The Whale Trail could easily have been called the Bottlenose Dolphin Trail, the endangered Black Oystercatcher Trail, the Deserted Beaches Trail or the Pristine Fynbos Trail. We saw all of these and more on the five-day, 55-kilometre wander through the De Hoop Nature Reserve, but in the end the best part of all remained the daily whale acrobatics.

Lying 240 kilometres east of Cape Town, the De Hoop Nature Reserve is known as the jewel in the crown of Cape Nature, the Western Cape’s nature conservation body. The reserve covers around 34 000 hectares, but the offshore marine protected area is just as important. Stretching five kilometres out to sea, it is one of the largest protected ocean areas in Africa and provides a sanctuary for an array of marine life.

Marine life like the whales gamboling just behind the breakers, and the pair of African Black Oystercatchers that keep me company as I grab a seat on a rock to jot a few notes in my Moleskine.

But let me go back a few days.

Despite its name the Whale Trail starts a dozen kilometres inland in the shadow of the Potberg. It’s here that new arrivals settle into the first night’s hut, get briefed by conservation staff about do’s and don’ts for the trail, and get set to tackle five days of wilderness.

Not that the trail is all about hardship. Each of the five overnight huts is well equipped with bunk beds, hot showers, flush loos and cosy living areas. What’s more, you can pay a little extra to have your luggage portaged from one hut to the next, so you only have to walk with a day-bag for your lunch, camera and raingear.

The trail has rapidly become one of the country’s iconic hikes, so popular you need to book months in advance if you want to walk it during the peak whale season from August to October. Even if you walk out of season, when whales are few, it remains one of South Africa’s most incredible walks.

Day one

If the weather plays ball you’re bound to see one of the trail’s highlights a few minutes into the first day’s walk, as you ascend the slopes of the Potberg. The 611-metre peak will certainly get you puffing, but the sight of endangered Cape vultures — Potberg is home to the last breeding colony in the Western Cape — soaring on the thermals will make you forget all about those aching legs.

The summit is worth the huffing and puffing too, offering magnificent 360° views, with the Breede River and Langeberg Mountains to the north and the dazzling Indian Ocean to the south.

You won’t reach the sea on your first day. From the top the path winds its way through unspoiled fynbos, down into the Melkhout River (a great spot for lunch and a swim) and then over one last hill to the hut at Cupidoskraal. Boots off, shower on (or grab a swim in the nearby dam) and celebrate: the most strenuous day is behind you.

Day two

Not that the second day’s route is a walk in the park. Make an early start, as you’ll have 14.7 kilometres to cover, and the first stretch heads straight up the flanks of the Hamerkop. The fynbos is just as stunning as the Potberg, but luckily it’s only 45 minutes to the top and then a long meandering stretch towards the sea.

Take your time and keep an eye out for some of the reserves smaller beauties. Delicate ericas, rustling restios and colourful watsonias — along with hundreds of other fynbos species — hide among the thick stands of protea.

As you drop off the sandstone mountain onto the limestone cliffs, the changing vegetation is the first clue that you’re approaching the coast. Through a riverbed, past a flock of blue cranes (South Africa’s national bird), around a bend and … there it is, Noetsie, the first of three spectacular coastal huts you’ll call home for the most impressive section of the Whale Trail.

As I arrive and drop down my pack a southern right whale cruises into the small bay, her young calf huddled beside her. Just 50 metres from the shore, they skirt the rocks and linger in the shallows for a minute before moving on. Spectacular.

It’s almost as spectacular as the dolphins that use the bay as a playground that evening. Up to 40 bottlenose dolphins glide, leap and hunt through the stormy waters in a grand show of bravado, either for us or themselves. I brave the chilly waters for a quick swim, but the currents can be swift here so I don’t venture deeper than my waist before heading back to the braai fire at the scenic seaside lapa.

Day three

Day three is perhaps the best of the entire trail. You’ll feel your calves working on the steep climbs up and down the eroded limestone hills, but you can rest them in the calm pools of Stilgat come lunchtime, and long flat sections along the cliff-tops allow ample time for spotting whales, dolphins and birds. Apart from oystercatchers, you’ll see white-breasted cormorants, Hartlaub’s gulls, terns, sandpipers and — bizarrely — Egyptian geese along the trail.

The restless sea has eroded the limestone cliffs into fantastical formations, but it has also claimed its fair share of victims. Apart from countless shipwrecks along this coast, the last steps of the day wander past the small granite memorial to Daniel de Wet, washed off the rocks here in 1933. The pounding surf has carved some lovely rock pools to explore at low tide, but it’s a stark reminder to always keep one eye on the sea.

