invention. What a pleasure to glide through the narrow channel under the Clock Tower as tourists gawked and seals cavorted. We ended up behind the Cape Grace Hotel, surrounded by luxury yachts and apartments. My proudly SA heart swelled as I watched Sara and Ken’s impressed expressions.

The next stop was a coffee shop in Cape Quarter, in the trendy De Waterkant area.
Suitably armed with caffeine fix we made our way to Strand Street, marking the place where the sea used to wash against the shore. Across the road we entered what could be Mombassa, Tangier or Cairo, but no, it’s Bokaap, where pastel painted houses line cobblestone streets as bearded men in fez and gowns enter mosques.
This predominantly Muslim area is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Cape Town, the residents are descendents of slaves imported to the Cape by the Dutch. What a pleasure to wander through Cape Town’s streets, marvelling at the multifaceted tapestry of diverse architecture, hearing multinational languages while being greeted by friendly locals. Carline wove a story of the country and the city’s often tragic past. Fascinating, but how does she remember all those dates and how have I missed all of this, places that I’ve walked passed so often, such as the slave tree near Parliament Street!

Wandering past the impressive City Hall and the Grand Parade, our final stop was the District Six Museum. We then walked through the Company’s Gardens to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch in a hotel.
Feeling lethargic from the heat and food, Carline entertained us with stories of Admiral Nelson, amongst others, as we luxuriated on the grass at the award-winning pink hotel named after him.

The theme of the afternoon was the history of the city’s water. We visited De Waal dam, Molteno Reservoir and a number of fountains before finally arriving at our overnight accommodation at the Wash Houses. We were offered iced tea and greeted by Antonio and Bongile, our Hoerikwaggo guides. Later, after a mouth-wateringly delicious Cape Malay meal, washed down by wine, we sat outside around a fire and talked.The place is luxurious, the food is excellent, the ambience restful, and we fell asleep to the sound of the river, under the crispiest white bed linen I’ve ever encountered. Despite being so close to the city, silence greeted us next morning as well as a sumptuous breakfast. It was hard to leave behind the hammocks and swing-chairs in the garden to go hiking.

Sheltered from the sun under tall pines, we climbed on boardwalks, confirmation of the “touching the earth lightly” theme of the Hoerikwaggo Trail. We stopped at one of the five kramats marking the sacred circle, reaching as far away as Faure. It was hot and we were relieved to reach Tafelberg Road. Bongi picked up litter along the road. “I want to set an example,” he said to my questioning look. Sadly, this wasn’t the only piece of litter we picked up on the next two days. Only a short distance along the tar, we came to the cable station, and joined other “tourists” in the queue.
The weather was perfect as were the views and we strolled across the top of the mountain to MacLear’s Beacon. Our guides were knowledgeable and informative, giving of themselves and telling us about the Xhosa tradition of initiation.

Along the way we stopped to photograph the views and plants, such as Disa ferruginea, Monnikskappie, and the enormous Protea cynaroides, Koningsuikerbos.
At 1086m, the beacon is the highest point on the Cape Peninsula, constructed in 1884 by astronomer Thomas MacLear, who initiated the first geodetic survey of the Cape.We followed Smuts Track, named after the man who spent 50 years climbing and was an architect of the United Nations. Antonio pointed out Drosera cistiflora Doublom or Snotrosie, and described how insects stick to the dewy hairs and then digested – Mother Nature can be gory at times! We made a slight detour to the Aqueduct to enjoy our packed lunch and end-of-season Disa uniflora’s.

Crossing Skellie’s, (Skellie’s is the hiker’s reference to Skeleton Gorge) we detoured to enjoy views of False Bay, the southern suburbs and across Cape Flats to the Hottentots Holland mountains. We then detoured to show our American visitors Redwood trees in the Lister Nursery. Named after Joseph Storr Lister, superintendent of plantations, he was one of the culprits who planted exotic trees, resulting in two centuries of indigenous timber removal. From here it wasn’t far to our overnight accommodation in the beautifully restored Overseers Cottage. We lazed on the veranda soaking the sun’s rays relishing the privilege of being here. 

Resisting the enticing smells of supper cooking, we went to De Villiers Reservoir, overlooking the restricted area of Orange Kloof, to watch the sun set over Grootkop.
After hot showers, supper was a traditional braai where the salads and veggies were ample, even for a vegetarian. Supper was followed by melktert and coffee on the veranda, as we watched the fairyland of lights below and the even more spectacular cosmos above. With the bedroom door open, we once again slept soundly under crisp white linen.

Woken to the sound of silence next morning, I sat on the veranda to enjoy the sunrise over distant mountains, changing the colours of the surroundings. Hikers came and went on the Concrete Road before my companions surfaced but today was a later start.

