Tested and Recommended by Tomas Degenaar, a friend from Stellenbosch – South Africa – who’s now helping me with my blog!
South Africa is well known for its shark cage diving, Table Mountain, and Wild Life Safaris, BUT it has so much more to offer. Being a local in Cape Town, I have discovered some amazing, heart pumping and adventure packed activities.
It would be selfish of me to keep it all to myself, now wouldn’t it? So join me as I take you through some unusual things to do around Cape Town.
INDEX: Click on the related chapter and skip the rest.
1 | CLIFF JUMPING AT CRYSTAL POOLS
Are you an adrenaline junkie? The thrill of facing a lion during a Safari is just not enough for you anymore? Then cliff jumping is something you’d like to try when visiting South Africa!
The Crystal Pools are some of the most spectacular natural reserves in South Africa, only a 40 minutes drive from Cape Town. They are located within the Boland Mountain complex, a UNESCO world heritage site.
So are the pools really worth it? I’d definitely say yes! I am a thrill seeker and decided to try the hike. Armed with hiking shoes, towel and costume, I set off towards the mountains for an adrenalin packed day trip. The drive toSteenbras gorge is beautiful, with the Pacific Oceans’ blue waters sparkling in the sun on your left.
TIP
Keep your eyes wide open and your camera ready as If you’re lucky, you can even spot a few whales!THE HIKE:
It takes roughly 45 minutes to get to the first pool and an additional 15 minutes to get to the second. The hike to reach the first one is fairly easy, even for beginners and people of all ages.
The hike to the second and third pools is for more advanced hikers only as you have to literally climb the rocks to find a suitable place to jump.
Even if the hike is easy, always be careful as the path is quite tricky with some loose rocks, so you need to be aware of your steps.
CLIFF JUMPING:
From the first pool the highest cliff to jump is around 15m, being the first pool it is usually quite crowded so either you put up with the crowds or move on to the next (there are some lower jumps here).
The second one is obviously less crowded, as it’s more challenging and dangerous to get there. If you feeling very confident, there is a jump from the second into the first pool (you can check it out for yourself on the video of my jump, scary times!).
IMPORTANT NOTE: read the section below with the recommendations as cliff jumping can be dangerous if you don’t take the proper precautions.
Awesome shots of the jumps, pure adrenaline!
Watch the amatorial video where I jump into the first pool!
WATCH OUT FOR BABOONS “WILDLIFE”…
Yes, sometimes cliff jumping is not the only attraction you will find at the Crystal Pools! The place is well known for its Baboons (watch out for your food!). They usually relax near the pools up against the mountain.
When I went there, I was witness to an obscure scene, where The alpha male after giving a couple of loud barks, found himself a throne on one of the rocks overlooking the pools, and then proceeded to have noisy baboon sex in front of everybody. It’s not like I haven’t seen this in South Africa before, but never on a pedestal like that, have they no shame at all?
Now I get the true meaning of “Wildlife”.
MORE INFORMATION ON JUMPING INTO THE CRYSTAL POOLS:
Crystal Pools are set in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. The hike starts at the Steenbras River mouth and you’ll need to walk along the river into the gorge to reach the beautiful rock pools. They are part of the Kogelberg Nature Reserve so you’ll need to pay an entrance fee of R60 p/p (around $6), from a local office at Helderberg Nature Reserve in Somerset West.
Please note that the natural park allows only a certain amount of visitors per day, so it’s a smart move to book your ticket in advance.
OPENING TIMES:
Crystal Pools are closed during the winters and open 1st November until 31st April. Gates open from 7:30am – 16:00pm.
GETTING THERE:
Take the N2 out of Cape Town towards Sir Lowry’s Pass (30min), turn right onto Sir Lowry’s Pass road until you get to a T-junction. Turn left onto the R44 and keep going until you get to a bridge with Sunbird Resort on your right.
After the bridge, you can park your car in the parking on the right. Walk across the road and you’ll see the gate with a little hut in front of it.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
-The DO’S and DON’Ts when cliff jumping-
I DO RECOMMEND:
- Taking sunscreen, as you will spend most of the day in the sun.
- Comfortable hiking shoes.
- Refreshments and beverages.
- A garbage bag. There are no garbage bins up in the mountains, and please don’t leave any rubbish by the pools.
- If you want to try the jumps, wait for someone to go first (someone who knows where to jump).
- You need to be fairly fit for the hike.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND:
- IMPORTANT: Do NOT dive into the pools.
- If you have never jumped before, don’t try to jump from the higher cliffs, you could seriously harm yourself.
- Feeding the animals.
- Wandering off the designated footpath.
- Making any fire on the mountain is prohibited. Cape flora is extremely flammable.
