Climbing Mount

When you arrive at Cape Town International Airport and set off along the N2 towards Cape Town you can normally see a large cloud bank directly ahead of you. Once you get closer, Cape Town’s most famous land mark looms ahead of you larger than life. The question most visitors to Cape Town ask is, “is it that flat at the top?” The answer is yes, and it is all open to hikers and visitors from the Cable Car. How you get to the top is up to you, and there are many different scenic walks up.
The most popular walk, which takes you right to the top of Table Mountain, goes up Skeleton Gorge and comes down Nursery Ravine. This walk takes you across the table top, and to Maclear’s Beacon, the highest point on the mountain. Unfortunately, this walk is not for beginners. With nearly 10,000 rock and wooden steps to climb, and a whole lot more walking besides, this trip should take you the better part of five hours and be rather hard on the knees. Remember to take a lot of water and relax to rub your calf muscles often on the way down. Lactic acid build up can cause your legs to give way, and the steps are often very steep!
For a gentler walk up to the top of Table Mountain, you might want to take the Cecilia Circuit. This begins in the stunning indigenous Cecilia forest and will also take all afternoon, but is far easier. It is also easy to customize any of these walks to take you to the Cable Car station, if you don’t feel like walking down. There are also a number of walks that do not go to the top, such as anywhere on the Silvermine Nature Reserve and the Twelve Apostles.
If all of that sounds a bit too much like hard work, there is always the magnificent cable car. First ask yourself if you could handle being in a London Eye capsule, except eight times higher and suspended by a cable. If the answer is yes, a shuttle or taxi from the V & A Waterfront can take you there, or you can take Kloof Nek Road and follow the signs. The ride up is stunning, with a panoramic Cape Town and Table Mountain view. Remember to bring a jacket, because even if you can fry an egg on Long Street, it will still be chilly up there. The Cable Way costs $9 for an adult return, $5 for a child return and $21 for a family return (Prices in 2007).
A word of caution: the only wildlife you are likely to encounter at the top of Table Mountain are ‘dassies’ – a local rock rabbit. These creatures do not understand why these people are on their mountain, and if you try to pet or feed them they will bite. They have been known to keep fingers as trophies, so children should not leave the restaurant, gift shop and sight-seeing area alone.

There are those to whom The Mountain beckons and the only response is to answer its call; to knot the shoelaces, prepare a daypack and apply the sunscreen.
And then there are those that are seeking adventure, searching out excitement and replying to the challenge to scale the heights and breathe in the celebration of life!
Majestic and imposing, Table Mountain stands guard over the peoples of the Cape, a landmark of grandiose beauty. Sometimes draped with a foamy white tablecloth, Table Mountain can suddenly be enveloped in moist, dense clouds as is typical of the summer south-easter that can blow with great might.
There are many activities for adventurers keen to unearth Table Mountain’s mysteries and discover her treasures.
A cable car to the table-top will provide inspiring views of the bay below and tremendous sights of the surrounding area. Meals can be enjoyed at the restaurant at the summit whilst marvelling over a spectacular view.
You may find yourself sharing a rock with a dassie as you contemplate the Western Cape culture or plan the rest of your afternoon. Dassies, or rock hyraxes, are round, plump little animals living in colonies on the mountain and can often be seen sunbathing in the early morning sunlight.
The Table Mountain Cableway is completely wheelchair-friendly and a good number of the paths at the summit can be negotiated with ease.
Abseiling over the edge of the ‘Table’ can provide a bit of nail-biting sport as you explore the cliffs of Table Mountain. The mountain itself is over 1 000m in height and you partake of a relatively long abseil of 110m. This adventure activity can be located next to the upper Cable Station where you can hang out over the city somewhere very far below you!
And for the avid trailist, there is a network of over 500 walks in and around the Table Mountain area. The trails ramble up and over the 1 000m plateau which is part of the northern section of the Cape Peninsula known as the Table and other routes are up Lion’s Head, Signal Hill as well as Devil’s Peak – all intriguing names with a rich history.
If you are into excellent scenery with minimal exertion, a climb up Lion’s Head may be right up your alley, however the views of the city below and magnificence of the ocean are a wonderful sight from any of the impressive peaks and ridges in the area.
Lekker Local Tips:
* There is a multitude of pamphlets, printed guides and maps readily available on trails up and around Table Mountain as well as activities to keep you entertained. This literature can be found at any tourist office or bookstore and makes it simpler and easier to explore the area.
* It is advised that you make use of a guide when hiking the network of trails on Table Mountain as they are generally up to date with the best routes to take for that season, they can entertain you with details of the local culture as well as amaze you with their knowledge on the flora and fauna of the area.
Table Mountain has been known to claim a goodly number of lives in its past and taking a guide along can better provide for your safe return.
* The weather on Table Mountain is notoriously unpredictable. Take a warm jersey or windproof jacket for a more comfortable trip if the weather turns!

