The iconic profile of Table Mountain has long been a symbol of hope, freedom and breathtaking beauty - former president Nelson Mandela insisted: "It is a sacred and special place...

"Over centuries the mountain has stood as a symbol of human capacity for hope and freedom, whether for the Khoi-khoi tribes fighting colonial domination, for Indonesian and Malay slaves who for generations buried their leaders and holy men on its slopes, or for 20th century political prisoners.

"To us on Robben Island, Table Mountain was a beacon of hope.

"It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return."

For tourists, the famous flat-topped mountain is one of the most appealing and instantly recognisable sights on earth, rivalling the snow-capped majesty of Kilimanjaro and the mystique of the ancient pyramids of Giza.

Now, thanks to the 2010 goal of establishing the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) as the world's premier urban national park, the finishing touches are being put to an amazing six-day walk that could challenge Peru's legendary Inca Trail and our own Otter Trail through the new Garden Route National Park.

Known as the Hoerikwaggo, which in the language of the nomadic herders who were some of the Cape's original inhabitants means "mountains in the sea", it is a scenically magnificent 100km journey from Cape Point to the cableway, with five overnight stops in tented camps along the way.

'The fairest cape we saw'
SANParks' Brett Myrdal invites hikers to "follow in the footsteps of the ancestors" along a network of upgraded footpaths that "have been chosen to evoke the freedom our ancestors once had, when early humans walked these parts unfettered by private land and development.

"Like our ancestors, hikers are now able to overnight in the national park and capture the wilderness spirit of years gone by.

"Sleeping over is very different from heading back to the suburbs at the end of the day."

Already there are a number of tantalising options, including the three-day, two-night Table Mountain Trail aimed unashamedly at the top end of the tourist market.

This is unlike anything the ancestors ever dreamt of with a full porter service, optional catering and luxury bedding.

But for purists it will be the self-catered Hoerikwaggo Trail that represents the ultimate adventure and the realisation of a cherished dream to walk on the mountain's spine - and include the spectacular 6km beach between Kommetjie's Slangkop Lighthouse and Chapman's Peak.

Already, three of the tented camps are fully operational with a fourth at Smitswinkel Bay, near the entrance to Cape Point, preparing to welcome its first guests.

The last, at the Signal School above Simon's Town, will be completed when funds are available, hopefully in time for an official opening next year.

All camps blend tastefully and unobtrusively with their environment, providing comfortable beds for up to 12 people with hot showers, flush toilets and a well- appointed kitchen and entertainment area. Hikers normally supply their own sleeping bags and food, although full catering can be arranged for groups.

So what's it like?

Without doubt it is one of the most beautiful extended walks available anywhere, appealing to reasonably fit lovers of the great outdoors.

Starting at the Old Lighthouse, near the south-western tip of Africa, I felt a deep sense of history and incredible gratitude to be living just a few kilometres from what Sir Francis Drake, the celebrated English navigator, described as "the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth".

Again and again on the hike I was awestruck by the natural beauty of the mountain chain and often amazed that we could walk for hours without meeting other humans.

My enjoyment was also heightened by my two guides, who cheerfully filled in the gaps in my local knowledge, delighting with lots of interesting anecdotes.

The knowledgeable guides, along with those involved in maintaining and upgrading the network of trails, are part of a poverty alleviation programme that has given hope to hundreds of previously unemployed people.

Arguably the toughest day, and certainly one of the most scenically uplifting, is the 18km stretch between the Slangkop Lighthouse and Silvermine, which can take eight hours or more to complete.

If you fall into a less than "fit" category you might want to consider shorter and less challenging one- and two-night options, with the possibility of staying in a tented camp and taking guided day walks in the immediate vicinity.

Alternatively, groups can hire luxury accommodation for functions or an overnight without the need to walk anywhere.

# The Easy Option: The most pampered hiking option is the luxury two-night Table Mountain Trail that starts at Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront with a "Footsteps to Freedom" stroll that includes an exploration of the Old Town and Grand Parade, seeing where the slaves were traded and where they toiled in the Company's Garden, as well as passing Parliament (where apartheid laws were made and eventually repealed) and visiting the District Six Museum. You overnight at the beautifully renovated Wash Houses where Malay women took in laundry up until the 1950s.

The next day it's either a ride up the rotating cable car or a more daunting climb up Platteklip Gorge, then on to Maclear's Beacon - at 1 087 metres Table Mountain's highest point.

The second night is spent at the Overseer's Cottage with its magnificent views over Cape Town's affluent southern suburbs.

The next morning you loop around the dams - there are five on the top of the Back Table - and finish off at Kirstenbosch Gardens, to include yet another of Cape Town's great tourist attractions.

Source: News24.com - www.news24.com

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