Mark was very kind and extremely knowledgeable about all of the wildlife in the Cape. We went to 4 different locations and spotted many unique birds. I appreciate how thoughtful he was in using his expertise as a guide and providing history of the area as we were birding. He even adjusted our plan based on weather and it worked out perfectly where we had clear views in every location we went to. Truly enjoyed the long day and learned more about the bird and plant life in Cape Town in one day than I would have otherwise!

My wife and I hiked table mountain via Platteklip gorge with our wonderful guide, Mark. It was the most beautiful day for it but what made the hike so much more enjoyable was Mark himself. We were so lucky to have his wealth of knowledge at our disposal. He is an encyclopaedia of knowledge when it comes to the mountain, Cape Town itself and all of the plant life and animals within it. He pointed out animals we would have never spotted ourselves and we had such a laugh along the way! My wife and I consider this day the highlight of our honeymoon and would come back again for another trip with Mark. Of note, Marks son Justin is also a guide on the mountain and we met him at the top as he had finished his ascent with another couple. Very lovely man indeed. The entire family are experts in this field and clearly get so much enjoyment out of spreading their knowledge and showing visitors the delights of their city. It’s just wonderful! Thank you again Mark and hope to see you again soon! Louise and Alexa

We did this amazingly beautiful hike starting from Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden with Mark, who offered us great insights in the „Flora and Fauna“ of the Table Mountain. The hike is strenous, but very achievable for medium fit people. Mark adjusted the pace to us and there was always time to take photos, drink, learn or just enjoy the scenery. You will walk up to the reservoir via Skeleton Gorge and go back via the Nursery Ravine (when the Cable Car is not operating). It was overall very pleasant and one of our highlights on our trip so far. The booking and organisation was straightforward. Thank you again, Mark! 10/10 would recommend!

Absolutely amazing tour. It is rare to find a company that will take a solo traveler on a private birding tour. I have had many a tour cancel on me or demand I pay 2x the price in order to experience the wildlife! Mark did NOTHING like this. He was extremely knowledgable, pointed out both flora and fauna, and tailored the experience to what I wanted to see. We spotted over 45 species - and luckily spotted a pied kingfisher. I also brought my mom along, who is not a big birder, and she was engaged the entire time. Mark accommodated her mobility issues and suggested treks that might be better for her. Because it was a private tour she was able to stay in the car or casually walk the botanical gardens while Mark and I sought out birds. I would 1000% recommend this tour to anyone who loves wildlife and would take it again myself.

My tour guide Mark was outstanding! Great communication allowed me to convey my goals and Mark put together a perfect itinerary. We departed on time and covered lots of ground including seeing the penguins, zebra, numerous antelope, birds and all manner of diverse plants. We traveled far and got in lots of scenic hiking. I learned so many interesting things about the local fauna and flora. I definitely recommend Table Mountain Treks and Tours.

We did a multi-day hike with Justin over 3 days, starting at Cape Point and finishing at the Table Mountain cable station. We had a fantastic time and really enjoyed the hiking. The scenery was stunning, and it was a pleasure to spend a few days learning about the environment and landscape from Justin - who has what can only be described as encyclopaedic knowledge of the Cape’s flora and fauna. Remember to wear sun screen! The sun is unforgiving and the routes we took were very exposed during the first two days. Shout-out to Lindsay too for being super friendly and always being ready with a cold drink for us at the end of the day!

I hired Mark to take me to some birding spots around Cape Town to do some photography. His knowledge was outstanding and understood well what I was after. I felt he would have gone to any lengths to make my day successful. It was a great day...

Review for mark Initially, we booked a tour as we were concerned about safety (crime) and wanted to make sure that we had someone knowledgable to take us up. However, I completely underestimated how much value mark would add to our walk. The day started out with a heavy mist/cloud which cloaked the mountian, but that in no way tempered our experience. Mark is an excellent guide. In terms of timing and pacing he was perfect. Mark stopped frequently, and helped us to manage our efforts, so getting to the top felt like a breeze. At every stop Mark would point out a flower, or bird or recount a story from his times working on the mountian (he was a ranger before becoming a guide). His passion for the mountian and its history was infectious, and we got so much more out of the walk than we bargained for. The fact the sun came out at the top was an added bonus - to be honest I still would have highly rated this experience of it had been cloudy all day.

The hike to Table Mountain, with Justin as my guide, was a truly enjoyable experience. Not only did I have the opportunity to safely reach the summit, but I also gained a wealth of knowledge from Justin's extensive expertise in the local environment. This unique aspect set it apart from all the other guided tours I've been on, making it an invaluable opportunity for those with a keen interest in the distinctive plant and animal life of the Cape region.

We were supposed to go hiking the summit of Table Mountain through Kasteelpoort. Unfortunately the weather was bad and the forecast even worse so our guide proposed a different hike…. Ultimately we hiked through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to Skeleton Gorge and Constantianek… What a pleasant surprise……Mark is a walking encyclopedia with his knowlwdge of nature, flowers birds and trees. He was very helpful getting the opportunities for foto’s of birds and we would have loved to learn so much more from him. It was an amazing journey throughout the incredible nature of Kirstenbosch and the wonderful world of Fynbos!!!

We did a hike with Mark on what started off as a miserable rainy day. Mark was very knowledgeable and was able to personalise the hike for the weather and our slower pace. We went up Platteklip Gorge to start with and then peeled off to do the Contour path trail. Mark talked to us throughout and gave us lots of detail on the flora and fauna, the rocks and the history of the mountain. It was the best day we've had in Cape Town so far and are very grateful to have had Mark as a guide. We would love to come back and do the Orange Kloof trail with him.

As an avid birder, I have traveled the world and have had many guides. Mark Hawthorne owner of the family-run Table Mountain Treks and Tours is one of the best. He has over 40 years of cultural, natural history, and avian guiding experience. We traveled the region with him and to say we were impressed would be an understatement. He worked so hard to give us a sunrise-to-sunset enriching experience every day. Mark is a teacher, and conservationist and is highly praised and holds many awards and honors for his years of service to the conservation work in and around the Cape.

Mark was absolutely brilliant from the very first minute to the end of the tour. His expertise knowledge of Table Mountain and Cape Town is superb. I would recommended anyone to book this company for the hike. He went above and beyond. I will definitely be back again.

Fantastic multi-day hike with these amazing knowledgeable and patient guides. Mark and Justin were super professional and I learnt so much from both of them. Fynbos Cape floral kingdom rocks (!) and I will ever have a special place in my heart for this fantastic nature. And the whole experience made perfectly seamless by Lindsay. A family business worth visiting.

It was great to have Mark Hawthorne pick us up in a nice SUV and take us to Aquila Private Game reserve. He was well versed in the Fauna and South Africa in general and made it very interesting., He is dependable and very knowledgeable. We then had a great experience at the Boschandal Winery too.