At the southwestern tip of Africa and Cape Town, in Table Bay National Park, rises an unusual flat-topped mountain. This is Table Mountaine - business card South Africa adorning the flag of Cape Town. The attraction is included in the UNESCO World List of Specially Protected Natural Sites, and its flat top is one of the ten most visited tourist sites in the world.
One of the 7 wonders of the world
Table Mountain is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It is surrounded by pointed rocks. The mountain rises 1085 m above sea level. Its surface seems to have been cut with a sharp knife, it is impossible to imagine, but it was the hot wind of Africa that polished the top in such a plane. The composition of the mountain is coarse-grained sandstone and quartzite, its slopes are covered with evergreen shrubs and forests, which are home to rare representatives of flora and fauna, many of them are endemic (found only in this area).
A remarkable feature of the National Park in Cape Town is that it is located at the meeting point of two ocean currents - the cold Atlantic and warm Indian. For this reason, fog often hangs in the local area, shrouding the mountains and peaks in a giant milky tablecloth. The National Park includes such attractions as:
- Table Mountain;
- boulders beach;
- Cape Pont;
- cape Good Hope;
- mountain peaks - Twelve Apostles, Devil, Lion's Head.
Historians have found that people inhabited the foot of Table Mountain more than 12 thousand years ago, and its discoverer among Europeans was the navigator Antonio de Saldanha from Portugal in 1503. He carved a large cross on the mountainside, which in those centuries was covered with huge trees, and it can still be seen today. People from Saldanha's ship set up the first settlement in these places - a fortress-ford.
Inhabitants of Table Mountain
If you look at the mountain from afar, it seems like an impregnable and lifeless mass, but this is far from the case. At the foot and on the slopes life is in full swing: on the approaches to it there are farms and gardens, and in the forests on the slopes live baboons, as well as goats, snakes and other living creatures.
Flora: endemics and guests
Table Mountain is famous for its flora - 2,200 plant species grow here. These are mostly endemic, but “guests” have also found refuge on the slopes of the mountain, for example, seaside pine. One of the endemics of the National Park of South Africa is the Ixia flower, which cannot be found anywhere else. If you're lucky, you can also see the protea - the symbol flower of South Africa. The Proteaceae family is numerous, and the most original are those with a sweet, nectar-filled core surrounded by colorful leaf wrappers. It is these wrappers that make the flower unique and similar to sea urchins and stars, decorative bowls.
Fauna of Table Mountain
Unfortunately, many rare and valuable species of wild animals are under threat of destruction, and some have disappeared completely. Thus, there are no longer lions in the forests of Table Mountain. The last of these proud beasts was shot and killed by white settlers in 1802. Leopards have also disappeared, but forest cats and caracals can be found. In recent years, small rabbit-like animals have proliferated - Cape hyraxes. Thanks to the efforts of tourists, they have become completely tame and willingly accept offerings.
Bear baboons, also spoiled by tourists, cause a lot of harm to local residents. They are so accustomed to human food that they have stopped feeding, as they should, in the forest, but raid houses and steal food supplies. Boulder Bay is home to a colony (approximately 3,000 individuals!) of African spectacled penguins.
And if you visit Cape Town between June and December, you might be lucky enough to see southern right whales leaping out of the water along the coast.
Cable car and other pleasures for tourists
Physically strong people can climb Table Mountain along established hiking trails. The mountain is also ideal for rock climbing. And those who do not want to subject themselves to stress can use the funicular. The cable car was built in 1929 and has been reconstructed many times. Modern cabins rotate 360 degrees along the way for an absolute view of stunning panoramic views.
At the top, tourists will find telescopes for viewing the panorama, souvenir shops and a restaurant. At sunset, you can enjoy a stunning South African sunset when the sun sinks into the ocean and the horizon and water merge. It is not clear where the water ends and the sky begins. The Cape Town sunset is considered one of the most magnificent on the planet.