A kilometre from where De Wet met his end, the Hamerkop hut is perfectly situated just behind the dunes. A wonderful two-story cottage, the second-floor deck is the best spot for sundowner whale-watching. Even after dark you should keep an eye out for wildlife; Hamerkop Hut is home to a curious spotted genet, who regularly visits to see what all the fuss is about.

Day four

The penultimate day dawns and a long beach walk lies ahead. But it’s only 7.8 kilometres to the next hut, so take it easy on the soft sand beaches and enjoy the sensation of a beach with no other footprints but your own. The route wanders past Lekkerwater, once the holiday home of former President FW de Klerk.

Keep an eye out for the camouflaged nests of the oystercatchers: they lay their eggs just above the high-tide mark. From sand and up onto more cliffs, you’ll wander past magnificent blowholes where the high tide blasts up through gaps in the soft limestone.

It’s the same limestone the last night’s hut is perched on. Vaalkrans has the most dramatic position of all the overnight stops, clinging to a cliff some 50 metres above surf crashing onto wave-cut platforms. More spectacular sunset spots are hard to come by.

Day five

It takes no more than three hours to walk the final stretch to Koppie Alleen, but leave plenty of time to explore at Hippo Pools, a wonderful network of rock pools where you can cool off before catching the shuttle-bus back to Potberg.

Whether you walk for the whales or the vultures, the fynbos or the wide open spaces it’s easy to see why hikers from across the globe are flocking to this wonderful trail through the Overberg. Dust off your hiking shoes, book some leave and come and wander with whales.

For more on walking the Whale Trail, visit CapeNature at http://www.capenature.org.za.
Originally published on http://travel.iafrica.com, courtesy www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com.

“The afternoon came down as imperceptibly as age comes to a happy man. A little gold entered into the sunlight. The bay became bluer and dimpled with shore-wind ripples. Those lonely fishermen who believe that the fish bite at high tide left their rocks, and their places were taken by others, who were convinced that the fish bite at low tide.”

John Steinbeck may have been writing of the deep Pacific when he wrote this paragraph in ‘Tortilla Flat’, but he could well have been standing on the quay at Cape Town’s picturesque Kalk Bay Harbour, gazing out over False Bay.

As the sun sneaks westward and dips below the sea off Kommetjie, the shadows leaking out from behind Muizenberg Peak, the self-same fishermen are standing patiently, casting their lines out into the bay, hoping for a bite.

False Bay has long been home to some of South Africa’s best fishing grounds, and today draws anglers from across the country keen to hook a big one. If that sounds like you then your best hopes lie some 20-kilometres off Cape Point. It’s here in the deep where the Yellowfin Tuna and Marlin roam, playing cat-and-mouse with men like Sean Amor.

Amor has been fishing these waters for over 25 years and there isn’t much he hasn’t caught. Today, it’s the thrill of getting guests to hook the big one that is the driving force behind his Hooked on Africa Fishing Charters. With a range of boats and tackle on offer you can choose in-shore fishing for hard-fighting yellowtail and snoek, or tackle the deep for the bountiful Tuna from September to June.

Even if the fish aren’t biting, a day out on the bright blue ocean offers the chance to watch Albatross dancing on the winds, Killer whales on the hunt and Dusky dolphins at play.

With ocean on three sides the Cape is certainly a great spot for sea fishing from boat or shore, but its fresh mountain streams also offer fantastic fishing in pursuit of the wily trout.

One of the Cape’s best rivers for stalking trout is the Holsloot River as it tumbles out of the picturesque Stettynskloof valley near Worcester. Widely regarded as one of the best dry-fly rivers in the country, crystal clear water and free-rising rainbow trout will keep you casting long into the afternoon. Trout Haven on the banks of the Holsloot is the perfect place to stay for a few days, swopping tales around the fire of fish lost and landed.

Of course when it comes to fly-fishing for trout the cold waters of Mpumalanga as they tumble down the escarpment are famed as being home to some of South Africa’s best catches.

In the heart of the region is the village of Dullstroom; arguably South Africa's fly-fishing capital. While some might say the booming town has become a victim of its own success, the area still offers excellent still water and river fishing for both Rainbow and Brown Trout.

Dullstroom offers two town dams (no spinning allowed, and one is catch-and-release only), but much of the best fishing in the area is found on private waters and there are a number of wonderful farms and lodges with excellent rivers and dams waiting to be fished.

