Things to do in South Africa

Hike mighty Table Mountain

Enjoy 360-degree views over Cape Town and learn about the mountain’s ecology on this scenic hike…

By Sally Petersen

Sally Petersen, Director of AWOL Tours, Alfred&'s partner in South Africa

Hike to the top of Table Mountain, South Africa’s most iconic landmark, for spectacular views over Cape Town. All our treks are private, so you’ll have your own experienced nature guide who knows the mountain, it’s trails and ecology like the back of their hand. You’ll get an amazing sense of achievement after hiking for three or four hours to the peak, surrounded by pristine nature. When you hike with AWOL, you also help to support guided hikes for kids from disadvantaged communities around Cape Town.

As you walk up the mountain, your guide will teach you about the surrounding Cape Floral Kingdom, which is a UNESCO heritage site. Table Mountain actually has more botanical species than the entire UK. So, we’ll chat about the different types of flowers we spot as well as the geology. At 400 metres, wherever you are on the mountain you get a thin layer of malmesbury shale, which is the mother rock of Table Mountain. You’ll also spot lots of birds and perhaps even a klipspringer.

There are over 50 different hiking trails to choose from so we vary the route depending on how much time guests have and their physical ability, taking the cable car down afterwards. Trails include Platteklip Gorge, the Western Table and neighbouring Lion’s Head. One of my top routes is Kasteelspoort, which takes you through the stunning Valley of the Gods. I also love Skeleton Gorge, which is a longer hike from Kirstenbosch Gardens through afro-montane forests to Maclears Beacon. Whichever route we take, you’ll enjoy 360-degree views of Cape Town along the way.

I would encourage anyone to hike Table Mountain so you can experience its raw beauty first hand. This is my favourite trip in Cape Town and I often spend weekends hiking there with my family. These days, I think people want more than just a quick trip up the cable car, they want an authentic, off-the-beaten track experience. I wanted to create the immersive feeling for guests that I had when I cycled through Africa, experiencing its incredible nature first-hand.

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Alfred & Sally Petersen

A Cape Town local, Sally Petersen is the owner of AWOL Tours, which specialises in hiking and cycling tours in and around the city. It was while living in London and working as an accountant that Sally discovered her passion for cycling and embarked on a 15-month bike trip through Africa. Determined not to return to the office, Sally trained as a tour guide in Cape Town and set up AWOL in 2002.

Sally Petersen, Cape Town walking tour, Table Mountain hike and winelands cycling tour

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.