"May you be fully aware of your fortunate lot
to enjoy that paradise on earth, the Cape of Good Hope"
Linnaeus – Swedish botanist & taxonomist
1707–1778
Oldest Mountain in the World?
Table Mountain was formed between 250–540 million years ago through the folding of the old Richtersveld mountains (north of Cape Town and no longer existing) which were formed 800 million years ago. Its present shape is about 60 million years old.
Mount Everest was formed 40 million years ago; the Alps in Europe 'only' 32 million years ago.
Mountains in the Sea
This is the best guide book we've found anywhere.
Every Cape Town home should have one. It will enrich the experience of any visitor and it's an ideal memento to take home.
Its 184 pages are packed with information – John Yeld and Martine Barker have done Cape Town proud!
The book is available from TMNP offices or click here to order online. Price R97
Cape Floral Kingdom
Much of the northern hemisphere was subjected to a severe ice age (which only ended about 100 000 years ago) effectively wiping out its entire plant life.
South Africa, in contrast, has not been disturbed by such violent glacial forces in recent geological time.
Fynbos, therefore, is an ancient vegetation type – some date back more than 60 million years!
If the Cape Floral Kingdom is a biological treasure chest, then one of its most brilliant gems is the Cape Peninsula. This tiny patch of land, only some 470km² in extent, harbours a staggering 2 285 flowering plant species. The 57km² of Table Mountain has some 1 470 plant species, only just fewer than the 1 492 found in Britain in an area of 308 000km², and more species than Sweden, which is a thousand times larger.
A Star in its own Right
During his visit to the Cape of Good Hope (1750–1754), French astronomer Abbé Nicolas
Louis de la Caille observed more than 10 000 previously unrecorded stars, and named many of the southern constellations.
His particular tribute to Table Mountain was to name a constellation which he found near the Southern Cross in its honour: Mons Mensa (Latin for Table Mountain), with the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud representing the mountain's "Table Cloth". It is the only constellation named after a terrestrial geographical feature.
The Circle of Islam Few things express the multi-cultural nature of Cape Town better than this:
Not all visitors to the Peninsula arrived willingly. Slaves were brought to perform forced labour from the outset of the settler colony. Also, political "troublemakers" were exiled to the Cape from areas in the East controlled by the Dutch. Among the early exiles was a Goan prince of Muslim faith, Sheik Yusuf, sent here in 1693. Sheik Yusuf's kramat (tomb of a Muslim holy man) at Macassar is one of six on the Peninsula and Robben Island, forming what Muslims refer to as the sacred Circle of Islam. They believe those living within the circle are protected from natural disasters such as fire, famine, plague and earthquakes.
– from Mountains in the Sea
Capetonians: it's your mountain, your park... get your Cape Town Wild Card Income from the sale of cape Town's Wild Cards are used to improve safety in TMNP.
The card costs R45 and gives you 12 entry credits per year to the following pay points: Cape Point, Boulders Penguin Colony, Tokai & Silvermine, and free use of the braai & picnic areas at Newlands, Oudekraal & Perdekloof.
The 12 entries can be used by an individual card holder or you can have an additional adult loaded onto the card.
But, you may take six extra people in with you, with a maximum of four adults. But... one person, one credit. Recreational permits are also loaded onto the Wild Card. Entry to certain areas is unlimited for a year.
Dog walking permits – R55
Hang & Para Gliding, Sport & Rock Climbing, Line Fish Transport Permit – R130
Discounted entry to other places of interest such as the Two Oceans Aquarium.
Instant CashBack Rewards from Infinity partner stores.
Get up to 20% discount on certain holiday packages.
A free copy of Wild in Africa magazine.
Click here to get your card online.
Residents of the Western Cape may be the world's most priviledged eco-adventurers in their own back yard, if they choose to be. Visitors will find this area much as Linnaeus did almost 300 years ago – a paradise on earth!
No other city in the world has God-given gifts like Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) – set to become the best urban national park in the world – at its heart. Read our interview with Brett Myrdal, the Park Manager.
Read about the new Hoerikwaggo Trail, set to become one of the world's greatest hiking trails when it opens next year, and the mystique surrounding this spiritual place.
When CapeNature added their reserves around the Province to CapeInfo in 2000, we were aghast at how little we knew about the environmental assets on our doorstep. Take a little time to explore Nature Reserves in our directory, and read about CapeNature's latest product – the Whale Hiking Trail – below.
Read our interview with David Daitz, who has just stepped down as CapeNature's CEO after 10 years in conservation management to explore wider interests.
Almost every town in the Western Cape has something to offer but Gansbaai and the Dangerpoint Peninsula seems to be flourishing as a newly-discovered biodiversity hotspot. (It also has one of the most pro-active tourism offices. See more below.) Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, between Stanford and Gansbaai, offers much more than a pampering break – prompting the editor of Getaway magazine (September 2005) to name it South Africa's best:
"It would be a bold person who'd venture to publicly proclaim the best lodge in South Africa... On first thought few South Africans would think about spending hard cash to stay at a lodge which offers fynbos and the largest remaining milkwood forests as its major attractions. So how has it become one of the most celebrated places to stay in the whole of Southern Africa? And why would the July edition of Britain's Sunday Times Travel magazine rate it one of the top six small hotels in the world?"
Well it's all about sublime views that expand your mind, the magical fynbos of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the marine attractions of Walker Bay, and the Lutzeyers' consummate professionalism and hospitality.
Eco-tourism embraces everything that allows you to explore and enjoy the environment – and the Cape's environment is richer than almost anywhere else, with mountains, beaches and rolling plains all within close proximity. Gentle walks or adventurous hikes, horseriding, mountain biking, kayaking, river rafting, diving, 4x4 trails, paragliding, whales, sharks, penguins, seals... apart from the usual African wildlife... the list is endless.
Whale Hiking Trail at the De Hoop Nature Reserve
The trail traverses one of the Western Cape's most unique and diverse nature reserves, while providing nature lovers and those who love the outdoors with unique comfortable overnight accommodation situated at spectacular locations.
The 55km route includes five overnight stops. The trail offers the opportunity to explore the unsurpassed natural diversity of the De Hoop Nature Reserve – fynbos on the Potberg mountains and unique limestone fynbos plains meet the salty sea air of the marine protected area. Along the way, there's an abundance of indigenous plants, the last remaining vulture colony in the Western Cape, numerous other bird species and small antelope.
De Hoop is renowned as one of the best whale-watching spots. Between June and December, the coastline is transformed into one of the world's most important nursery areas for southern right whales with more than 50 of these sea giants lying a kilometre off the coast.
The cottages, from Arniston-style houses to A-framed thatched cottages, are located at the foot of the Potberg mountains, nestled along the coastline and perched high on a sea cliff. "Roughing it" wasn't part of the package when the overnight accommodation was planned – all have a kitchen and living area, modern bathrooms and toilets, hot water, mattresses, firewood and solar powered lights.
Dangerpoint Peninsula
If you have never been woken in the morning by the sound of whales blowing, you haven't lived. The Dangerpoint Peninsula offers this, and much more. Rolling plains covered in fynbos, it is the Great White Shark capital of the world, yet there are ancient milkwood forests where meeting Hobbit would not be unexpected, and one of the longest beaches in South Africa.
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Mountains in the Sea