Before you hit the water though you might want to stop in at the Mavungana Fly-fishing Centre. Billed as South Africa’s largest fly-fishing outfitter, this emporium of all things piscatorial has all the gear you need to hook a trout, a full-time fly-tyer (lessons available on request), outside casting area for trying out rods as well as on-site casting instructors. Once you’ve mastered the art you can practise your skills on the 20-metre casting pond that is stocked with Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Black Bass.

You’ll also find trout-filled rivers tumbling off the escarpment in the high hills of the Eastern Cape, in and around the towns of Barkly East and Lady Grey, as well as in the picturesque KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

This last area is also home to the wonderful Midlands Meander. With green rolling hills, quaint towns, and more cosy pubs than you can shake a pint at it’s no surprise that the Meander has become a popular destination for weekend escapes and ‘semigrants’ looking for a quiet country lifestyle.

The region is brimming with streams and dams to be explored – both private waters and in the province’s nature reserves – but there’s one spot you should definitely end up at: Rawdon’s Hotel and Fly-fishing Estate.

Scenic walks on the Estate lead you to some excellent fishing waters, and invariably end up with a glass of fine ale from the Nottinghamd Road Brewery. Whether you decide to toast the day’s fishing at the end of the day, or come back at daybreak when the fish definitely bite better is up to you.

One thing’s for sure though, a day spent casting a line in the midst of some of South Africa’s most beautiful scenery is without doubt a day well spent.

Originally published in the Blue Train customer magazine.

With a coastline stretching over 2500 kilometres from Alexander Bay on the icy Atlantic to Kosi Bay in sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal, it’s no surprise that South Africa’s oceans boast some outstanding dive spots. Whether you’re admiring the subtle beauty to be found in the chilly Cape waters or enjoying the tropical aquarium of the east coast you’ll find a reef with your name on it…

Cape Columbine
The kelp forests of Cape Columbine are filled with neoprene-clad holidaymakers in the summer months, but you won’t find any scuba tanks here. This is one of the best spots on the West Coast to free-dive for the prized – and tasty – Cape Rock Lobster. Camp in the reserve at the legendary Tietiesbaai which is named, allegedly, after the granite boulders along the shoreline. Diving for crayfish is restricted to certain times of the year, and a permit is required. Enquire at any post office.

Justin’s Caves
Cape Town offers dozens of dive sites, but in the summer months you’ll want to be on the icy Atlantic side, where the prevailing south-easter ensures crystal-clear waters. Add a dash of glamour to a day of diving by suiting up at Justin’s Caves, an underwater playground of jumbled granite. The 12 Apostles Hotel across the road is perfect for an after-dive drink.

False Bay
The warmer waters of False Bay offer a wonderful range of dive options catering for all skill levels. Experienced divers should hop on a charter boat and head for the wrecks of Smitswinkel Bay (35m). The five ships scuttled here were sunk in the 1970s to form an artificial reef, and are today covered with marine life.

Not far from ‘Smits’, A-Frame and Windmill beach are great options for novice divers. Easy shore entries and shallow waters allow you to relax and search for the resident dogfish and pyjama sharks.

If you’re feeling brave Whittle Rock in the middle of the Bay is an outstanding site, but is also popular with Great White sharks so a quick descent is essential!

Big adventure in Kleinbaai
If sharks are your cup of tea, then you’ll need to make the daytrip out to Kleinbaai. Billed as the Great White Shark capital of the world, these awesome predators are drawn here by the 60 000 seals resident on Dyer Island and Geyser Rock. There are a number of cage-dive operators in Kleinbaai, but I’d highly recommend White Shark Projects, who have been running shark-trips since 1989 and offer a well-organised, informative and exciting half-day trip.

Protea Banks
You’ll find sharks aplenty on this challenging dive site two hours south of Durban and 8-kilometres offshore. Dropping down to 40m you’ll find Zambezi, Tiger, Hammerhead, Dusky, Ragged Tooth and Black Tip sharks hunting on the Banks, along with a wide variety of reef life. Strike it lucky and you may spot manta rays and whales cruising past. It’s a deep dive with a strong current, so it’s for experienced adventure divers only.

