Hikes on Table Mountain

Hikes on Table Mountain are a bucket list activity for many visitors to Cape Town. These are some of the routes and some important information to take note of. If you are an experienced hiker, you can try these on your own; however, it is recommended to always hike in a group.  You can use the services of a qualified guide. These guides are familiar with the routes and will be able to assist you in various situations like changing climates or if you are struggling with the challenge. Click below for a few options.

Cape Trek        Hike addict      Cape Trekking     

You can employ a guide to show you the way, call 073 754 5465 or email capemountainguides@gmail.com

MACLEARS BEACON

21 metres above the Upper Cableway Station is Maclear’s Beacon. It is the official highest point on Table Mountain (1 088m). Signs at the cableway station point you towards the start of the hike, and The 5.5km trail is marked with yellow footprints.
Start point Upper Cableway Station
End point Maclear’s Beacon
Duration 2 hours (there and back)
Note There is a short section of rocky steps on the edge of the mountain. Climbers need to use the chains and handholds. Child-friendly? Yes
Dogs allowed? No (and they are not allowed in the cable car).

Cableway: 021 424 0015

TRANQUILITY CRACKS

On Table Mountain, there are caverns and caves which have been named Tranquillity Cracks, they are caves, caverns and thin slits in the rocks on the Twelve Apostles side of Table Mountain. Some of the fissures are quite deep and interlinked, creating a maze of corridors The safest yet moderately difficult 6 km route is via Corridor Ravine. Begin your hike at the Theresa Avenue entrance to the Pipe Track. After the single track and the entrance to Slangolie Ravine, you can begin looking for Corridor Ravine which is close to the cave. When you get to the top, find the hidden path at a large pile of rocks. Follow the narrow, somewhat overgrown path until you can turn left into another bushy path leading to the caves. You can go back along the same path or return via Kasteelpoort

DEVIL’S PEAK

The moderate to difficult trail up Devil’s Peak zig-zags up from Tafelberg Road near the Cableway station and then takes a steep route up to the peak. There are fantastic views of Table Mountain and the city below once you reach the top

Particularly the walk along The Saddle, which is the section that connects Devil’s Peak and Table Mountain; from there you ascend to the summit of 1,000 metres. There are three possible routes: The Tafelberg Road route (2.8km), best suited for beginners. The Mowbray Ridge route (5km), which starts at Rhodes Memorial, is a more difficult route, following the Knife Edge; The Newlands Ravine route (3.9km) is challenging but beautifully shaded.
Start and end at Tafelberg Road (2.5km from the Lower Cable Station) / Rhodes Memorial (via King’s Blockhouse for Mowbray Ridge or the Contour Path for Newlands Ravine)
Duration 4 – 5 hours
Note: It gets very windy at the top; this can cause a drop in temperature of 10˚C.  Close to the top it gets a bit tricky with some scrambling.

Child-friendly? Yes, older kids should be fine on the Tafelberg route.
Dogs allowed? Yes, with a SANParks My Activity Permit

SKELETON GORGE

The moderately difficult hike up Skeleton Gorge begins from Kirstenbosch Gardens. There is shade along the Afromontane forest nearly all the way up. However, this hike is quite strenuous. Pack plenty of water and snacks. You will see the sandy white Hely-Hutchinson Dam beach at the top. The water is a bright, clear orange from the tannins that leach into the water from the surrounding fynbos. The white sandy beach developed over the years from wind and water erosion. This is probably the most popular route, and it takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

Start point Fragrance Garden, Kirstenbosch Gardens, Newlands
End point Hely-Hutchinson Reservoir
Duration 2 – 3 hours,
Note: This is a long, steep hike. There are ladders to assist you to the top. Parts of the gorge are slippery. Do not hike this route during and after heavy rainfall. An easier descent is via Nursery Ravine. This alternative route joins up with the Skeleton Gorge trail..
Child-friendly? Yes, for older children.
Dog allowed? No

KLOOF CORNER

KASTEEL POORT HIKE

This alternative western access6.5km climb up Kasteel Poort, is quite difficult, but at the summit, you can see across the Twelve Apostles. When you get to the front of the mountain, the views over the city are fantastic.Kasteelspoort means Castle’s Portal in Afrikaans. The route leads up the Twelve Apostles, which is a chain of peaks extending behind the flat summit of Table Mountain. Once at the top, there are paths leading to some points of interest, like the Diving Board a good spot for photography, and the remains of the 1890s steam-engine cableway used during the building of the dams on the mountain, which you will discover is not really flat!

,It takes 4 to 4.5 hours to complete a distance of 6.5 kilometres. The hike is technically easy but strenuous.

