Garden Route, part 1, Hoerikwaggo trail (16 - 19 December)

After a relatively short flight (3 hours and 40 minutes) we safely landed in Cape Town. For me even one hour flight seems too much. Anyway, we were picked up at the air port by an Angolan! representative and brought by a surprisingly luxury car to our first accommodation in Sea Point.

Within an hour I was treated to a delicious sushi! That was actually one of the higlights of our South African stay. I could eat sushi 3 times a day! This might sound rather pathetic and you probably only understand when you lived in Luanda.

On the second day another well dressed gentleman arrived. He appeared to be our driver for that day but he was far too early. At 6:30 in the morning! We sent him away as our itinerary said our transfer for the Hoerikwaggo accommodation was in the late afternoon. Shortly after that we received a call that the plans were changed due to the strong wind and we are expected to do the Kirstenbosch botanical garden tour today already. We packed quickly our stuff and drove to the gardens to meet our guide Chris who was supposed to guide us also on the Hoerikwaggo trail.

The gardens were interesting but it was very hot and it was more sauntering rather than walking therefore quite exhausting and boring for Maarten.

We spent a night at the Platteklip Wash House, that is part of the original historical wash house complex where Cape Town washer women in the 19th century did the laundry. The house lies on the slopes of Table Mountain next to the Platteklip stream.

Very relaxing and better place for Maarten to play than the fancy guest house in the city.

Next morning from here we started hiking the famed Hoerikwaggo trail that traverses the length of Table Mountain. Even thought we started quite early as soon as we left the forest it was already very hot but the views of the city were gorgeous!
We were supposed to walk to the Overseers Cottage to spend a night there but because of heavy rain during the last weeks the road to there was washed away so we had to adjust our hike and return to the Platteklip Wash House.
Via Deer Park we walked to the lower cable station as our guide suggested to take the cable car up to the Table Mountain. Because the wind was down today it was extremely busy and honestly if we didn't share the guide with other Belgian couple I would have definitely chosen walking up the mountain.

Finally at the top, we had some time for a photo and orientation of the City Bowl.

Then we continued to the back Table via the Eco Valley.
It was a lot of climbing and scrambling and the trail was permanently exposed to the hot sun.

We walked some 17 kilometers passing and crossing the dams, than we took the Smuts Track to Mc Clears Beacon which is the highest point of the Table Mountain.
It was an exhausting hike but it was worth it.
Problem was that Rob has broken his toe just the day before our departure so he was suffering "a little" more.






Blister bush or mountain celery is worth keeping an eye out for it on a sunny day!
 

Woodhead Dam on Table Mountain from 1897 supplies water to CPT.

Climbing up to the Flying Dutchman rock formation.

 

Stunning views.

Maclear's Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain
 

Platteklip Gorge trail down to the Wash House

 

In the evening we returned to the cable car and drove back to the Wash House where we spent another night.

Day after that we were driven back to the Sea Point guest house where the next morning our rental car was delivered so we could happily set off for our Garden Route adventure.

Stay tuned!