Aliwal Shoal
An hour’s drive further north; Aliwal is perhaps a little more forgiving. One of SA’s most popular sites, the diving is best from May to September when the visibility is good and Ragged Tooth sharks are resident. Regularly rated as one of the top 10 dive sites on the planet, Aliwal Shoal has something for everyone. Lionfish Hole (16m) and The Pinnacles (15m) are well suited for novice divers, while the more adventurous can drop to 30m and explore the wreck of The Nebo, which ran aground in 1884 and is still well preserved. The Produce, wrecked in 1974, lies on its side to the north of the Shoal and is a good place to spot migratory game fish.

Diving on the South Coast is also ideal for families as the area has lots to keep non-divers entertained, from safe swimming beaches to shopping malls, restaurants and golf courses.

The North Coast
The stretches of sand north of Durban have also become a popular holiday playground throughout the year and, while not as spectacular as the southern reefs, the seas around Umhlanga do offer some great diving. Reefs in this area tend to be closer in-shore, which means a shorter boat-ride but often less visibility. Winter months are best, when there’s lower rainfall and offshore winds. The T-Barge (27m) and The Trawler (26m) are the best dives in the area, both artificial reefs home to a dazzling array of reef and pelagic fish.

Sodwana Bay
If you’re an avid bubble-blower then skip Umhlanga and keep heading north. Past Richard’s Bay, past the game reserves of Hluhluwe-Unfolozi and on to Sodwana Bay… the Mecca of diving in South Africa.

Thanks to the warm waters brought down from the topics by the Mozambique current, Sodwana Bay is home to the southernmost coral reefs in the world. Most of the Sodwana reefs are between 500m and one kilometre offshore, and 8-14 kilometres north of Sodwana. Reefs are named according to their distance from the launch site at Jesser Point, with Five-Mile, Seven-Mile and Nine-Mile reefs the most famous.

Once you’ve made it through the crashing surf (divers help push the boats into the water before hopping on board!), scooted up the coast and dropped anchor, a watery wonderland waits. The pristine coral teems with a huge variety of marine life and, if you’re lucky, you could spot turtles, dolphins or even a whale shark. Between October and February loggerhead and leatherback turtles lay their eggs on the beaches, and it’s well worth joining one of the excellent night tours run by accredited tour operators.

These turtles, like the many tourists who flock here, come from across the globe to enjoy the warm waters, pristine coastline and soft-sand beaches. If these ocean explorers choose to land up on South Africa’s coastline, why shouldn’t you?

First published in Indwe magazine; the in-flight mag of SA Express

I’d never played hide-and-seek with an elephant before and, to be honest, I’m not sure I’ll make a habit of it. Tracking elephant on foot is something one approaches with care, forethought and preparation. Unfortunately, we’d been looking for tracks in the mud at the waterhole and hadn’t expected a grumpy young bull to be down there having a drink. Neither did he, it seems, expect to have four humans interrupt his afternoon mud bath.

As we ducked low and crab-walked through the undergrowth to the other side of the water, hoping to put some space between us and the cantankerous pachyderm, I was reminded of what British travel writer AA Gill said about elephants on his first safari foray:

“Elephants in musth are best left alone. In fact, elephants on valium doing yoga are best left alone.”

I couldn’t agree more, and although our big boy may not have been in musth, he was certainly keen to come and have a word up close. We rounded the dam, he rounded the dam. We laboured through a donga to get to the other side, he simply walked through the water to pop out 20 metres ahead of us. We zigged, he zagged.

In the end I’d love to say it was my innate understanding of elephant and deeply ingrained bush knowledge that got us out of there. But truth be told, it was really down to Grant and Sifiso.

They were our guide and tracker for four days of bush training so that, in theory, we could have got ourselves out of there unscathed. The Bush Skills course is a fantastic initiative offered by Phinda Private Game Reserve, an &Beyond reserve in northern Zululand an hour or so from Richard’s Bay. This is where &Beyond trains its own rangers, so there are few better places to learn the ways of the bushveld.

The course is designed for the safari tourist who’s ticked the Big Five off their list, done time on the back of a safari vehicle… and now wants something more. Wants to understand the bush, not just be told about it. To know what it’s like to spot tracks from the chair on the bonnet. To fire the rifle that always sits silently on the dashboard. To drive a two-ton 4x4 over rough ground, all the while chatting amiably with guests behind you and identifying that brown splodge a hundred metres off as a young Nyala. And let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks.

The word ‘course’ conjures images of days spent in dreary boardrooms, making endless notes while someone drones on up at the front… but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The bushveld is your boardroom for this course, where notes are jotted in the dusty soil and the agenda can be interrupted at a moment’s notice when a grumpy elephant gets in the way.