SMUTS TRACK UP SKELETON GORGE

This difficult six-hour hike is for the adventurous. Set off at the Fragrance Garden, and follow Skeleton Stream up Table Mountain. The climb up the gorge is steep and can be dangerous, especially during wet weather. Your ascent is aided by ropes and ladders. (It’s recommended you bring a map of Table Mountain along)

THROUGH KIRSTENBOSCH TO BRIDLE PATH AND DOWN NURSERY RAVINE

This fairly difficult hike takes between 4 and 6 hours. The start is at the top gate of Kirstenbosch. Take the first left. This is the road to exit the gardens; it takes about 15 minutes to reach the gravel road going downwards. Take the right path, follow this to another gravel road, and keep left into the forest. At the clearing, follow the stream. You will find some steps which lead to Bridle Path, which is a cement road leading to the top of the mountain. Take the road past Overseers Cottage and onto the Woodhead and Hely-Hutchinson reservoirs. At the end of this road, you will see a signpost indicating the descent down a steep ladder. At the bottom of the ladder, following the signposts back to Kirstenbosch.

CONSTANTIA NEK TO BRIDLE PATH

This fairly difficult trail takes roughly 5 hours. It is one of the ways to access Bridle Path, Park at Constantia Nek, and head for the forest on the road winding up to the mountain. After some time, you will reach a cement road. From here, you can reach the top and choose which way to get back down.

ACROSS ECHO VALLEY TO THE CABLE CAR STATION

This hike is quite difficult and it takes a whole day; however, if you use the cable car one way, this is less onerous. This is not a circular trail, and you will need to be collected or get transport at the end. You can choose the Bridle Path or the Constantia Nek route. Follow the signs up the trail across the valley up the front of the mountain. The cable car is a comfortable descent, or you can brave Platteklip Gorge. Dogs can be brought along if they are kept on a leash.

LLANDUDNO RAVINE

This hiking trail is a route up the southernmost extremity of the Table Mountain range. It reaches some of the best viewpoints on the mountain.

It takes about 4.5 hours for Llandudno Ravine, which leads up to the 12 Apostles. Few people hike this part of the mountain. The hiking is varied and exciting, involving some scrambling and a few bits of light exposure to heights. The route is ideal for avid hikers

PLATTEKLIP GORGE HIKE

Platteklip Gorge is probably the easiest and most direct route to the summit of Table Mountain. It is a popular route and there are often other hikers on the path.  The hike does not require a lot of experience; it is not a technical climb, but it does require a reasonable level of fitness. The route follows a rocky, uneven path that zig-zags up the ravine, which lessens the gradient. There are no patches of loose rock, and the ledges are fairly easy to negotiate. The lower section follows a stream that is fuller during the winter months. In summer, be sure to take enough water as it gets very hot. It is best avoided on a very hot day, as there is little shade. Be prepared for extremes of temperature. It is best to begin early in the summer to avoid the heat of the midday sun. The total distance is about 2.5 km, and it should take about 3 hours to get to the top.  You can take the cableway back to the base of the mountain. Enquire with the Cable station about the cost.

• Start point Tafelberg Road
• End point Upper Cableway Station
• Duration: Around 3 hours (one-way).
• Child-friendly? Yes, older children can manage this hike
• Dog-friendly? Not generally recommended, as they struggle in the heat (and are not allowed in the cable car).

• Many rescues are undertaken at this site, as people underestimate the heat/weather and level of fitness required, or they miss the last cable car and end up stranded on the mountain at night.

PIPE TRACK

The Camps Bay Pipe Track Walk is a popular, easy hike of  6km along the western side of Table Mountain. This is one of The Mountain’s oldest hiking routes, dating back to 1887 when it was constructed to lay pipelines. –  for supplying  19th-century Cape Town with water from the Disa Gorge.  Today, the pipe carries water from the Table Mountain reservoirs to the City of Cape Town. This walk is above the beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay, and takes in spectacular views of the sea and the 12 Apostles.

The route is mostly flat and easygoing from Kloof Nek, and it follows the old water pipe all the way. It becomes slightly tougher after passing by Slangolie Ravine. Parking is at the bottom of the left. The walking track is easy to reach and follow. It is easy and child-friendly with few up or down hills. At a normal walking pace, it takes about three hours to get to Slangolie and back. Dogs are welcome and may be off-leash in some areas, but Table Mountain National Park requires dog walkers to have a Level 1 My Activity Permit.

.Along the trail, there is much local vegetation to be seen, from endemic fynbos to massive pine trees.  Take in spectacular views of the mountain and the sea.

Walkers must always remember to take drinking water and warm clothing along. Carry a cell phone and do not walk alone.

WALK YOUR DOGS IN DEER PARK

If you’re in the city and craving a nature fix, then this park is a small reserve on the lowest slopes of Table Mountain. You can take an easy to moderate walk with your dogs or just go for a stroll in this forested area.

Kasteespoort trail

Woody Ravine Trail

India Venster trail

Constantia Corner Hiking Trail

Important numbers to have when doing Hikes on Table Mountain.

• Emergencies:021 480 7700
• Medical emergencies from a cellphone:112
• Table Mountain National Park: 021 957 4700/ 0861 106 417
• Wilderness Search and Rescue: 021 948 9900
• Dog walking code of conduct
• Hiking advice