The most beautiful natural sites to discover Cape Town

As part of the Cape Peninsula National Park mountain range, which extends to the peninsula, Table Mountain is a must see in Cape Town. It has become one of the new Seven Wonders of the World for its beauty and incredible biodiversity. In the distance, the Drakensberg Mountains, while the city is shaped around Signal Hill and Lion's Head. To the north, Devil Peak is a peak pointing to the sky, encircled by a small cloud. To the south, the "12 Apostles" above Camps Bay are majestic, and the tip of Cape Point can be seen in the distance. Many dassies live up there. Be careful, it bites! Of course, it is forbidden to pick any flowers, light any cigarettes or feed the dassies.

Climbing it on foot (2 hours) or by cable car allows you to marvel at the spectacular view of the city and the peninsula, at an altitude of over 1,000 m. The cable car ride up is impressive.

A 15-minute walk. A shorter tour, the Dassie Walk, makes a quick trip around the cable car station. Another 30 minute tour, the Agama Walk, offers a 360° view of the Cape and the peninsula.

A 3 hour walk. A long loop around the plateau and over the highest point of Mac Lear's Beacon Mountain, at 1087m. In good weather, allow a good 3 hours to walk around the plateau, bask in the sun and have a drink in the restaurant. In summer, it's best to go up at the end of the day for the sunset (remember to book online at weekends!). Free guided tours daily at 10am and 12pm.

1 day hike. Many routes are possible from Camps Bay, Kirstenbosch and even Constantia. We advise you to start in the morning from the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (entrance fee) and climb one of the two passages, Skeleton Gorge or Nursery Ravine, to reach the plateau. A route that passes two mountain lakes will take you to the cable car station (minimum 4 hours). Be aware that, all along the route, you have to climb ladders, which are very safe, but not very suitable for non-sportsmen and the fearful. There are many ways down, the most convenient being the one leading to the car park. If you are lazy about walking up and want to dedicate yourself to this walk from 11am onwards, buy a one-way ticket and do the reverse route to Kirstenborsch, this is the most classic route.

5 days/4 nights. The Hoerikwaggo trail, organised by the National Park guides, is best booked well in advance! You hike from the Cape of Good Hope in a small group to Table Mountain, passing through the "12 Apostles" mountain range and sleeping in well-equipped heavy tented camps, accompanied by a ranger.

Tips: Check the weather. Buy a detailed map of the park or use the services of a guide as the walking paths are not well marked and the mountain can be dangerous: sudden fog, crevasses... Always remain vigilant and walk in groups, not too late in the afternoon. Also be careful in winter, do not go through Skeleton Gorge because this path is the bed of a steep river with very slippery stones and frankly dangerous, prefer Nursery Ravine. Don't forget to take a little wool with you because when the weather gets cloudy, the temperature drops quickly

It takes imagination to recognize his Lionhead profile. At the top, the view is fascinating: Table Mountain in the back, overlooking downtown on one side, Camps Bay on the other, the ocean in between. A very popular hike among the locals. The most difficult part: the arrival on the summit, at 669 m. Beware of vertigo and young children, both routes are difficult. On one side, a climbing passage using an iron chain for the sportsmen, on the other, a passage through big stones on the edge of the cliff.

Olympic swimming pool 1918 Art deco. A huge pool, another dedicated to the Olympic diving board where athletes train, two children's pools. The sea view whose blue added to the range of the blue swimming pools. A beautiful place. Popular and lively atmosphere.

A wide strip of fine white sand and turquoise blue water. Closely watched by a team of spotters from the top of Boyes Drive. If sharks are landed, the alarm is sounded and a black flag with a shark on it is hoisted. We then have to get out of the water quickly. A red flag means that the sharks were here less than two hours ago or that the water is too murky to see very far. This is the beach for beginners and families, ideal for lessons. And let's not forget the brightly colored huts that make up the charm of the beach.

The must: Seal Island. 16 km from the coast, in the middle of the bay, the island is populated by thousands of birds and 75,000 playful seals. Sensitive souls should refrain, but in the morning, when squads of white sharks take a trip, we see these predators jumping to catch seals in flight. From March to November whales are also present. They improvise choreographies, spins and sometimes spectacular jumps. Then the dolphins love to follow the boats.

A broussarde plot in the heart of the Cape Peninsula, convenient for those who don't have time to go into Bush. Come to the encounter of antelopes and buffles buffles. Restaurant and shop.

You probably did not come to Cape Town to tour the factories! But Koeberg has a little perfume of scandal that excites curiosity. By building these facilities in 1976, would the French companies Alstom and Framatome have contributed to the development of military nuclear power in South Africa? Was there actually in 1981 a secret contract that provides for Framatome's delivery of enriched uranium valued at $ 250 million? Today, Koeberg, the only nuclear power station in Africa, rotates like a clock (atomic) and it is… Electricité de France that monitors security! How diable the Greenpeace commando did to hang a band on the reactor at the Earth Summit in August 2002. You can walk through the wilderness reserve and take a look at the Visitors Centre to learn that Koeberg provides 6,5% of the country's energy needs.

The Vrolijkheid reserve is located five minutes from the village of McGregor. In the midst of this vast nature, you can enjoy hiking on the 3 km Heron Trail or the 18 km Rooikat in the Elandsberg. The walk from McGregor to Greyton, about 15 kilometres, is a very pretty walk. You can walk to the waterfall halfway along the trail to get a cooler feeling in the hot South African sun, especially in the summer.

There are many hiking trails from 15 km to 30 km. We recommend that you make a 3-hour loop (IGN card 3418 AB-AD - 1: 50 000; 10 R at the Park Office at Lakeside). The Offering Camp is a great place to go down, in rustic but luxurious wooden cabins hanging on the cliff. Barbecue areas also available.

A hike leads to Peers caves, where the bones and tools of an old 12 000-year-old gentleman are found in the Fish Hoek Valley Museum. Rock paintings, poorly preserved (tags don't hold anything), is still apparent.

A very pleasant walk between Muizenberg and Saint James, along a concrete walkway among the rocks. You'll see waves crashing on the rocks, fishermen, and whales in the bay, when they're around from late August to early October. Watch out for the shower - the waves can be very strong! When the sea calms down, the tops of the kelp forests appear on the surface. Then, as the sun sets, the colors shimmer and bring all the sweetness of a successful end to the day.

A natural swimming pool carved into rocks, located on the seafront on the Sea Point promenade. It is marked only during low tide. Ideal for those who are not afraid of the icy waters of the ocean but which is apprehensive quite strong waves on the beaches. Many children.

With its luxurious villas and its beautiful sandy beach, Llandudno is one of the most parts of the coast. The beach lined with large rocks attracts surfers come to face the giant waves. The show is rather imposing at sunset. In the south of the village about 15 minutes on foot, you can Sandy Bay and the unique nudist beach of the country (and perhaps the continent), mainly frequented by the gay community.

Long Beach is one of the most spectacular beaches in Cape Town: 8 km of powdery white sand. Located in the seaside village of Kommetjie, it is a fantastic destination for surfing and body boarding. There are many activities to do in and out of the water. The water is rather cold for swimming, but a small pond, "Kom", offers a safe bath for children. There are some nice walks to do, one of them passes a well preserved wreck, Kakapo. If you like horseback riding, you can also have a good time.