Enjoying the Mountains During Your Trip to Cape Town

The wonderful landscape of Cape Town is made up of a glorious coastline, green nature reserves and majestic mountains. Visitors have a wide choice of leisure activities within the city and along the beaches, while the mountains provide thrill and adventure sports like hiking, biking, abseiling and parasailing.
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Hiking:

The Table Mountain standing tall over Cape Town has excellent trails for hiking across natural forests and inviting streams under the shade of tall trees. Along these paths, you can explore the fynbos; this unique vegetation of the Western Cape is made up of indigenous trees and flora such as the protea, which is the national flower of South Africa.

The hiking trails range from leisurely climbs for beginners to challenging hikes for professional climbers. All hiking tours are accompanied by trained guides who will explain the terrain as you walk along, offering safety tips and lending a helping hand when necessary. You are rewarded for your efforts with a stunning view of the Atlantic coastline from the top of the Table Mountain.

Lion's Head Mountain is another iconic natural landmark in Cape Town. Follow the winding path around the rock that closely resembles the head of a lion; advanced hikers can attempt the steep rock faces using chains and ladders. Go on a half-day or full-day hike to explore the stunning natural beauty of Cape Town. From the peak, you can see the city below in all directions and even as far as Robben Island on a clear day.

Biking:

Cape Town is a biker's paradise and hosts the annual Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle tour, the world's largest cycle race. Take up a challenging route to immerse yourself in nature under a clear blue sky with the cool breeze in your face.

After walking, biking is the next best way to discover the splendor of the city and its beaches. You might need a permit to cycle across some of the mountain trails although the roads are open to all. Cape Town also offers quad biking tours, where you can ride at speeds of 80 kilometers per hour and more over the countryside, passing mountains and rivers along the way.

Abseiling:

Abseiling is one of the many adventure sports offered on Table Mountain. To reach the top at a height of 1000 meters above sea level, you can either take a cable car or directly hike up the face of the mountain from Platteklip Gorge or Skeleton Gorge.

The instructors will give you safety tips and strap you to the harness before you set off over the cliff's edge. Expect a tremendous adrenaline rush as you abseil along the Long Drop descending 112 meters. You can admire scenic Cape Town including Chapman Peak, Camps Bay and Clifton coastline, and can boast of having experienced the world's highest commercial abseiling adventure.

Parasailing:

While in Cape Town, you must experience the thrill of parasailing. You will fly high in the sky along the Western Cape as a speed boat pulls you along the beaches of Camps Bay. If this is your first time, opt for a tandem parasailing flight with an expert instructor.

You will fly over the city and the Atlantic coastline, with the Table Mountain and the Lion's Head Mountain providing a majestic backdrop.

Enjoy the Mountains of Cape Town:

There are many ways to enjoy the mountains during your trip to Cape Town based on your budget and fitness level. You must experience at least two of the exciting activities described in this article to truly appreciate Cape Town's fantastic mountains.

Louise Trainor writes about a number of travel-related subjects.  She particularly enjoys sharing her outdoor experiences. For a list of hotels in South Africa, see this page.

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