Summer Season is here and Capetonians wait for this time eagerly. Going to beaches, do hiking and explore new sites is one of the highly practised activities during this time.
It’s good to follow your gipsy feet and adventurous instincts but there’s also needed to stay safe on trails and follow hiking tips recommended by the travel experts in Love Cape Town.
Cape Town offers some of the most spectacular hiking routes in the world. Before travellers decide to walk on a hiking route, here are few tips to stay safe and comfortable on the trails.
- Don’t hike alone, carry atleast four ideal people with you
- Choose your route carefully and stick to it. Allow yourself enough time and start early. Inform someone, priorly about your route and what time you are going to come back.
- Choose a hiking leader and walk at the pace of the slowest member.
- In case, if you get lost, don’t split up. Rather try to retrace your steps. Remember that climbing down is more difficult than climbing up.
- Always take enough water along with you, especially in summers and also food, in case you face any delay. Watch the weather and time and turn back before you start running late or if bad weather threatens.
- Always take waterproof clothing, even in summers. Wear walking shoes or hiking boots. Wear a hat or cap and sun block in summer as weather changes rapidly.
- If you get lost or forced to stop because of bad weather, stay together and remain in one place. Find the closest shelter from wind and rain.
- In case of injury, assess the situation. Then send two people for help and let the third remain with the injured person. If possible, mark the position on a map and send it with those who are going for help.
- Stick to well-used paths, which will be indicated on the park’s hiking map and read the warnings on this map. Don’t take shortcuts and especially don’t wander into ravines.
- Also, it is necessary to take a fully charged mobile phone. Some parts of the park do not have mobile network coverage and will reach a place where they can use a mobile phone more quickly than they will get a landline.
There are some rules that hikers must follow. Personal security is important while hiking Table Mountain National Park. As the Table Mountain is an urban park, please exercise the same common sense and security precautions that you would anywhere be else in the world.
- Do not attract the unwanted attention by openly displaying cash, cameras or other valuables.
- If you are confronted by a criminal, don’t resist. Handover your goods as resistance might incite a mugger to violence.
- Save emergency numbers on your mobile phone before your hike.
This is Cape Town and sudden changes in weather is not uncommon. One day temperatures will be soaring and the next, the wind will be howling.