28 March 2013

The OK Guide to Cape Town: Outside


Hiking and Outdoors

In Town:
·      Lion's Head: great 2.5 hour hike to the top, with 360-degree views of the city and the ocean. Big elevation change and some definite rock scrambles, but delightful.
·      Table Mountain, via Platteklip Gorge: 2.5-3.5 hours of Stairmaster, with breathtaking reward at the top. Can take cable car up and/or down if so inclined.
·      Devil's Peak: harder than Table Mountain, but many fewer people. Often lost in the clouds.
·      Clifton Beaches: beautiful non-commercial beachfronts (but likely crowded). Great for a sundowner picnic in summer.
·      Signal Hill: not a traditional climb, but even driving to the top provides beautiful views and a great sundowner spot (although the traffic to get back down in season can be hectic).

Out of town:
·      Chapman's Peak: not many other hikers for the amazing views after a nice, gradual but challenging climb (2-3 hours). Chapmans Peak Drive is one of the most stunning drives in the Western Cape.
·      Silvermine: beautiful and easy hike with great views of entire Cape Peninsula; awesome cave optional (2-4 hours)
·      Cape Point: amazing hike between two points, with amazing ocean views the whole way; serious schlep from town (1.5 hours) 

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