The City of The Mountain: Cape Town, South Africa

There is perhaps no more dramatic a city than Cape Town, South Africa. Rising out of the clotted fogs of the western cape like a lurking leviathan, stands the iconic Table mountain. Endemic flora and wildlife live side by side with a bustling metropolis, where life fights for it’s small piece of land under the mountain or along the spiny Cape Point Peninsula. In such a place, a thriving city burns with a furious energy.

Darwin Karch on September 1, 2015

The Table Mountain Cable car almost at the summit.
Haut Bay on the drive from Cape Town proper to Cape Point.
A small village living in a natural cutout from the mountains.
Near the end of the India Venster Route on Table Mountain.
Boulder Beach, South Africa.
The India Venster route is marked as very dangerous and can be for the uninitiated. With its notoriety, we had the path to ourselves the entire time.
A ship destined for parts unknown travels blindly through the thick fog.
Darwin’s sister looks out at the False Bay vista on a short trail in Cape Point National Park.
For a valley to exist, there must be peaks. It is the search for those high places, is the purpose of life.
Constantia, South Africa is wine country. Stop by one of the many vineyards for a tasting and young delicious but expensive snacks.
A misty beach on the Cape Point Peninsula. It’s tempting blue water, and fine, white sand, belie the dangers that lurk in the beauty. Unknown riptides, Great White Sharks, and Portuguese Man-o-War jellyfish call this place home.
Exploring Cape Point.
A glimpse of what the India Venster Route has to offer. This particular part of the ‘trail’ is quite exposed, and involves some decent, chain assisted scrambling. I can guarantee you though, that we had more fun than those in the cable car!
Fynbos, endemic to the Cape is incredible beautiful, but also incredibly flammable. Earlier in the season, massive fires broke out and destroyed homes and property for many people.
Looking down on Camps Bay from near the summit of Table Mountain.
Seeking summits is medicine for the mind. Looking down on Camps Bay from the India Venster Route on Table Mountain.
Dallas being silly.
Looking out from Signal Hill in Cape Town, South Africa. With enough pressure the normal atmospheric properties invert, causing a warm layer of air to cause a ‘cap’ in the air trapping the cooler air underneath it. In this case, it trapped the fog over the water and made for an incredible sight!
The road along the water in Cape Town is worth a drive, and with a bunch of pull outs, photo opportunities are everywhere. Here, from Ouderkraal Beach, Lion’s Head and Table Mountain burst out of the fog.
We named her Q-tip for reasons.
Cape Point National Park is a must see when visiting Cape Town. This dramatic, mountainous peninsula is home to the south-western most point of the African continent, a network of awesome trails, and wild landscapes unique to the Cape.
Awesome rock formations on a beach in Cape Point National Park, South Africa.
“This is not the easy way down.” The India Venster Route is better climbed from bottom to top and not vice versa.
African Penguins are fond of the Cape and can be found doing all matter of adorable things at Boulder Beach. Part of the Table Mountain Park, this beach houses tons of the cute, little guys, and is beautiful to boot.
Haut Bay, South Africa. Be sure to check out the Market here for cool gifts and awesome food.
There are a few ways to get to the top of Table Mountain, but only one lets you earn this view; The India Venster Route.
Looking back at the peninsula from the point of Cape Point.
A Man of War Jellyfish dessicated
Climbing Table Mountain via the India Venster Route. This is the more adventurous way up the mountain, basically running under the cable car line and involving a bit of some exposed scrambling. Otherwise, the cable car or Platteklip Gorge trail.
I need to do one of the multi-day hikes found in Cape Point National Park.
Continuing up the India Venster route of Table Mountain. As we climbed, we gained a bit of celebrity, being the only two people climbing the mountain instead of being ferried up it.
Don’t miss the wild Ostriches found in Cape Point National Park, South Africa.
Pound It. Cape Point, South Africa
The sea tries to swallow Cape Town, South Africa.
The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens offer splendid view of Table Mountain. The Gardens are world class, but try to avoid them in the fall as the flora is not blooming.
The dramatic topography of the Cape Peninsula allows for small microclimates and ecosystems to thrive in the nooks and crannies of the mountains.
Hello Table Mountain!
Looking down from the high places.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden Sky path
The India Venster route travels directly under the Table Mountain Cable Car for almost all of its length. Make sure to catch the attention of the cable car patrons and make them feel lazy by dancing and yelling on an exposed rock face.
Lion’s Head Peak erupting out of the ground and casting a shadow on Cape Town.
The Southwestern most point of Africa.
More from the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and the lovely view of Table Mountain.
Looking across False Bay from Cape Point National Park.
One of the most epic sunsets I have ever witnessed. This was taken from Signal Hill looking down at Green Point, South Africa.

 (Click on images to enlarge!)

Published by Darwin Karch

Devin (trail name Darwin) is 26 years old, the founder of Travel and Trail, and is devoted to adventure and pushing his limits, both mentally and physically. Devin attended New York University, studying Media, Marketing, and Communications, and played as the starting center on the Men's Basketball team. After graduating in 2013, Devin used his new found freedom to hike, climb, paddle, and travel around the world. So far he has traveled to 35 countries on five continents, spent three consecutive months in the Patagonian wild, Thru Hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, and Thru Hiked the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

  1. Tatenda October 4, 2017 at 10:13 am

    Hey Darwin,

    What an introduction!!! If that wasn’t enough, the photos you took were amazing.Honestly, thought these had to be stock photos. But obviously not.

    Really great stuff.

    Reply

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