The four-days are flexible according to what the group is interested in, and your specialist ranger will tailor the day’s activities accordingly. If all you want is to track animals on foot, no problem. Want to hone your 4x4 skills; here are the keys.

However, for a little taste of everything it’s best to let your ranger and tracker set the pace. Tracking is the basis of being in the bush though, so you’ll spend a fair bit of time looking down, not up, for animals.

“See how the edges of the track are slightly rounded?” says Grant. “That tells us this track is old; the wind has blown across here and taken away the detail. Look at the grass too; it’s dried out and dead, so was trampled some time ago.”

At first they might as well be speaking Ancient Greek, but after a while you learn the language of the bush and the landscape starts to talk. Crumpled grass is no longer just crumpled; it’s where rhino have trundled through. That smooth depression in the sand? Lion have been sleeping here in the heat of the day; they left a tuft of fur on that thorn tree. The genet was here after the elephant… see how the claw marks are on top of the flattened toe-prints?

“Tracking is not just footprints in the sand though, you need to use all five senses,” says Grant over the roar of the Land Cruiser. “It’s a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, you just need to fit all the pieces together.”

They’re tiny, whispered clues to what was here before you, but piece them all together and a clear picture of the landscape emerges; animals moving from grazing to waterhole, and on to a warm spot for the night; rhino marking their territory and cats looking for their next meal.

Now spot and identify all of these while zipping along at 25km/h and you’ll have some idea of the incredible skills of the tracker and guide on your safari vehicle. You certainly won’t master them all in just four days, but you’ll certainly start to become an active part of your game drive, not a passive safari tourist.

And after a hard day on the course? Well, you have splendid accommodation to return to. During the course you’ll stay at one of Phinda’s luxurious lodges scattered throughout the reserve: Mountain Lodge (25 suites with wraparound views of the mountains), Rock Lodge (six intimate stone and adobe suites), Forest Lodge (16 suites set deep in the rare Sand Forest) and Vlei Lodge (six elegant thatched suites with private plunge pools).

The fine views from Phinda’s Mountain Lodge are where I choose to enjoy my last G&T (they’re obligatory, you know) of the trip, gazing north towards the wonderful Sand Forest where we’d earlier spotted the colourful Narina Trogon.

That rare feathered beauty had sat there silently, but the bush had seemed alive with chatter. Talking in muted tones and whispered clues; the language of the bushveld, a tongue I was just beginning to understand.

For more information on the Bish Skills course at Phinda Private Game reserve, visit www.andbeyond.com or call 011 809 4300.

Originally published in Indwe magazine, the in-flight mag of SA Express.

The Cape of Storms. The Fairest Cape. The Cape of Good Hope. Whatever you decide to call it, the seas around Cape Town have been tempting and terrifying seafarers for centuries.

With frigid waters and rolling swells to the west, and toothy predators patrolling the seas to the east it's a wonder that Capetonians and tourists venture into the sea at all! Yet Cape Town's rugged Peninsula offers a myriad of aquatic activities for the adventurous at heart. With bays and beaches, cliffs and caverns, the coast of the Cape offers a watery playground like no other. Pluck up some courage, take a deep breath and prepare to get wet.

See the Cape
Your best bet is to start at the bottom. Of Cape Point, that is. The southern tip of the Cape Peninsula is one of South Africa's most dramatic corners, prone to gusting winds and colossal waves. Climbing the steps to the Cape Point lighthouse offers wonderful views over False Bay, but you have to be out on the water to really appreciate why explorer Sir Francis Drake called this rocky promontory "the most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the world."

"This boat travels at speeds in excess of 100km/h" read the sign on the side of the Simon's Town Boat Company's high-speed semi-rigid inflatable. With two growling 175hp engines on the back it's no surprise that this beast of a boat will have you skimming across the white caps and at the Point in under half an hour.

Once there, it's a jaw-dropping view that awaits you, with the rocky cliffs tumbling into a washing machine of foam; the lonely lighthouse at the ready to guard wayward ships from the deadly Bellow's Rock. Photos taken and breath taken away, it's a white-knuckle ride back to the Simon's Town harbour via the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach. Fairest Cape or Cape of Storms? You'll have to decide for yourself.

The Simon's Town Boat Company is also the permit holder for boat-based whale-watching on the western side of False Bay, allowing you to get up close and personal with these giant visitors. In peak whale season (July – October) there are dozens of whales in False Bay and a boat-trip is the perfect way to feel the motion of their ocean.

