Riaan Vorster

Founder and owner of Hike Table Mountain, Riaan has been exploring Table Mountain for 25 years, gaining an intimate knowledge of its topography, natural history and hidden treasures. The business got off the ground in 2009 as an offshoot of his all-consuming passion for mountains and nature. He has been consistently guiding on Table Mountain since, sharing its magic and wonders with thousands from around the world. From his experience he has developed a deep understanding of people’s responses to and perceptions of climbing mountains. 

Riaan eats, sleeps and breathes all things Table Mountain, making him a consummate Table Mountain expert. A penchant for old, forgotten routes led him to publish Lines of Least Resistance: a book that tells the story of Table Mountain through its 101 hiking and scrambling routes. Through a collection of vignettes, he depicts the mountain like it has never been done before. In the course of researching the book, he completed 100 of the routes, a distinction shared only with team member Johan and legendary Cape Town mountaineer Mike Scott.

When not guiding, Riaan can be found exploring remote corners of Table Mountain. A second, amplified edition of Lines of Least Resistance is set for release in October 2024, and there remains much to unearth and discover on the mountain. Rivalling his passion for Table Mountain is an abiding infatuation with the Amazon jungle, as his acclaimed novel Beyond the Ranges attests to. He has been on several solo expeditions to the Brazilian and Venezuelan Amazon, trekking through virgin jungle and scaling remote peaks. 

Conversationalist with an inquisitive mind and a deep affinity for wilderness, Riaan enjoys philosophy as much as frivolity on hikes. His passion and appreciation for Table Mountain – its views, grandeur, moods and history – has remained steadfast over the years and, if anything, continues to deepen. Favourite thing about Table Mountain: its diverse habitats, closely followed by its rich history.

Mike Wakeford

A born-and-bred Capetonian with a passion for the great outdoors, Mike enjoys nothing more than sharing the natural splendour of the Cape and its mountains with visitors. Mike grew up hiking on the Cape Peninsula and has a thorough knowledge of the Table Mountain chain, both the well-trodden favourites as well as the little-known gems tucked away in quiet corners.

Mike lives minutes away from the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (Cape Point), and knows the area like the back of his hand. When not hiking, he can be found surfing the cold Atlantic Ocean waves or scrambling the perfect sandstone crags of the Cape Peninsula. His favourite thing about Table Mountain: that it offers pristine wilderness, where civilization feels a thousand miles away. 

Mike joined team Hike Table Mountain in 2012. He has a wealth of experience guiding people of varying abilities on a wide variety of routes ranging from easy to spicy. He has also led international youth expeditions for World Challenge (UK), including trekking in destinations such as Nepal, India, Borneo and Morocco. He is a registered Mountain Walking Guide as well as Cultural Guide, and holds Abseil Supervisor, Single Pitch Rock Climbing and Level 3 First-aid qualifications.

Hendre Zoutendyk

Born and raised in Cape Town, Hendre developed a love for the outdoors at a young age.

Since 2012, she has been sharing her passion for mountains as a full-time mountain guide. She takes pride in ensuring the safety and welfare of all those who share the trail with her, and have been observed on numerous occasions to go beyond the call of duty in meeting client expectations. Her exuberance is contagious and promptly establishes camaraderie in the most motley groups. Matched with unpretentious professionalism and an unbridled sense of humor, she loves guiding and leaves you in no doubt of it. 

Favorite thing about Table Mountain: discovering something new and unique about the mountain on every outing. She has served as a volunteer mountain rescuer with Wilderness Search and Rescue since 2009 and is a qualified Mountain Walking Leader, Abseil Supervisor & Rock Climbing guide with a Level 3 Wilderness First Aid Qualification. 

Stephanie Ellis

Stephanie discovered her passion for nature in her teens on weekend trips with her parents to the Kruger National Park. From these tantalizing snapshots of the great outdoors grew a love for the wilderness, and in particular mountains, that has culminated in a vocation as a Table Mountain guide.

