Table Mountain Treks and Tours

08/04/2024

Table Mountain and Devil's Peak with Suikerbossies blooming in the foreground.

07/04/2024

Lion's Head 🦁

28/07/2023

Deep South hiking under dramatic skies 🌿

05/09/2022

Cape Rain Daisies adding a splash of spring on the Cape West Coast! 🌼

19/10/2021

On a beautiful day in spring it's hard to beat hiking at Silvermine!

Gladiolus debilis, Mimetes fimbriifolius, Aristea spiralis and Protea speciosa among many other beautiful flowers seen at the moment.

05/10/2021

We're looking forward to lead a series of nature walks and birding excursions as part of the Wamakersvlei Nature Experience on the Cape West Coast. 🌸☀️🦩

The Cape West Coast is such a beautiful region to spend time in - and even better when you've a gorgeous seaside cottage from which to enjoy sunset!

We'll explore the Sandveld on foot, where wonderful flowers grace the sandy flats in spring and Yellow Mongooses keep a watchful eye on passers by. The gentle sound of crashing waves filters across the rolling sand dunes day and night. It doesn't get much more tranquil!

Wonderful birdlife abounds along the coast, in the salt pans, the lagoons, estuaries and on the islands. Cape Gannets, Greater Flamingos and Blue Cranes to name just a few of the species.

Wamakersvlei Beach Farm West Coast Way SA



https://www.westcoastway.co.za/new-nature-tour-and-walk/

Expertly guided Cape West Coast experience of nature by foot, boat and air-conditioned tour vehicle on private beach with fully catered beach accommodation. Four low impact moderate fitness walks to explore nature with expert guiding by botanist. Sunset Salt Pan & Beach 1.5 hour Walk, Sandveld Botan...

01/10/2021

Guided Hike on the Bottelary Hills 🌸🌿🐾

Join us for an easy hike exploring the private nature reserve at Koopmanskloof which forms part of the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy. This will be a celebration of the rich biodiversity which this region supports and protects.

It all finishes up back at the tasting room! 🍷

Where: Koopmanskloof
When: Sunday, 3 October 2021
Time: 08:30 - 13:00

Book here: https://www.entryninja.com/events/77082-bhrc-guided-hikes

More info about the MTB & Eco Weekend: https://www.getaway.co.za/travel-news/a-weekend-of-festivities-to-come-in-the-bottelary-hills-conservancy/

30/09/2021

This Sunday we're leading a trail at Koopmanskloof Private Nature Reserve in the Bottelary Hills Renosterveld Conservancy as part of the MTB & Eco Weekend. 🌿

The morning walk takes you up to a beautiful vantage point offering views of both Simonsberg and Table Mountain. We pass through Granite Fynbos and Renosterveld where a number of stunning flowering species will be seen. 🌸🌼🌿

The experience will be rounded off with a wine tasting and you'll walk away with a bottle of vino too! 🍷

Link for booking tickets is in the article attached.

Bottelary Hills Conservancy & MTB Trails



https://www.getaway.co.za/travel-news/a-weekend-of-festivities-to-come-in-the-bottelary-hills-conservancy/

To celebrate the renosterveld area we have right here on our doorstep, the Bottelary Hills Conservancy is hosting a MTB & Eco Weekend from 1 -3 October.

17/09/2021

Spring, featuring Blousporrie! 😍

16/09/2021

Where are you hiking next?

It's a beautiful time of year to walk in the mountains of the Western Cape as the streams flow, fynbos shines and days grow longer!

15/09/2021

One of the highlights of any day in the field during spring is seeing Ferraria crispa, the Spider Lily.

At the weekend the veld glistened exquisitely after a cool morning and a few minutes of drizzle. The moisture enhanced the colours vividly and made this Ferraria shine even brighter 😍

14/09/2021

It's a bit crisp in Cape Town today - reminding us of just a couple weeks ago when our mountains were covered in snow! ⛄

03/09/2021

Gorgeous scenes in the Franschhoek Mountains with that late winter golden glow in the veld. 😍

A week later this was all covered in snow!

20/08/2021

Spring is in the air! 🌼

Thankful for the good autumn and winter rains which have given rise to yet another brilliant flowering season across Namaqualand and the West Coast. 😍

19/08/2021

That wonderfully warm winter sunshine is hard to beat when hiking in the Western Cape mountains! 🌞

17/08/2021

GUIDED GROUP HIKES IN THE WESTERN CAPE

We have established a Facebook Group for everyone who has joined our scheduled guided group hikes in the past and who intend to do more hikes with us in the future.

