Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is a wonder of its own. Where else can you see only indigenous flora below you and the expansive Table Mountain above you? Kirstenbosch covers an area of 528 hectares with 36 hectares of cultivated garden. Fynbos, proteas, cycads and rolling lawns are intermingled with streams and ponds and laid out pathways for easy walking. A great variety of birds inhabit the gardens and the sweeping views from the upper slopes are spectacular. The glass-topped conservatory is home to numerous plants - including an enormous baobab tree - from different South African habitats.

If you'd like to go back in time some 3.2-billion years, the Gondwanaland Garden displays types of plants that were present when there was only one continent on Earth. The Cycad Garden shows off a family of plants that date back some 200-million years and the Fynbos Walk takes one through vegetation unique to the Cape Floral Kingdom and the Western Cape. The Useful Plants Garden has a selection of medicinal plants used to treat a number of ailments.

You can have a casual stroll, a strenuous hike up the mountain or a lazy picnic. If you're a keen hiker, you'll enjoy two popular paths, the Skeleton Gorge and Nursery Ravine, which wind their way up Table Mountain. You'll need to be fairly fit and able to set aside the better part of a day for either of these hikes.

In the summer months there are open air sunset concerts every Sunday, late afternoon, great no matter what the style of music. Get there early as the concerts are quite popular, but a great excuse to drink some wine as the sun drops behind the mountain.

You can visit the Gardens anywhere from an hour or two up until to a full day, dependent on how much you need to fit into your visit in Cape Town. There is a restaurant, self-service area and tea room as well as gift shops and a nursery. The Gardens are open 365 days a year from 08:00 - 19:00 (September -March) and from 08:00 - 18:00 (April - August). Entrance fee is R35 for adults and R10 for children ages 6-18. Children under 6 years are free.

Table Mountain has been shortlisted as one of the New7Wonders of Nature, but needs your vote if it is to achieve this status. You can play your part by sending the word "Table" by SMS to 34874, or by casting your vote online. For more information, visit www.votefortablemountain.com