A National Diploma in Adventure Tourism Management combined with a caring nature endows Stephanie with a flair for service excellence that comes as naturally as her warm personality. She takes joy in giving people the opportunity to explore mountains and absorb the fascinating environment. When not guiding, Stephanie can be found rock-climbing as well as exploring new hiking routes on Table Mountain. She also loves plants and has her sights set on a career in botany. Her favourite thing about Table Mountain: how it reveals its secrets only to those who hike up and venture off the beaten track. Stephanie holds qualifications as a Mountain Walking Leader, Off-trail Overnight Mountain Guiding and Level 3 Wilderness First-Aid.

Johan van Vuuren

Hiking and running in the mountains from a tender age instilled into Johan a passion for the outdoors that has only grown stronger over the years. He grew up in a small town close to the Kruger National Park, a setting that reinforced his love for nature.

Johan’s major passion for mountains lies in exploring the unknown. Complementing this is a desire to share the outdoors with others and helping people overcome their fears. Patient and soft-spoken, with an unassuming sense of humour, he delights in sharing the excitement of someone’s first-ever experience of the mountains and particularly Table Mountain.

Johan grabs every opportunity to spend time on Table Mountain, whether it be hiking, running, scrambling or rock-climbing. Favourite thing about Table Mountain: being able to go from couch to cliff in minutes. Along with only Riaan Vorster and legendary Cape Town mountaineer Mike Scott, he holds the distinction of having completed 100 of Table Mountain’s 101 hiking and scrambling routes.

Johan has been actively involved in the Adventure industry since 2010, when he earned a National Diploma in Adventure Tourism Management. He has led international youth expeditions for World Challenge to Vietnam, Borneo, Nepal, UAE and Oman. But Table Mountain will always remain his mountain home. He is a qualified and accredited Mountain Walking Leader, and holds qualifications in Off-Trail Overnight Mountain Guiding, Level 3 Wilderness First-Aid and Single-pitch sport-climbing.

Matt Zoutendyk

Matt was introduced to the Cape biosphere by his father, a leading zoologist at the University of Cape Town. Tagging along on field trips, combined with school holidays invariably spent in the bush, instilled in Matt a love for nature that has deepened and matured over the years. After school, Matt followed his passion for aviation before embarking on a corporate career. However, glass and concrete (and cockpit) proved too stifling for his free spirit, and called for a lifestyle change. Trading suit and tie for a 4×4 and gumboots, he set course for a return to the great outdoors through the pursuit of a wine-farming passion. 

Polymath, conversationalist and eternal optimist, Matt possesses the rare ability to tease humour and hilarity from just about any situation. An inimitable zest for life interwoven with an affinity for nature in all its shapes and forms – from mountains to microbes – makes him in many ways the perfect hiking companion. Drawing on 45 years of diverse life experience, and wielding a razor-sharp wit, he brings both charisma and modesty to every guided hike.

Ethan Cox

Ethan’s passion for mountains, in particular Table Mountain, is rivalled only by his exuberance for sharing their grandeur and beauty with others. It all started at the tender age of 10 when he made multiple ascents of Lion’s Head, Devil’s Peak and Table Mountain. Those early forays instilled in him an appetite for adventure and discovery that has since matured into an all-encompassing connection with wild places at elevation. ‘Mountaineering’ might be a too narrow term to describe the way in which he indulges himself in the mountains. 

The spring chicken in the team, Ethan thrives on helping people reach their full potential in the mountains and often goes beyond the call of duty to optimize their experience. Young at heart and in age, he embodies old school values complemented by a strong sense of integrity. His modesty, sense of humour, sound judgement and positive outlook on life make him a natural leader. As with all Hike Table Mountain guides, he adheres to a Safety First approach without compromising on enjoyment. 

Ethan is an accredited mountain guide and has qualifications in Mountain Walking Guiding (single day) and Level 3 Wilderness First Aid. He is an active member of the Mountain Club of South Africa and holds a qualification as a firefighter for the Volunteer Wildfire Services. When not guiding, he can be found hiking, scrambling, and rock climbing on Table Mountain and the Cape mountains. Favourite thing about Table Mountain: having easy access to wild experiences in nature.