Our guided day and overnight hikes are not only focused on Table Mountain, but right across the Cape Peninsula as well as deeper into the wild Western Cape mountains. We explore the vast mountain ranges of the Kogelberg, Boland, Limietberg, Groot Winterhoek and beyond including the West Coast region.

The calendar includes hikes for:

- Beginners
- Adventurous Hikers
- Super Fit Mountain Goats
- Families & Kids
- Fynbos Enthusiasts

We will alert you to last minute pop-up events when chasing snow, sunsets, orchids and waterfalls among others! Our upcoming hike calendar and notifications, as well as post-hike reports and photos, will be shared to this group.

Members will of course be able to post their own photos to the group for our growing trail community around Cape Town to see and enjoy.

Join the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/guidedhikeswesterncape/

🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸

If you have not hiked with us in the past please take a look at our upcoming hike calendar of events on our page (https://www.facebook.com/TableMountainTreksandTours) and consider doing your first group hike with us.

This group will allow for a better method of alerting you of upcoming experiences instead of doing so only via our company social pages.

We look forward to growing our environmentally responsible trail community together!

13/08/2021

We set off in warm winter sunshine as fog lapped up at the foot of Table Mountain at the weekend - yet another gorgeous morning to have been guiding in Cape Town, this time with guests from the USA!

The north face of Table Mountain is rather pretty during the cool season with amazing stands of creamy Protea nitida, masses of deep orange Erica abietina and splashes of magenta pink Erica baccans. As we gained height the cloud followed us, dancing between the sheers cliffs before engulfing the summit - transforming the mountain into a mystical place. The views were exchanged for the calls of Orange Red-winged Starlings and repeated chirps of Peninsula Moss Frogs...whilst we watched a Dassie scuttling among the rock scree and Orange-breasted Sunbirds moving from erica to erica - no complaints with that!

12/08/2021

Winter Fynbos at Baskloof 🌸🌿

Here's a tiny sample of what's blooming in the mountains of the Cape Peninsula!

From the get-go we were admiring the shy Liparia parva hiding at our feet and the dainty Diastella divaricata sprawling through the young veld. Golden Conebushes exploded yellow under a cloud-covered sky and gnarly old red-tipped Tree Pagodas stood proudly on the rocky slopes. Black-beard Sugarbushes, King Proteas and bold Waboom Proteas competed for the nectarivores attention.

The magenta pink Disperis capensis stopped us in our tracks, the white China Flowers carefully detailed in red, and blue Lobelias dotted the pathways. Erica imbricata was blooming en masse: the near-black and white flowers truly captivating as they dot the landscape.

These were taken at the start of August on our botanically-focused guided hike on Platberg. A wonderfully cool and calm day to have been in the field looking at all things fynbos, whilst soaking up the energy from the mountains, admiring stunning views with cup of coffee in hand!

*Common names given for all photos here.

11/08/2021

What a spectacular morning hiking above a sea of cloud! 😍

These are arguably the best hiking days: when the Atlantic Fog rolls and you get high enough to gaze far into the seemingly endless distance. Eyes worked overtime in the foreground as they danced from one pretty pink Serruria hirsuta to the next. 🌸

A pair of Klipspringers kept us company as they posed on the ridgeline, and Dassies basked in the warm winter sunshine - as did we. 🌞

The calm, the warm sunshine, the floral spectacle, the vibrancy and the delightful aromas - this is what makes winter hiking so special in this tiny corner of the world.

06/08/2021

Perdekop Hike | Franschhoek ⛰️

Last Saturday we enjoyed a stunning day hiking in the Franschhoek Mountains with Perdekop summit as our objective. 🐾

The rumbling sounds from the wonderfully flowing Dutoitsrivier filtered up as tranquil background music as we ambled along the trail. Whooping barks from a troop of baboons echoed across the valley as they ran along the ridgeline above us. Not long after a Verreaux's Eagle soared overhead, and then we stepped up to admire the wide panorama of the Wemmershoek Valley. The southern crags of Wemmershoek Peak glistened with remnants of snow from the previous week's snowfall. 🏔️

As always the fynbos added incredible colour to the winter veld. The Protea Family for one knows how to grab our attention. The sunshine Conebushes and Suikerbossies added splashes of yellow and hiding away were the little ground proteas. Tall Grey Sugarbushes and miniature Mountain Silkypuffs added silvery pinks. And not to forget the stunted Protea magnifica which were in bud.🌸🌼🌿

Table Mountain stood proudly in the distance, and surrounding us were four dams filled to the brim after another good winter rainfall. A magic day in the mountains!

