Table Mountain via Kirstenbosch, Skeleton Gorge, Smut's Track, Upper Cable Station is a 6.8 kilometer moderately trafficked point-to-point trail located near Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa that features a river and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, running, and bird watching.
The cable car can be taken down the hill to Tafelberg Road. Alternatively you could hike down Platteklip Gorge to Tafelberg Road. This is well sign posted. The weather can change very quickly on Table Mountain, cloud often rises up out of nowhere and the wind picks up to reach gale-force speeds. Warm clothing is suggested for the top. If the wind speeds are too high the cable car will not be operating. The Cape Floral region of the national park is one of the richest floral regions in the world. Over 70% of the flowers are endemic to the Table Mountain, for this reason United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) awarded Table Mountain Heritage Status for being a natural site that is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom. The mountain was also chosen as one of the new seven world wonders. Table Mountain is thought to be one of the oldest mountains in the world. The rocks of the mountain are approximately 600-million years old. It is the only natural site on the planet to have a constellation of stars named after it. The constellation is called “Mensa”, which means ‘table’ in Latin.