Africa is home to some of the best adventure travel destinations in the world. So whether you’re after a full-on adventure holiday, or just want to chuck some adrenaline-inducing activities in with your volunteering, Africa is the perfect place to do it.

Ever since Chris Moyles, Cheryl Cole and a bunch of other celebrities climbed Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro for Red Nose Day 2009, the mountain’s been getting a lot of coverage. But you don’t have to be a celebrity to take on the tallest mountain in Africa. And getting to the summit of this awe-inspiring mountain is a real challenge, so this is one trip that will be big on satisfaction.

Of course, there’s no need to push yourself that hard though! Slightly more laid-back travellers can opt for a little hiking instead. The views are almost as stunning, but you don’t have to put quite so much effort in. The Ngorongoro Crater is certainly a good place to start, offering fantastic trekking and unforgettable wildlife.

South Africa is undoubtedly one of the best adventure travel destinations in the entire world. The coast is ideal for all kinds of water sports, so whether you’re a surfer or a scuba diver, a sailor or a water skier, this is the perfect place for you.

This incredible country certainly caters for the adrenaline junkies too. South Africa boasts both the highest commercial bungee jump and the highest commercial abseil in the world. At Bloukrans Bridge those with a seriously adventurous side can bungee jump off the bridge, plummeting a massive 216 metres towards the Bloukrans River below. While at Table Mountain, travellers can take in spectacular views as they abseil 112 metres off one of South Africa’s most iconic landmarks.

It’s odd, you wouldn’t really think of Uganda as a top adventure travel destination – but it is. You should head to Jinja, a city that has become known as the adventure capital of East Africa, offering bungee jumping and even the chance to zip wire across the Nile.

Or for something that will really get the adrenaline pumping, why not try white water rafting? This is one the best places to do it in the entire world and you can take a short half-day trip or a full on three-day one, depending on how much time you’ve got. There’s something for every level too – so whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there’s something to suit.

Finally, it’s worth taking time to try the local quad biking. It’s not one of those activities that travellers tend to plan for, but it’s more than worth a go. And aside for getting your pulse racing, it’ll also show you the spectacular countryside.

Victoria Falls isn’t just famous for Sherlock Holmes-related reasons – it’s also the perfect place for a spot of adventure. You can try your hand at bungee jumping, river boarding, canoeing, abseiling and speed boating – and that’s only the beginning. So if you’re travels are taking you through Zambia, make sure the Victoria Falls are high on your to-do list!

For something even more vertigo-inducing, Kenya offers fantastic climbing. And as challenging climbs go, Mount Kenya is a pretty impressive adversary! It’s the biggest mountain in the country, offering magnificent views from its three main summits and loads of exotic wildlife on the way up. Just be sure not to rush – while any strong walker can take on Mount Kenya, going up too quickly can cause altitude sickness.

Or, for something that will allow you to cool off and set your pulse racing all at the same time, travellers should head for Mombasa and the coast. Its miles of white sandy beaches offer everything from surfing to jet skiing and scuba diving to snorkelling, making Mombasa a great place to unwind, with a dash of adventure thrown in for good measure.

Thrill seekers in Ghana are advised to head for the Kakum Canopy Walkway – a set of seven bridges that look down on the lush rainforest canopy of the Kakum National Park. The dramatic walkway starts off at ground level, but the rainforest below gradually drops away to leave you suspended 100 metres above the ground, swaying precariously in the wind as you walk. The Kakum National Park is home to hundreds of species of butterflies and tropical birds, which are difficult to spot from the forest floor, but from the walkway you can clearly see them dotting the forest canopy with vivid splashes of colour.