Table Mountain in Cape Town is one of the most famous natural landmarks in the world. It’s also one of Africa’s most visited tourist attractions.

Some famous people have reached the top of Table Mountain: Queen Elizabeth II, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Oprah Winfrey. From his prison cell on Robben Island, Nelson Mandela could see Table Mountain. To him, it was symbol of hope and freedom.

Hiking to the top of Table Mountain looked difficult. I learned the steep climb takes about three hours. Lucky for me, in 1929, the cableway opened. This made the journey to the top only five minutes long.

From the mountaintop to the Atlantic Ocean, the ground looked like a thick green carpet. South Africa is known for its plant and animal life. So, I headed down the mountain to explore nature.

At the foot of Table Mountain is Kirstenbosch Garden. It is home to over 7,000 plants and flowers.

Looking around the garden I saw a lots of plants with fuzzy and feathery leaves. These are called fynbos and the cool thing about these plants is their need for fire. When fynbos get very hot they spreads their seeds in order to grow. These plants need to be set on fire in order to live - That’s Incredible!

Go Wild! Join us on safari.

©ProjectExplorer.org, 2007-present. All Rights Reserved.