Cape Town's biggest tourist attraction is Table Mountain and is one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. The highest point of Table Mountain is 3,563 feet above sea level and top is flat and overlooks the city. The flat top is approximately 2 miles from one side to the other.
You can hike up or take the cable car, which we did, and the views from this landmark are spectacular.
There are often orographic clouds at the top of the mountain. It looks similar to smoke but is actually the result of a south-easterly wind rising up to meet the mountain's cooler air. These clouds often sock in the mountain so you can't see any of the view...it was completely covered with clouds our first day so we were super lucky that is was clear all day for us on Sunday.
It is thought to be one of the oldest mountains in the world. The rocks of the mountain are approximately 600 million years old. The rocks at the base of the mountain are shale and the rocks at the western side are Cape granite.
Table Mountain is 6 times older than the Himalayas. It's 5 times older than the Rocky Mountains.
The most common animal we saw on the mountain is this creature that resembles a guinea pig called the rock hyrax...... even though it looks like a rodent its closest relative is actually the elephant.
We spend a good hour exploring the hiking paths and enjoying the view before heading down and spending our afternoon on the white sands of Camps Bay beach and enjoying the sunset.
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