Table Mountain

Table Mountain
Huriǂoaxa
Tafelberg
View of Table Mountain and Cape Town seen from Bloubergstrand. Table Mountain is flanked by Devil's Peak on the left and Lion's Head on the right, with about 5,2 km distance between them.[1]
Highest point
Elevation1,084.6 m (3,558 ft)[2]
Prominence1,055 m (3,461 ft)
ListingList of mountains in South Africa
Coordinates33°57′26.33″S 18°24′11.19″E / 33.9573139°S 18.4031083°E / -33.9573139; 18.4031083
Geography
Table Mountain is located in South Africa
Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Cape Town, South Africa
Geology
Rock ageSilurian/Ordovician
Mountain typeSandstone
Climbing
First ascentAntónio de Saldanha, 1503
Easiest routePlatteklip Gorge

Table Mountain (Khoekhoe: Huriǂoaxa, lit.'sea-emerging'; Afrikaans: Tafelberg) is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top.[3] Table Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in South Africa, attracting 4.2 million people every year for various activities. The mountain has 8,200 plant species, of which around 80% are fynbos, meaning fine bush.[4] It forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, and part of the lands formerly ranged by Khoe-speaking clans, such as the !Uriǁʼaes (the "High Clan"). It is home to a large array of mostly endemic fauna and flora.[5] Its top elevates about 1,000 m above the surrounding city, making the popular hike upwards on a large variety of different, often steep and rocky pathways a serious mountain tour which requires fitness, preparation and hiking equipment.

  1. ^ Google Maps showing a section including Devils' Peak and Lion's Head, with a scale at lower rim Archived 24 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine, obtained 24 April 2024
  2. ^ 3318CD Cape Town (Map) (9th ed.). 1:50,000. Topographical. Chief Directorate: National Geo-spatial Information. 2000.
  3. ^ "Table Mountain in Cape Town". vibescout.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  4. ^ "33 cool facts about Table Mountain". news.uct.ac.za. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  5. ^ "15 Things You Didn't Know About Table Mountain". 2017. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2017.