Visitors to Cape Town can certainly stay in some outstanding luxury hotels, but there is no doubt that however great the facilities, it is the scenery that takes the breath away. Other than Rio de Janeiro, it is hard to imagine a major city anywhere in the world with a closer relationship with the mountains as Cape Town has with Table Mountain. Standing 3,568 ft high, the peak is by no means one of the world’s highest, but its setting is remarkable, with a city wrapped around its flanks, towering crags and that famous flat top. The mountain is just part of the Table Mountain national park, with so much so see in terms of scenery and incredible nature.
For Table Mountain itself, there are several ways to the top. The cable car is one option, but for those wanting to walk up there are great options like the Platterklip Gorge, which can be climbed from the city bowl, while those fancying a longer traverse can start or end their trek in Claremont on the east side. The area around the top cable car station offers a great view over Table Bay, but the true summit is Maclear’s Beacon. While on a walk, take note of the flowers, for the Cape Floral Kingdom contains a range of blooms found nowhere on Earth. But, of course, it is best to leave the flowers and take photos. South of the mountain, the landscape is less urbanised, but one place not to be missed is Boulder’s Beach, which is a penguin’s paradise. If you thought these aquatic birds only lived in the snowy Antarctic wastes, think again; here they are swimming in the waters of False Bay, and people can get very close to them.
There are other great bays and beaches to enjoy down towards the Cape of Good Hope. Hout Bay is one highlight, being enclosed by mountains and coves. A trip to the Table Mountain National Park is a truly wonderful experience, one that marks out Cape Town as being closer to nature than almost any other city on Earth. You can book Cape Town hotels from Luxury Hotels Group.