After another buffet breakfast before setting off for the western edge of the mountain, the theme once again was water. Our guides talked about constructing the five reservoirs, between 1897 and 1907, and the buildings surrounding them.
Ken posed on what hikers call the diving board above Kasteelspoort, next to the historic cableway, used to transport building equipment for the dams.
We then hiked to the museum, built in 1973, now owned by the Cape Town City Council, under the curatorship of Terrence Timoney. It isn’t always open but we were lucky.

I always find something new and fascinating in the museum, particularly the pictures, showing workmen wearing suits and ties, using pulleys and steam.
Back to the Overseers Cottage for lunch after which we wanted to laze in the sun and sleep, but we had to descend to Kirstenbosch via the Concrete Road towards Cecilia Forest.

Kirstenbosch was bequeathed to the nation by Cecil John Rhodes upon his death in 1902. We had come full circle, from the Company’s Gardens and a statue of him, to Kirstenbosch, through a history of slaves, forced removal and apartheid, while crossing a 700million year-old mountain and one of the most beautiful cities on the planet.

The Table Mountain Trail is one of the Hoerikwaggo trails, the original Khoi-san word for Table Mountain, meaning Mountain in the Sea. High atop the mountain, with views of two oceans, the name truly reveals the authentic spirit of the name.
In retrospect, our guides offered enough information without overdoing it, as well as revealing their interest and all-round love and knowledge of the mountain. Sara and Ken felt that the trip was good value. Included in the three-day experience: the harbour trip, Cape Town tour, two night’s luxury accommodation, three days food, transport, cableway, Kirstenbosch and experienced guides.     
So, if you’re looking for a weekend away but don’t fancy the drive, or you’re looking for a surprise for that special person, or you just want to splurge and be pampered, hike the Table Mountain Trail.

Details:
Bags with your clothes and toiletries are transported to both overnight accommodations; all you need to carry is a daypack for water, binoculars, camera, snacks and rain/sun gear. Wear good hiking shoes and socks, a hat and sunscreen and clothing for warm and cool weather.

Cost: R1 900 per person. The trail accommodates a maximum of 16 people and a minimum of six, children under 12 years are not allowed. Bookings are made per room and not per person. There are 4x2 bed units and 2x4 bed units, therefore if there is only one person making a booking it means that they will have to pay for the whole unit. All linen and towels are provided and meals are included, with a vegetarian option.

The Route:
Day 1, 7km, approximately 6.5 hours.
Day 2: 9,5 km, approximately 6 hours.
Day 3: 9 km, approximately 6 hours.

Difficulty: You need to be fit and able to manage steep inclines.

To book call Pat Metsing on 021 465 8515/9. For more information visit www.hoerikwaggotrails.co.za 

Table Mountain Trail:
• It is a three day and two night guided Luxury trail.
• All luggage is transported to both accommodation venues.
• All meals are included.
• The trail accommodates a maximum of 16 people in 4 double rooms and two four sleeper rooms.
• The first night is spent at Platteklip Lodge at the Wash House precinct, at the foot of Table Mountain, where rooms are all en-suite (showers only).
• The second night is spent at the Overseers Cottages, on top of Table Mountain. Klipspriger Cottage sleeps 10 (3 doubles & one four sleeper) and Disa Cottange sleeps 6 (1 double & one four sleeper).
• Overseers Cottage has four showers, separate from the rooms. Six of the beds consist of double bunks.
• There is hot water at both venues.
• Ascend Table Mountain via the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (weather permitting) or walk up via Platteklip Gorge or alternative routes.
• All bedding, linen and towels are provided.
• The trail starts at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at 08h00 and ends at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens at approximately 16h00, two days later.
• Children under 12 years are not allowed on the trail.
• Please arrange your own transportation from Kirtenbosch (end of the trail). There is a regular bus to the Waterfront and taxis are available.
• A cash bar with a selection of beers, spirits, wines and soft drinks is available at both overnight venues.
• Internet connection available at the Wash House.
• There is no cell phone connection on the top of the mountain.

You will need:
• A day pack for warm clothing & your pack lunch (supplied)
• Cold / wet weather gear – even if the weather looks good it can change on the mountain – the evening can also be cold, even in summer.
• Good hiking boots & socks.
• Water bottle(s) for at least 2 lt of water.
• An additional bag / suitcase / rucksack with your personal belongings, overnight gear and clothing. This will be transported to the overnight accommodation for you.

Bookings:
• Call Frank on 021 465 8753
• or Pat Metsing on 021 465 8515/9
Email: Click here to send a direct email
Website: www.plattekliplodge.co.za