South Africa brings to mind safari tents, the Big Five and waking to the sounds of lions chuffing to greet the day. I always immediately think of the wine regions of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Constantia. But in reality, there is a whole other world awaiting.
There is a Cape Town company that offers transformative travel experiences; they do things differently. Escape+Explore says "Venture into Africa like None Before!"
This isn’t Cage diving or sitting in the back of a 4x4, this is get yourself into the action, experience it like a local, authentically and follow your passion. Whether it’s SURFari, SUP waterways and bays, sailing a Dhow or paddling a dugout canoe, rock climbing, mountain biking or whirling by in a sidecar you are going to see Africa from a new perspective. Ingram Casey, the founder, offers inspiring journeys. "Thanks to his insatiable appetite for new and exciting ideas, he has created an innovative brand of African travel that intersects luxury and adventure in a genuinely original way." From food trails to once-in-a-lifetime adventures to professional adventure guide training here is a company for you, the real traveler.
My first experience with him was hiking through the mountains in Sundance, Utah when he climbed a rock face waterfall to put up a banner. And yes, there was still snow on the mountains. This time in Cape Town I opted for a sunrise hike. Get out of bed and see your world in a new light! How tough could it be, breakfast was waiting on top, and we had 2.5 hours to accomplish this short 3-mile climb before getting back to morning meetings!
Lion’s Head is a stunning and unique mountain located between Table Mountain and Signal Hill in the dramatic skyline of Cape Town and is part of Table Mountain National Park. This is just a hike, not like scaling the front side of Table Mountain. Towering over Cape Town and offering some very popular trails is one of Cape Town’s greatest icons – Lion’s Head. A hike up this mountain is an absolute must for visitors and locals alike, but there are a few things you need to know before you conquer the beast. Remember that phrase, it is a beast!
Because of its sweeping panoramic vistas of Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles & the entire Atlantic Seaboard, Lion’s Head at 2,200 feet is an incredibly picturesque hike with epic views. Especially starting in the dark, the lights sparkling below and the horizon with a new ting of pink. It is perfectly situated for sunrise and sunset but remember either way it will be dark for a portion, so bring a headlamp. This trek is only rated moderate in difficulty, making it a great option. Or so I thought.
I had no idea that Bear Grylls, the well-known adventurer and motivational speaker, recently climbed Lion’s Head in Cape Town with a member of his team, Adam Hassan just two weeks before me. He said, “the climb up Lion’s Head serves as a reminder that life is a climb, and we must keep pushing forward, never giving up, even when faced with challenges.” With perseverance, composure, and a spirit of adventure, we can overcome any obstacle and reach the summit of our goals. So, let’s take inspiration from Bear Grylls’ climb and keep climbing, one step at a time, towards our own personal peaks.
I have to say it felt good to hear his voice in the video post sound a touch winded…. Because I was definitely winded, even taking a few more minutes rest to continue my climb. It was the rock scrambling that got me. Yelp! It reminded me that there is a lot more Stairmaster floors in my future if I want to face more mountains. I keep hearing Julie Andrews sing Climb Every Mountain in my head!