This is probably one of the most fun and unusual things you could ever do in Cape Town. Not very popular amongst tourists or even the locals, this walk is definitely a unique experience.
THE ENTRANCE
Since we decided to try the experience without a guide (please read more on safety and precautions at the end of this chapter), we had to ask around to find the entrance of the tunnel, which is located next to Upper Buitenkant Street at the foot of Table Mountain.
The tunnel channels the fresh water from Table Mountain and some run-off from the streets into the sea down by the V&A Waterfront (another top spot in Cape Town).
Our mission was to literally cross the city, until the end of the tunnel at the pier, with no idea of how to get there! But hey, what is adventure without a bit of mystery, right?!
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS ADVENTURE?
Below is my experience, as usual: always be careful when taking on these kinds of adventures.
The tunnel at the entrance is circular and about 1.5 meters high, so we had to walk with our backs bent and legs spread to avoid stepping in the little stream flowing down. Quite a back cracker! Making our way deeper into the city (literally), the architecture of the tunnel started changing.
At some point, the tunnel started losing its circular shape and became more oval like, and built from old stones. We assumed we were under the Castle of Good Hope (one of the most popular attractions in Cape Town) and carried on walking until the tunnel split in three. We didn’t have a clue of where we actually were at that point. Decisions, decisions…
After (not so) careful consideration, we decided to go with the 3rd one on the right, thinking that it might lead us in the direction of the sea. The water became deeper and darker and numerous kind of fish started brushing against my legs. Good sign, that meant that we took the right turn after all, the sea was getting closer!
When the water reached my tights, I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and for once, not in a metaphoric way! Toward the exit the water was getting too deep to continue. We could now see a few boats floating in the harbor and hear the screams of the seagulls.
We made it through!Great success! Turning back with smiles on our faces, we chose the closest manhole and climbed up to the surface onto private property. You should have seen the perplexed faces of the security guards, who saw us resurfacing through one of the manholes in the ground. We casually strolled past them and got a taxi to get back to the car.
What an amazing experience, I recommend it to everyone. If you decide to try it and are not enjoying yourself, you can always turn back and climb to the surface trough one of the manholes (you will find several during the walk).
MORE INFORMATION ON THE UNDERGROUND CANALS IN CAPE TOWN:
Some parts of the canal and river date back to 1654. The tunnels use to supply the company gardens and passing ships with fresh water from Table Mountain. Later it became such a pleasant “Gentleman’s Walk”, that it was named “Little Amsterdam”, but by 1895 the rivers got too dirty and unpleasant that they were arched and forgotten about. Now the tunnels once again only convey fresh water from Table Mountain and some Spring Water into the ocean.
HOW TO GET THERE:
If you want to take the organized tour, head to the Castle of Good Hope. I have read that the tunnel has been closed to the public, but we easily entered at the start of the tunnel in Upper Buitekant Street with no problems.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
-The DO’S and DON’Ts when walking inside the abandoned canals-
I DO RECOMMEND
- Take water and some snacks.
- Shoes that can get wet or boots.
- A flashlight is a must.
- To anyone keen for an unusual adventure.
- Want to do something different and learn about the history of the Cape (Guided Tour).
I DO NOT RECOMMEND:
- If you have any case of claustrophobia.
- If you are scared of cockroaches and spiders.
- If you don’t like getting your feet wet.
- If you are not accompanied by someone who did this before.
- DO NOT GO if it’s raining.
Apparently this is the mother of all the caves in the region and it’s definitely not for the faint hearted, as you can see from the pictures. It consists of two caves (Ronan’s Well and Robin Hood) that links up with each other via a narrow tunnel called “The Narrows”.
THE NARROWS:
In preparation for this adventure, we met a girl who is an experienced caver (spelunken). She was the first one to mention this cave and she told us that we just had to keep going straight and we could not miss The Narrows, and that the average time inside the cave is about 3 hours.
Following her suggestions, we kept on going for more than two hours through some very narrow passages. We had to literally squeeze our way through, bending in some seemingly impossible positions.
GETTING LOST
As we continued going deeper and deeper into the womb, the cracks and tunnels started getting narrower and narrower. Each new crack we completed we convinced ourselves that maybe THAT one was the Narrows.
Even the chambers started getting smaller and smaller. Some could not even fit my brother and me. For the first time on this adventure, uncertain thoughts started to surface. “How sure am I that this is the way?” and the scariest of all, “Could we be lost?”
THE WAY BACK
At some point, I could not turn my head to look back, nor expand my chest to take a breath. The cave decided for us. We had to admit that we were completely lost, running out of water and couldn’t go any further, It was time to turn back.
