Hiking in Cape Town - Cape Chameleon

<span class="entry-title-primary">Hiking in Cape Town</span> <span class="entry-subtitle">Five Top Treks to Explore</span>

Photo: David Michael

Hiking in Cape Town Five Top Treks to Explore

18th August 2017 0 Comments 1870 views

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WORDS & PHOTOS David Michael

Cape Town offers some of the most scenic hiking in the world. A lot of the ascents can be found throughout Table Mountain National Park. David Michael traversed five famous trails: Devil’s Peak, Elephant’s Eye, Lion’s Head, Silvermine Nature Reserve, and Table Mountain. This collection of photographs captures some of the natural wonder along the way.

The closer to the top of Devil’s Peak, the brighter the flora becomes as you seemingly get closer to the sun. Even on the sunniest days, it’s a good idea to take an extra layer of some sorts, as the top is quite windy. Photo: David Michael
At 1,001 metres, from the top of Devil’s Peak one can view (from left to right) Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, and Signal Hill in a single frame. Photo: David Michael
Devil’s Peak is one of the few places that offers a picturesque view of Cape Flats. Photo: David Michael
Seeing the world through the Elephant’s Eye (Cave). Photo: David Michael
Even 30km from the city centre, the Elephant’s Eye hike offers beautiful views overlooking Cape Town. Photo: David Michael
The trail to Elephant’s Eye cave is well marked throughout the Silvermine nature reserve. Photo: David Michael
Lion’s Head looks back over Signal Hill, also known as the Lion’s Rump. Photo: David Michael
The top of Lion’s Head at 1,085 metres offers you a stunning panoramic view of the top of Table Mountain. Photo: David Michael
Camps Bay from the top of Lion’s Head, with the Twelve Apostles on the left. Photo: David Michael
No silver was ever actually found in Silvermine, but the name has stuck nonetheless. It costs R50 per adult for entry to the reserve and R25 for children under 12. Photo: David Michael
In Silvermine, over 900 species of fynbos were left undeterred by the mining, and these endemic plants continue to grow today. Photo: David Michael
Follow the path through Silvermine reservoir to reach Elephant’s Eye cave. The hike is easy and not too steep. It takes about two hours. Photo: David Michael
Devil’s Peak, as seen from Table Mountain. On a clear day, you get 360 views across the Mother City. Photo: David Michael
Believe it or not, once you’re at the top of Table Mountain, you can explore a further 2km of terrain. Photo: David Michael
A group of hikers close to completing the 1,085 metre climb. It takes about three hours to get to the top via the Platterkip Gorge route. Photo: David Michael