05/08/2021

Serruria hirsuta | Proteaceae 🌸

Sweeping views across False Bay accompany us throughout this wonderful short hike on the slopes of Simonsberg! We pass through gorgeous young fynbos, enjoy spectacular vistas, observe historical features and keep an eye out for klipspringers and whales.

The star of the show is Serruria hirsuta, an endemic member of the Protea Family which we will see along the way. It's one of our favourite fynbos gems which has led us to revisit these slopes every season for many years. Ecological discussions and stories will be shared along with enjoying a lovely morning on the mountain.

Blockhouse Gap Hike - 7 August 2021

Hike details: https://fb.me/e/1pehjmYPl

Email: [email protected] to join us.

30/07/2021

Cape Point Nature Walk 🌿

Sharing some photos taken earlier this winter on our guided hike down at the Cape of Good Hope.

A pretty sunrise greeted us upon arrival and soon after we found ourselves walking the coastline in the tracks of eland and baboons. A beautiful mix of strandveld and sandstone fynbos meant the winter blooms we admired were in abundance. Skilpadbessie, Satin bushes and Silkypuffs together with Serruria, Senecio and Staavia...🌸

Out of nowhere the calm, glassy Atlantic became violently choppy. A wicked wind had come up and hammered away in an attempt to swipe our hats! Just as quickly as it had appeared, it began to relax - making for pleasant hiking conditions once more. It was yet another rewarding day in the field where the engaging conversation flowed and the morning thoroughly enjoyed. 🐾

Thanks to everyone who joined this hike and to Heidi for sharing some of these photos!

29/07/2021

St James Peak Pilgrimage 🌿

This past Sunday, on the Feast Day of Saint James, we ventured into the Kalk Bay Mountains on a little pilgrimage to...you guessed it, St James Peak.

A faithful Cape Grassbird welcomed us on our journey with is cheerful singing as the sun rose over the snow-capped Boland Mountains. Golden Conebushes shone intensely as we tackled the steep incline to our first point of interest, Stonehenge: beautifully framing the northern coastline of Flase Bay from Muizenberg to Somerset West.

The winter colour in the 6 year old veld was gorgeous! Apart from an excellent display of Moederkappies, the flowering diversity of both the Erica and Protea families was lovely. And not to forget the daisies! Anaxeton arborescens, Metalasia divergens and Euryops abrotanifolius to name a few.

Thanks Lesley and Candice for sharing photos, and thanks to all who joined this memorable morning of celebrations on the mountain. 🙂

29/07/2021

Perdekop Hike - Saturday, 31 July 🌸🌿🗻

It promises a lovely winters day in the greater Boland Mountains outside Franschhoek.

Interested to join? All details here: https://fb.me/e/uQu01grS

23/07/2021

SNOW HIKE in Franschhoek - TOMORROW, 24 July! ⛄

Meeting at 07:15 am in Franschhoek for a full day in nature chasing what snow remains after this weeks snowfall.

All details on the Facebook Event here: https://fb.me/e/116whIY2w

Get in touch if you're keen to join!

We will host another SNOW HIKE when it snows again, so keep an eye out for any last minute hosted events on our page.


*pics from previous snow events.

22/07/2021

Winter in the Western Cape 🌿

Our mountain streams are flowing beautifully, as they do through the winter months. A lovely time to enjoy the great outdoors.

02/07/2021

HIKE CALENDAR - Winter / Spring 2021

All group hikes will have 'events' published. The links to those events will get added to the list below in due course.

We aim for group sizes on excursions to be between 6 - 12 participants.

JULY

🏔️ 25 Jul 2021 - St James Peak Pilgrimage / https://fb.me/e/LrRGfc6c
(easy to moderate, Grade: A)
FULLY BOOKED!

