Africa
South Africa
Cape Town
Natural wonder
Table Mountain
Name:Table Mountain
Height:1,086 meters above sea level
Length of the summit plateau:approx. 3,000 meters
National park:Table Mountain National Park
Size of the national park:250 square kilometers
National park since:since 1998
Number of visitors to the national park:approx. 4.2 million visitors per year
UNESCO World Heritage Site:since 2004

17 Fascinating Facts about Table Mountain

 

  1. Location: Table Mountain is located in the southwest of South Africa, directly along the Atlantic coast, and shapes the iconic skyline of Cape Town. Rising just behind the city center, it forms part of a striking mountain range that stretches along the Cape Peninsula.
  2. Natural Wonder: In 2011, Table Mountain was voted one of the seven natural wonders of the world in a global poll. Over several years, people around the world cast their votes online and by telephone, resulting in more than 100 million votes overall.
  3. Historical Significance: The area around Table Mountain has been used by humans since the Stone Age. Early inhabitants included the San, an indigenous group of hunter gatherers in southern Africa. Later, Khoekhoe communities lived here as pastoralists, moving through the landscape with herds of cattle and sheep. For both groups, the mountain held deep cultural and spiritual significance.
  4. Geological Formation: Table Mountain formed more than 500 million years ago, when layers of sand and mud were deposited in a shallow sea and later hardened into sandstone. During the formation of the so called Cape Fold Belt around 280 to 235 million years ago, these rock layers were uplifted and folded into a vast mountain range. Over millions of years, wind, rain and rivers eroded the softer surrounding rock, leaving behind the resistant sandstone plateau that defines Table Mountain today.
  5. Impressive Scenery: Table Mountain is often covered by a dense layer of cloud that appears to flow over the flat plateau like a white cloth, giving rise to the name tablecloth. This effect occurs when moist air is driven up the mountain by strong winds, cools at the summit and condenses into clouds that spill over the steep cliffs. While it may still be sunny in Cape Town below, the summit is often already enveloped in thick cloud.
  6. Romantic Setting: Weddings are indeed held on Table Mountain, with several official event spaces located around the cable car station. Couples can celebrate small ceremonies, proposals or larger wedding events there, all set against spectacular views of Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean.
  7. Hiking Paradise: Table Mountain is considered one of South Africa’s most impressive hiking destinations, as a remarkable variety of landscapes is found within a relatively small area. Some trails climb steeply through rocky gorges, while others wind through shaded forests and along scenic ridges with sweeping views of Cape Town, the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Peninsula. This unique blend of diverse nature, dramatic panoramas and a wild mountain landscape directly above a major city makes Table Mountain a true hiking paradise.
  8. Cable Car: Since 1929, a cable car has carried visitors up Table Mountain, covering an elevation gain of about 704 meters between the lower station and the summit plateau. The modern cabins feature a rotating floor, allowing passengers to slowly turn during the roughly five minute ride and take in a full 360 degree view of Cape Town, the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding mountains. Each cabin can accommodate up to 65 people and reaches speeds of up to 10 meters per second.
  9. Maclear’s Beacon: Maclear’s Beacon marks the highest point of Table Mountain at around 1,086 meters and lies at the eastern end of the broad summit plateau. The stone cairn was built in the mid 19th century by astronomer Sir Thomas Maclear and served as an important reference point for measuring the size and shape of the Earth with greater accuracy. From the cable car station area, reaching the highest point requires a hike of about 45 minutes across the expansive plateau.
  10. National Park: Table Mountain forms part of a large national park around Cape Town that was established in 1998 to protect the mountain landscape of the Cape Peninsula and its exceptionally rich plant life. The protected area stretches for around 70 kilometers from the north of Cape Town far into the south of the peninsula and even includes protected marine areas. Because the park borders a major city and includes many well known natural sites, it is one of the most visited national parks in South Africa.
  11. Flora: Table Mountain forms part of one of the most species rich plant regions on Earth. Around 1,500 plant species grow on the mountain alone, many of which are found only in the Cape region or even exclusively on Table Mountain. Typical vegetation includes striking flowering shrubs, heath like plants, reed like species and numerous bulb plants. One of the most iconic is the bright red orchid Disa uniflora, which grows along moist rock faces and mountain streams and is considered one of the signature plants of Table Mountain.
  12. Fire Ecology: Fire is a natural and essential part of the ecosystem on Table Mountain, as many fynbos plants depend on regular burning. Heat and smoke trigger germination or seed release in numerous species, while fires that occur too frequently or too rarely can disrupt the ecological balance.
  13. Wildlife: Table Mountain is home not only to cave dwelling species but also to more visible animals such as rock hyraxes, various birds of prey and small antelope like the klipspringer. Rock hyraxes are small, compact herbivores with gray brown fur, short ears and an almost invisible tail, and are among the closest living relatives of elephants and manatees. Particularly remarkable is the Table Mountain ghost frog, a highly endangered species with a flat body, large eyes and greenish to brownish violet mottled camouflage, found exclusively in the cool, shaded mountain streams of Table Mountain.
  14. Wynberg Cave: Wynberg Cave is part of a larger cave system on the so called Back Table of Table Mountain and is considered the longest known cave on the mountain. The Back Table refers to the remote rear section of the plateau, which stretches south of the well known cable car side and is visited far less frequently. These caves did not form in limestone but in the hard sandstone of Table Mountain, as water gradually eroded cracks and fissures in the rock over long periods of time. They are of particular scientific interest because several rare species have been discovered there, some of which occur only in these caves. These include pale, eyeless cave animals such as certain spiders, small crustaceans and an unusual velvet worm, all perfectly adapted to life in complete darkness.
  15. Historical Reservoirs: Several historic reservoirs are located on the plateau of Table Mountain, built from the late 19th century onward to supply the rapidly growing city of Cape Town with drinking water. They are still in operation today and remain part of the city’s water supply, although Table Mountain now contributes less than 1 percent to Cape Town’s total water supply. The Woodhead Dam is considered particularly significant, as it is regarded as the first large masonry dam in South Africa.
  16. Origin of the Name: The name Table Mountain most likely dates back to the Portuguese explorer António de Saldanha, who climbed the mountain in 1503 and called it Taboa do Cabo, meaning table of the Cape. Long before that, the mountain was known to the indigenous Khoekhoe as Hoerikwaggo, which is usually translated as mountain in the sea. The name originates from the Khoekhoegowab language, which is still spoken primarily in Namibia today.
  17. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Table Mountain forms part of the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site inscribed in 2004 for its exceptionally rich plant diversity. This protected area includes the Table Mountain National Park with the Cape of Good Hope, as well as natural landscapes such as the Cederberg Wilderness Area and the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area. These regions are known for their pristine mountain landscapes, striking sandstone formations and species rich fynbos vegetation with many endemic plant species.