Table Mountain in the National Park South Africa- a real miracle. Standing on its top, you will be imbued with the realization that you are on the very southern point African continent, the Cape of Good Hope lies under your feet, and somewhere nearby the Flying Dutchman is rocking on the waves, doomed to forever plow the seas and oceans.
Table Mountain is located between Indian and Atlantic Ocean, this is the junction of two currents - warm and cold. It is this fact that causes frequent fogs, which complement the fabulous image of the rock, covering the huge table with a “tablecloth”. Among the valuable objects located near the mountain, it is worth noting the peaks of the Devil, the Twelve Apostles and. The latter is famous for the huge cross carved on it. This was done by the Portuguese Antonio de Saldanha, who in 1503 mentioned the mountain in his works, this was the first official record.
The national park is incredibly rich in flora; there are more than 2,200 species of plants, among them there are quite a lot of plants that are extremely rare not only in Africa, but throughout the world. The fauna is no less rich, because not every reserve allows you to see whales.
Where is Table Mountain National Park?
The national park is located nearby, so the easiest way to get to it is from. From the city center the journey will take about one and a half hours. You need to take the M65 highway and follow the signs.
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The mountain is located next to the ocean, where cold and warm currents, because of which fog often appears over the top and it seems that the gigantic table is covered with a white tablecloth.
The flora of Table Mountain is unique. There are 2,200 plant species here - more than in the whole of Great Britain. In addition to plants typical of these places (for example, Ixia, which is native to South Africa), alien plants also grow on Table Mountain (for example, maritime pine), which arrived here with Europeans and threaten local species, many of which are rare and even endemic (that is, they grow only here and nowhere else).
Ixia growing in national park"Table Mountain"
Scientists say Table Mountain has the world's highest concentration of endangered species. Some animal species have already been exterminated from the area by white settlers. For example, the last lion on Table Mountain was shot in 1802, and leopards disappeared in the 1920s. Sometimes only smaller predators - and the forest cat - wander into this area. Much more damage than predators is caused to the local population by bear baboons, so tamed by tourists for free food that the baboons began to consider human food as their property and regularly raid the homes of local residents in search of food. Locals combat baboon raids by installing electric fences, setting dogs on the baboons and shooting the monkeys with shot (this is illegal). Therefore, tourists are not recommended to feed baboons.
Bear baboons
However, tourists also have other favorites - Cape hyraxes, which resemble rabbits. These are the most numerous animals on Table Mountain and visitors also willingly feed them.
Cape hyraxes
Table Mountain National Park has other interesting natural objects. For example, Boulder Bay, where there is a unique colony of African spectacled penguins:
also in national park includes the famous Cape of Good Hope:
Table Mountain (Vladikavkaz, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.
- Last minute tours in Russia
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Table Mountain is depicted on the coat of arms of Vladikavkaz and is clearly visible from the city. It is also present on the coat of arms of the Republic of Ingushetia, as it stands on its border with North Ossetia-Alania. This is one of the largest peaks of the Rocky Range Caucasus Mountains, its height is about 3000 m.
Table mountains or tabletop mountains are considered the oldest geological formations. Their feature is a flat top and steep slopes; this shape really resembles a table.
The Caucasian Table Mountain has always been revered by local residents; it was an analogue of the Greek Olympus, that is, it was considered the place of residence of the gods. The ruins of many sanctuaries, mainly from the 10th to 18th centuries, have been preserved on the mountain. The oldest of them, Myat-Seli, dates back to the 4th-8th centuries.
There are hiking trails on the mountain, climbing which takes several hours, but does not require special physical training or equipment. The most convenient of them starts from Ingushetia and is called the “path of ancestors”; mass ascents of up to 300 people are organized along it simultaneously.
Practical information
Address: Republic North Ossetia- Alanya, Suburban district. GPS coordinates: 42.868331; 44.703331.
The most convenient way to get to Table Mountain is by car; the road from Vladikavkaz will take about 40 minutes. You need to drive along the A-161 highway (Georgian Military Road), then turn onto P-109 and move to the village of Beini, where the road ends.
Along the way, you will encounter several checkpoints where only your Russian passport is checked.
