Table top mountains are amongst some of the oldest geological formations on the surface of the Earth and date back to around two billion years ago. These formations are isolated from ground level and you can call them islands above the land. Table top mountains or plateaus have very unique flora and fauna apart from a much more pleasant temperature range. Here are ten of the most amazing table top mountains from around the world.
1. Table Mountain
The Table Mountain is the name of a natural landscape that resembles a flat-topped mountain that overlooks the city of Cape Town in South Africa. This important physical feature is also depicted in the Cape Town flag and is very popular amongst tourists who normally hike or take the cable way to reach to the top. The Table Mountain is a part of the Table Mountain National Park with the Table Mountain towering above by three kilometers with incredible cliffs forming its edges. It is also quite rich in biodiversity as you can find a variety of exquisite flora and fauna. Another favorite pastime is rock climbing as the Table Mountain has well laid out climbing routes from the easiest to the toughest to get to the top.
2. Mount Roraima
Mount Roraima is the highest peaking plateau of the Pakaraima chain of the Tepui Plateau in South America. This table top mountain is surrounded by cliffs that are as tall as 400m on all the sides. Mount Roraima is located across three countries – Guyana, Brazil and Venezuela. This is one of the oldest geological formations that dates back to the Precambrian Era which would be some two billion years ago. The highest point of this mountain is called Maverick Rock which is some 2810 meters high and is located in Venezuela.
3. Canyon Lands
The Canyon Lands Sections is a part of the much larger expanse of the Colorado Plateaus or the much larger Intermontane Plateaus. Made out of sandstone in SE Utah, these canyons have four big upwarps.
4. Auyantepui
Auyantepui is the native Pemon name for ‘Devil’s Mountain’ and is is a very popular table top moutain in Venezuela. The highest waterfall in the world called the Angel Falls drops from a cleft that is located near the peak of this table top mountain – which is what makes the Auyantepui very famous. This mountain is spreads across an area of 650 km2 and the highest peak measured 2,535 meters high.
5. Heroubreio
Herðubreið is Icelandic for ‘broad shouldered’ and is a table top mountain that is located in NE Iceland in the middxle of the Ãdáðahraun desert and very near to the Askia volcano. The surrounding desert mainly consists of lava that has come about from the eruptions of a volcano and the Heroubreio happened to be covered under the ice during the glacial period. There is also an oasis that is located near the mountain where you can camp and go on hiking trails.
6. Debre Damo
Debre Damo is another table top mountain located in North Ethiopia. The shape of this plateau is a steep trapezoid which sits 2216 meters above sea level. The Debre Damo also has a monastery located at the top of the mountain that can be reached by a rope. This 6th century monastery is known for its amazing collection of manuscipt as well as for housing the oldest church in Ethiopia which is still in good condition.
7. Brown Bluff
Brown Bluff is a table top mountain that is located at the northern most stretch of the Antarctic Peninsula in Antarctica. Brown Bluff is a geological formation that was created one million years ago and is divided into four regions: the hyaloclastite delta, slope failure, tuff cone and the pillow volcano.
8. Kukenan Tepui
Kukenan Tepui is a table top mountain that is located in both Venezuela and Guyana and is 674 meters high. The famous Kidenan Falls occur at the southern tip of the mountain. The scenic beauty that can be seen atop the Kukenan Tepui was what inspired the children’ s movie ‘Up’.
9. Mount Asgard
Mount Asgard is another table top mountain that actually has twin tables or peaks that are atop two flat cylindrical rocky towers. Mount Asgard is located in Auyuittug National Park in Nunavut, Canada and is one of the most popular of the Baffin Mountains.
10. Mount Conner
Mount Conner is also called Attila and is a table top mountain that is located in the Northern Territory in Australia. It reaches a height of 859 meters above sea level. This table top mountain looks like a horse-show from a bird’s eye view.
