Climbing in Cape Town

Cape Town has hundreds of bolted sport routes around the city and peninsula, ranging from an easy 10 to a hectic 30. (To give you some idea of difficulty, a route rated a 10 in South Africa would be equivalent to a 5.5 climb in the United States. A 20 climb would register around 5.10c, while the hardest you'll find in South Africa is probably a 34, which American climbers would know as a 5.14b. The toughest climb up Table Mountain rates about 32, which is a 5.14a.) Both Table Mountain sandstone and Cape granite are excellent hard rocks. There are route guides to all the major climbs and a number of climbing schools in Cape Town. A few favorite climbs include Table Mountain (from various angles), Lion's Head, du Toit's Kloof, and Muizenberg Peak.

Cape Town School of Mountaineering (086/110-6548) is a good bet for day excursions and escorted walks. High Adventure (021/689-1234. www.highadventure.co.za) specializes in climbing in the Cape Town area but also organizes trips farther afield.