How many cities do you know of in which you can climb a mountain, relax on a sandy beach, and see exotic animals in their natural habitat, all in just one day? Visitors to Cape Town, South Africa, have all this and much more within minutes of their hotels. No location in Cape Town is far from the rugged wilderness of Table Mountain National Park, which occupies much of the peninsula on which Cape Town is situated. The lofty park actually curls through the city centre, providing magnificent views. Visitors here can see countless varieties of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Because of the proximity to the sea, they can also be treated to the shows put on by migrating whales.

A Natural Hot Spot

The Cape Peninsula is one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots, thanks largely to a species of plant called fynbos (pronounced “fayn-bos”). Many trees, like the great oaks in Cape Town and the pines of Table Mountain were originally imported by Dutch settlers. But the fynbos, of which there are 8,500 species, were always here, and are the basic support for the complex web of flora and fauna in and around Cape Town. These scrubby bushes don’t look like much when seen from a distance, but in spring and summer they produce beautiful little flowers. The four basic types are the proteas, which is South Africa’s national flower; ericas, which are like a type of heather; restios, which is basically a reed; and geophytes, which include ground orchids and the spectacular flaming red disas which adorn Table Mountain in late summer. These plants which have been so essential to the natural habitat here have only recently been accepted by Cape Tonians as a vital part of the Cape’s heritage.

Wild Denizens

Lions have not been seen in the Cape Town region since the 18th century, but you can see plenty of other forms of wildlife in Table Mountain National Park. The creatures range from tiny ants to reptiles like the black girdled lizard that seem to have just stepped out of Jurassic Park. There are iridescent birds that will delight birding hobbyists and good places for bird watching are Lion’s Head, Kirstenbosch Gardens, Kommetjie, Hout Bay, and the Cape of Good Hope part of Table Mountain National Park. With good luck, you might see a brightly coloured sun bird drinking nectar from an Erica flower. The most commonly seen large mammals are baboons. Often spotted sunning themselves on the rocks are fluffy, guinea pig-like animals called rock hyraxes, known to the locals as dassies. Among the many other mammals present are caracals, polecats, genets, Cape foxes, mongooses, bontebok, and Cape Mountain zebras.

The Sea at Your Doorstep

Cape Town is famous for its beaches, but there is much more to the seacoast than sun and sand. With the sea at your doorstep, you have a wide range of marine life to see. One of the most popular living attractions is the colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach. Common, bottle-nosed, and dusky dolphins are frequently seen leaping through the waters. To see seals you only have to go as far as Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront where they sun themselves on the harbour walls. You can also see seals at Hout Bay and Kalk Bay. However, the biggest animal attractions in the waters off Cape Town are the southern right whales. They come to False Bay during their calving season, which peaks between mid-August and mid-October. The best vantage points for seeing these magnificent sea mammals are between Cape Point and Muizenberg.

Author Bio: Rachel Hill is a Southern Africa Travel specialist, a company specialising in luxury, tailor-made Cape Town holidays, as well as holidays to other destinations in Southern Africa. Our experienced consultants will help you design your very own luxury holiday, and will be happy to provide you with a free quote.

Category: Travel
Keywords: Cape Town