20101009 Take a Trip to Table Mountain (3)

Take a Trip to Table Mountain

Why you should go

Table Mountain is simply stunning. Its amazing views, unique shape and prime location have been recognized and admired by South Africans for years. Likewise, tourists travel thousands of miles across multiple continents to experience this masterpiece of nature firsthand. The mountain is so spectacular, in fact, that it is the only earthly feature to lend its name to a constellation. French astronomer Abbe Nicholas Louis de Lacaille discovered a table-like formation while surveying the southern skies in South Africa in 1754.

Since the stars resembled Table Mountain, de Lacaille appropriately named the constellation Mensa - meaning the Tabled Mountain. Today, the world has an opportunity to recognize Table Mountain as one of the planet's seven greatest natural wonders. The landmark mountain is currently one of 28 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition. Over 1 billion people are expected to participate in naming the winners of this prestigious title. Whether the mountain is selected as a winner or not, this nature-made table will continue to impress for years to come.