News

For the first time ever Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) is offering guided hikes up Table Mountain this festive season. Next week a selection of the TMNP Hoerikwaggo Trail guides will begin leading free hikes up Platteklip Gorge and along the Pipe Track. This service will be available until the end of January 2006.

This initiative aims to market the newly launched Hoerikwaggo Table Mountain Trail in the best way possible – by exposing walkers to how much more enriching and interesting a mountain hike can be if guided by a professionally trained guide. The trail guides will also be handing out promotional material about the Hoerikwaggo Trails, informing tourists about the natural and cultural wonders of the Table Mountain National Park – a Natural World Heritage Site and National Heritage Site.

Says Fiona Kalk, Communications Manager for TMNP, “This is a great opportunity for both locals and tourists to experience Table Mountain with the benefit of a guide employed by the Table Mountain National Park. This is the start of a new era for the Park as our tourism appeal increases with products like the world-class Hoerikwaggo Table Mountain Trail on offer. We aim to keep our service levels high and inline with what visitors to the Park both expect and deserve.

“Our guides are not only trained in the necessary technical skills such as guiding and first aid but they have also received excellent training in speech and drama techniques. This has resulted in a team of guides that are not only professionals in their core competencies but can weave entertaining stories about the rich social and natural history surrounding the Table Mountain National Park including a good knowledge of the flora and fauna that call it home. The guides will also be in contact with our Visitor Safety Officers at all times and together these teams will provide an accessible and friendly service for visitors to the Table Mountain area.”

The guided hikes will operate on a strictly first come first serve basis and groups will leave once a full compliment of hikers has assembled.

Group sizes: 1 guide may lead a maximum of 5 hikers; two guides can lead a maximum of eight hikers. These maximums may not be exceeded.

There will be four guides based at the Visitor Information Centre (VIC) at the bottom of Platteklip Gorge and three will be stationed at the VIC on Tafelburg Road.

Hikes will depart:

• 09h30 to return 12h30
• 13h00 to return 15h00

For more information please call the Hoerikwaggo Trails offices on 021 465 8515/9 Monday to Friday during office hours. For detailed information on the Hoerikwaggo Trails please visit www.hoerikwaggotrails.co.za

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For media enquiries and photo opportunities please call Fiona Kalk: 084 441 1285.

Issued by South African National Parks

Enquiries:
Fiona Kalk
Communications Manager
Table Mountain National Park
tel: +27 021 701 8692
fax:+27 021 701 8773
[email protected]
P O Box 37 Constantia 7848
http://www.tmnp.co.za/