Lion’s Head – A Classic Cape Town Walk
The city of Cape Town is situated in a natural amphitheater, formed by three mountains that embrace it. Of course Table Mountain on its southern side is the best known. However it is the mountain on the western edge of the city that is the darling of Capetonians. This is the mountain known as “The Lion”. It has been known by this name since the days of the Dutch settlement, and got its name from its resemblance to a lion lying on its belly. The tallest rocky section represents the...
Cape Town Nature Reserves – Central and Southern Regions
We continue to keep you informed with the second part of our Cape Town Nature Reserves list. And just like before, some interesting information and pictures have been added. At Walk in Africa Hiking Trails, we like to be thorough and up to date with everything. If you want to check out the north and eastern regions, just click here. Cape Town Nature Reserves - Southern Region Rondevlei Nature Reserve The Rondevlei Nature Reserve is primarily a bird sanctuary, being home to about 230 species. It spans over 290 HA of land...
A List of Nature Reserves in Cape Town – East & Northern Regions
Cape Town is home to some of the most beautiful natures reserves in South Africa. From north to south, and from the central region to the east, many adventures are waiting. As a professional Cape Town hiking tour service, we pride ourselves in keeping people informed. Hence, we've compiled this list of nature reserves in Cape Town. In addition to the names of these reserves, there is some information on what makes the reserve special. We hope you find what you are looking for, and if you feel like experiencing...
Experience Elephant’s Eye Cape Town
The name for Elephant’s Eye in Cape Town was given based on the shape of the mountain side, which resembles the side of an elephant’s head. As you may have guessed, the eye section is the cave, which is the main destination of the hike. In terms of history, the cave used to belong to a Hottentot Chiefteness, who held great power according to the legend. Now, it’s one of the many beautiful hiking trails Table Mountain has to offer. What to Expect from the Elephant’s Eye Cape Town Hike There are two...
Skeleton Gorge Table Mountain Hike
There are more than 50 ways you can reach the top of Table Mountain. And as you might expect, each route holds a different magic. Some are more challenging, while others are more forgiving, making them more popular for friends, families and groups. The Skeleton Gorge Table Mountain hiking route falls more to the latter. However, there are some challenges involved and it’s best to find out what they are from your guide. Some of them are discussed later in the article, along with the scenery, the route and length...
Table Mountain – Platteklip Gorge Hike
Table Mountain is the majestic icon of Cape Town. It’s one of the biggest reasons why the Mother City gets so much exposure, and it’s a magnet for people in search of memorable sights. Instead of taking the cable car, why don’t you scale that ever elusive mountain with a hiking route? More specifically, why not try a Platteklip Gorge hike with Walk in Africa? Some History and Interesting Facts Regarding the Platteklip Gorge Hike Once you set out on the Platteklip Gorge hike route you will be walking in the footsteps...
Stormy Cape Town
Mid-winter has passed and the days are getting longer in Cape Town, but they are also getting (much) colder. It doesn't feel like those looooong hot summer days can ever penetrate this cold. However the winter storms do provide some beautiful sights and I took these photos on the way to start a walk. Here a morning squall flies across Table Bay dropping icy sleet on the city (and a sprinkling of snow on the mountain). And here is Table Mountain as the pot of gold at the end of a...
Surprises with the Norwegians
I went walking on Table Mountain with Elin from Get Africa Travel and some of her friends. I promised them a surprise (overraskelse), but even I was surprised by the unexpected surprises! First we saw our National Flower Protea cynaroides and Elin looked very surprised. Then we saw Disa graminifolia, the Blue Disa . . . and I was ecstatic. These flowers make me so happy. And then we were surprised by yet another orchid from the genus Disa - Disa ferruginea, the cluster disa. And finally we saw the surprise that I had promised...
November is the new Pink
In this floral wonderland that is currently my home I notice temporal patterns in the colours of the flowers. In mid-summer we have a predominance of red flowers and this is certainly correlated with the emergence of the Mountain Pride Butterfly (Aeropetes tulbaghia), which is attracted to the colour red. Right now as we pass from Spring into Summer I see the hills covered in beautiful flowers, with a definite preponderance of the colour PINK (or variations thereof - Cerise, Rose, Fuchsia, Magenta, Lavender). I went for a short walk this evening...
Into the Big Blue
I promised not to post any more about Great White Sharks, but I didn't say anything about Mako Sharks. Earlier this week I was privileged to do another ocean trip with my friends Chris & Monique Fallows, and it turned-out to be an absolutely incredible experience. It's impossible to decide what was the highlight of the trip. How does one choose between seeing albatrosses, Shearwaters, Storm Petrels, Common Dolphins or diving with Bottlenose Dolphins, False Killer Whales, Mako Shark or Blue Shark? Since I didn't have my camera with me, Chris kindly provided...