Question 1

True or false: Table Mountain is actually a flat-topped volcano that last erupted 10,000 years ago.

Accepted Answer

False. It's not volcanic; it's a sandstone plateau formed by erosion, not lava or eruptions.

Question 2

True or false: The cloud that often covers Table Mountain is called the 'tablecloth' and is caused by orographic lifting.

Accepted Answer

True. Southeast winds push moist air up the mountain, cooling it into a dense fog that drapes over the flat top.

Question 3

True or false: Table Mountain hosts over 2,200 plant species, more than the entire United Kingdom.

Accepted Answer

True. It's a biodiversity hotspot within the Cape Floristic Region, with many endemic fynbos species.

Question 4

True or false: The cable car to the summit was built in 1929 and has never been upgraded since.

Accepted Answer

False. It was upgraded in 1997 with rotating floors, and the original 1929 system was replaced decades earlier.

Question 5

True or false: Table Mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its unique geology and biodiversity.

Accepted Answer

False. It's part of the Cape Floristic Region UNESCO site, but Table Mountain itself is not individually listed as a World Heritage Site.

Question 6

True or false: Table Mountain was named by Portuguese explorer Antonio de Saldanha in 1503.

Accepted Answer

True. He called it 'Taboa do Cabo' (Table of the Cape) because of its flat summit.

Question 7

True or false: There are no mammals native to the top of Table Mountain—only birds and insects live there.

Accepted Answer

False. Dassies (rock hyraxes) are common on the summit, along with porcupines and mongoose.

Question 8

True or false: Table Mountain is one of the oldest mountains on Earth, formed over 260 million years ago.

Accepted Answer

True. Its sandstone layers date back to the Ordovician period, making it older than the Himalayas and the Andes.

Table Mountain Trivia Questions