🏔️ 31 Jul 2021 - Perdekop (Franschhoek) / https://fb.me/e/uQu01grS
(strenuous, Grade: A)

AUGUST

⛄️ 1 Aug 2021 - Platberg Hike (Scarborough) / https://fb.me/e/1zWkF7gVr
(moderate, Grade: A)

⛄️ 7 Aug 2021 - Blockhouse Gap Hike / https://fb.me/e/1pehjmYPl
(easy to moderate, Grade: A)

⛄️ 9 Aug 2021 - Silverstream Waterfall & Kloof Corner / https://fb.me/e/4u67YxXil
(moderate, Grade: A)

⛄️ 21 Aug 2021 - DuToitskop (Franschhoek) / https://fb.me/e/2skh3h4oA
(moderate to strenuous, Grade: A)
8 SPOTS AVAILABLE

⛄️ 28 Aug 2021 - Judas Peak Hike / https://fb.me/e/UTO4OsYC
(moderate to strenuous, Grade: A+)
LIMITED TO 8 PAX

SEPTEMBER

🌸 4 Sep 2021 - West Coast Spring Flower Hike / https://fb.me/e/2eBOmqOzN
(moderate, Grade: A)
FULLY BOOKED!

🌸 5 Sep 2021 - West Coast Botanical Walk / https://fb.me/e/5gX6MfQh3
(easy, Grade: A)
6 SPOTS AVAILABLE

🌸 11 Sep 2021 - Stellenbosch Renosterveld Wildflower Hike / https://fb.me/e/5ory8KLhi
(easy to moderate, Grade: A)
10 SPOTS AVAILABLE

🌸 18 Sep 2021 - West Coast Spring Flower Hike / https://fb.me/e/2xHNvtBf8
(moderate, Grade: A)
FULLY BOOKED!

🌸 24 Sep 2021 - Kogelberg Hike / https://fb.me/e/T8JXEWSA
(moderate to strenuous, Grade: A)

🌸 22 Sep 2021 - Lion's Head Spring Hike
(easy to moderate, Grade: A) - TBC


We may need to adjust the calendar at short notice.

If you would like to do a private guided excursion please contact us directly.

DIFFICULTY RATING:
- Easy (Beginner & Family-friendly)
- Easy to moderate
- Moderate
- Moderate to strenuous
- Strenuous (Only for the very fit)

GRADING:
[A] - hiking trail; no technical rock scrambles
[A+] - hiking trail but with some minor rock scrambles
[B] - technical rock scrambles which may include exposure to heights
[C] - technical rock scrambles, much exposure to heights and only for advanced and competent scramblers

Contact us as at [email protected] to book or find out more.

See you out there!🌼

18/06/2021

Oh, what a day for the frogs! 🐸☁️🌿

Looking out across a golden lit and snugly blanketed city, we soon too were engulfed and transported into a different world. Wide vistas were exchanged for vibrant colours in the tall, old fynbos in Echo Valley. The deep red bracts of budding Anaxeton arborescens stood out among all the gorgeous greens. And striking magenta colored Brachysiphon fucatus, yet another amazing endemic species to the peninsula, popped up on occasion to draw admiration. Spider webs hung heavy covered in moisture droplets and bruised buchu filled the smokey air with sweet citrus scents. 🌸

Singing away peacefully like soothing background music was an ever present chorus of frogs. Peninsula Moss Frogs, an endemic amphibian to the Cape Peninsula certainly made its presence felt on Table Mountain...through sound rather than sight! The frogs seemingly teemed up with the cloud to ensure no sounds of the city or humans filtered up to us. Crossing the still, marshy vlaktes in dense cloud we enjoyed the calls of our friendly frogs interrupted only by the sound of our footsteps crunching over coarse sandstone and shoes squelching as they relentlessly brushed past sagging wet fynbos.

Calm and tranquility, which had been our companions throughout the morning, thought it was time to for us to step out of the daydream.
Atop Grootkop, a brutally exposed summit on many a day, was on this occasion dishing out a cold, wicked wind and driving rain.
Soon it had abated and out of nowhere a little Cape Siskin joined us along the trail. Flying short burst after short burst in order to out hike us...before vanishing into the cloud without a chirp.

As we descended Llandudno Ravine the cloud danced around the sheer cliffs, parting to reveal Little Lion's Head all lit up in late afternoon sunshine. What a sight! 😍

An eventful and memorable winters' day trekking across the Twelve Apostles spine with family. 😊