Two and a half hours of struggle later, we saw an orange glow ahead. Painful, bruised and tired we resurfaced back to the fresh colorful outdoors. The sun was just about to disappear behind the horizon, giving us enough light to get back to the car. Smiling out of exhaustion and relief, we made our way down the mountain and back home.
A few months later, we returned with the girl who mentioned the cave to us, and we completed it.
MORE INFORMATION ON KALK BAY CAVES:
Ronan’s Well is one of about 85 caves found in the Kalk Bay’s mountain range. Hiking up the mountain there are signs directing you to some of the more popular caves. Most of the caves are small and suited for beginners, and the hike alone is beautiful through the Cape flora with views of False Bay.
GETTING THERE:
Take the train from Cape Town to Kalk Bay, then climb up to Boyes Drive and find the sign indicating Echo Valley. This will take you up the mountain with numerous signs directing routes to the more popular caves.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
-The DO’S and DON’Ts for the Kalk Bay caves-
I DO RECOMMEND:
- Taking some snacks, a decent amount of water and a head flashlight (and new batteries with you).
- Wearing old clothes and long pants or jeans as you will be often on your knees.
- Very Important: Go with a guide or a person who has done it before.
- Always tell someone where you are going and letting them know when you are safe again.
- Doing other caves in the area includingBoomslang Cave which is the most popular.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND:
- Doing this cave without a guide.
- Taking a big backpack : it would be highly frustrating (sometimes impossible) taking it through the narrow tunnels.
- If you are claustrophobic or do not like being isolated from the outside world for 2+ hours.
- Quite a big person, as the Narrows got its name for a reason.
- Going later than midday to do the cave, because it may take longer than expected.
I am a bodyboarder and this is my local beach, which means that I know the area quite well. I had so many experiences there, including having my bag stolen by baboons looking for food, swimming with dolphins and being chased out of the water by sharks.
As a top experience, I definitely recommend camping on the beach. Not only can you have the beach to yourself, but also watch the sun turning the sky orange as it vanishes behind Cape Point across the bay, which makes for an unforgettable sunset!
THE PLANKTON
After enjoying the sunset, take a walk on the shore and you might notice the glowing of phosphorus beneath your feet and in the water. Whenever it is disturbed it lights up with a magical blue glow.
I had an amazing experience while camping and bodyboarding at Kogel Bay: I noticed phosphorus in the water and I decided to have a (quite risky) night session with a friend. In the attempt to catch a few waves, we ended up entirely covered in blue lights all over our bodies. It was everywhere, in my hair, on my board, whenever I made a movement the water lit up. An experience out of this world!
PLANKTON GLOWING ON THE BEACH – SOURCE : WWW.UMABIOS.COM
MORE INFORMATION:
Located in False Bay, at the foot of the Hottentots Holland Mountains, this is definitely my favorite beach in the world. Secluded from the city, it’s the perfect place to come for a relaxing getaway. The beach is very popular amongst bodyboarders and surfers because of its amazing waves.
Dappat se Gat (Dappat’s Hole in English) was named after a livestock thief named Dappat. Cattle farmers use to graze their cattle around the area. Dappat would go steal some cattle and lead them into the cave down by the beach. When the tide came in it cut off access to the cave and wash away the footprints, leaving farmers very confused. Later he was discovered when a fishing boat spotted smoke coming from the cave and asked the police to investigate.
HOW TO GET THERE
Take the N2 out of Cape Town towards Sir Lowry’s Pass (30min), turn right onto Sir Lowry’s Pass road until you get to a T-junction. Turn left onto the R44 and keep going until you see Kogel Bay Beach. Park at the first parking on your right, and there will be a sign that reads Dapat se Gat. Just follow the little path all the way down to the beach.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
-The DO’S and DON’Ts at Kogel Bay-
I DO RECOMMEND:
- If you go camping, take down firewood and a sleeping bag. A tent is not necessary, be a little adventurous and sleep on the beach.
- Go in the summer, as during the winter the storm swells wash away most of the sand on the beach.
- Finding a spot as high as possible on the beach to sleep.
- Taking a rubbish bag, as there are no bins down there. DO NOT LITTER on the beach.
- Taking a flashlight for exploring the cave on the beach, and for at night if you camping.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND:
- Do Not go for a swim far out. The currents can be very hectic and, unfortunately, many people has drowned there before. Not to mention that the risk of meeting sharks are quite high. Always stay in the shallow water.
- Do not leave valuables in the car for the night. Take them down to the beach with you.
- Do not make fires near anything flammable, the Cape is quite a flammable place.
- Do not feed the baboons. They are not your friends, and feeding them only makes them want for more.
No comments:
Post a Comment