Seal capers
If you have a need for speed and don't want to leave the boat, book yourself on a high-speed jaunt across to the 'real' Seal Island for a close up view of the largest seal colony in the country, home to over 75 000 Cape Fur Seals. Just watch out which way the wind is blowing and get ready to grab your nose: "We call that scent 'Seal No. 5'," says skipper David Hurwitz, of the unmistakeable seal island pong.

Flying fins
Nasal attacks aside, winter is far and away the best time to visit Seal Island as it's when the feared Great White Sharks turn into flying fish with spectacular displays of aerial hunting. Surging towards the surface, these four-metre hunting machines burst out of the ocean to play a game of airborne cat-and-mouse in pursuit of unwary seals.

Apex Predators runs shark-viewing and cage-diving trips from Simon's Town to Seal Island allowing you to see almost every angle of this awesome predator. The company offers cage-diving on both their morning and afternoon half-day trips, but the early-morning expedition is the best time to see a Great White in flight.

Get hooked
It's good to have a sturdy pair of sea legs if you're out on the water, especially if you're being a predator yourself on a fishing excursion with Hooked on Africa. From full-day tuna-fishing trips into the deep waters off Cape Point to half-day in-shore excursions reeling in the hard-fighting Snoek or Cape Yellowtail, a few hours with rod and reel in hand will make an Ernest Hemingway big-game fisherman out of even the most unadventurous city slicker.

If a day on the line isn't for you, perhaps the back-line is more your scene. Dude.

Easy rider
Any self-respecting Capetonian (or visitor to the Cape) should try their hand at riding a wave at least once in their life. And with any luck, you'll be hooked on the sport.

Of course hanging-ten with the wave-riders of Muizenberg doesn't always come easily, so you might want to get some professional help. The beachfront is lined with surf shops offering boards for sale and rent, as well as lessons for the uninitiated.

Roxy's Surf School has started a revolution in young girls taking to their boards and has become one of the coolest places in Cape Town to learn to surf. A few steps away, Surf Shack has become a Muizenberg institution and the easy-going manner of David Chudleigh (aka Big Dave) will have you carving up the surf in no time.

And whatever you do, don't procrastinate. Autumn is the perfect time to learn, with regular off-shore winds keeping the surf glassy and smooth. With a set rolling in, the rest is up to you. Wait for the break, paddle like hell, leap to your feet and scream your lungs out all the way to shore. Just another perfect day in the waters of the fairest Cape in all the world.



SIGN ME UP
To book any of these adrenalin-pumping activities, get in touch with:

• Simon's Town Boat Company: 083 257 7760 or www.boatcompany.co.za
• Apex Predators: 082 364 2738 or www.apexpredators.com
• Hooked on Africa: 021 790 5332 or www.hookedonafrica.co.za
• Surf Shack: 021 788 9286 or www.surfshack.co.za

• Originally published in Indwe magazine, the in-flight mag of SA Express, March 2009
  

Capetonians love their mountain! Here's how you can make the most of the Table Mountain National Park.

Pack a picnic
Silvermine (021 780 9002, www.sanparks.org) is an idyllic spot to spend a lazy summer's day. Take a walk on one of the marked trails or just chill out at the reservoir where you'll find braai spots and a wheelchair-friendly boardwalk. Remember that no swimming is allowed though!

Hug a tree
Few people know that the Tokai Arboretum (Tokai Road, 021 712 7471) is a National Monument dating back to 1886. There are over 1500 trees from hundreds of species in the forest, all of which are plotted on a map at the entrance. Visit on a Saturday morning and stock up at the fresh produce market (9am-1pm, 082 823 4121) next door.

Step out in the shade
Join the locals making the most of the shady paths of Newlands Forest. Park at the Forest Station (021 689 7438, www.sanparks.org) on Union Avenue where there's a good map of the area. Wondering about those two helicopters? They are stationed in Newlands during the hot summer months and are used to fight fires across the Peninsula.

Reach the top
Whether you take the Cableway (www.tablemountain.net , R145 per adult) or tackle Platteklip Gorge, make sure you stand on top! The views are outstanding and you'll get to laugh at the antics of the resident dassies, or rock hyrax.

Stay safe!
It may look like a summer's day, but conditions on the mountain can change in minutes! If you're going exploring always carry warm clothing and water, and wear proper walking shoes. There's safety in numbers, so walk in a group of at least three people. If you run into trouble call the Table Mountain National Park emergency number on 021 957 4700.

» Originally published in Mango Juice, the in-flight magazine of South African low-cost carrier Mango Airlines.