Table Mountain is one of the most beautiful and unique natural landmarks in the world. Much of the flora and fauna in and around Table Mountain National Park is unique to the local region of the Western Cape.
Any trip to Cape Town must include a trip to the top. Luckily, there are a variety of ways to arrive at the top. No matter your fitness or your budget, you will certainly have options. The most enticing options, in my opinion are:
1 – Hike Platteklip Gorge
Some say it is the least scenic route to the top, but even the least scenic thing on Table Mountain is still a sight to behold. It is one of the fastest routes and possible for those with moderate fitness. Increasing the appeal, it shares a parking lot with the cable car, making it easy to hike up and ride back down. It is about 4 hours up the mountain. This is the route we chose, our experience is below.
2 – Hike the India Venster route, preferably with a guide
India Venster is one of the most intense as you climb up the face of the mountain right below the cable cars. It is possible to do on your own with good research, but some have died after getting slightly away from the path. Expect rock scrambling and some extreme heights.
3 – Hike from Kirstenbosch Gardens, via Skeleton Gorge and the Smuts Track
Starting at the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (requiring the 65 rand entrance fee) and passing a number of different types of terrain, this route is one of the most interesting, but it does take longer, around 5 hours.
4 – Kasteelspoort Route
Kasteelspoort is one of the easiest routes up the mountain, making it more available of those with lower fitness levels. With it being easier it can also take longer, about 5 hours to the top.
5 – Take the Cable Car to the top
The Cable Car is a memorable way to get up or down the mountain. It is a great ride with panoramic windows. The cost of the cable car is determined by what time you ride, costing as much as 151 rand one way or 293 rand roundtrip. Save time and buy tickets in advance online. During busy times, like New Year and summer holidays, the line getting up or down can take over an hour, so plan ahead.
Hike Platteklip Gorge
Platteklip Gorge is one of the fastest routes, but it is also mostly exposed. Make sure to get an early start in the summer (most recommend 7 AM at the latest. My 21 year old sister, 61 year old father, and I got off to a slow start and started heading up the mountain around 7:30. The parking lot was starting to fill up with tourists queueing up for the cable car. As you drive towards the cable car there is a Platteklip Gorge specific parking lot about a mile further down the road. However, you can also park at the cable car parking area, begin hiking up the mountain behind the cable car until you hit the traverse trail. This first section is steep, but don’t give up, as my sister nearly did 5 minutes in. The views after only a few minutes are already stunning:
Once you hit the Traverse trail, you will see signs to continue up the India Venster trail or turn left along the Traverse trail, a trail that circles the mountain, towards the Platteklip Gorge Trail. Taking this route does add about a mile of hiking Platteklip Gorge, but the Traverse trail is mostly flat and enjoyable, with changing views of the city as you wind around. In my opinion it is worth it to hike the extra mile along the traverse at the beginning, rather than from the cable car dropoff back along the road to the Platteklip Gorge parking lot. When you come back down you will be exhausted and want to stumble right into your car.
Once you’ve followed the Traverse trail for about a mile it will run into the Platteklip Gorge trail. From this point the trail is almost entirely exposed. Even if it isn’t that hot, you will be in direct sunlight for almost 3 hours.
Make sure to bring at least 2 liters of water per person and if possible a hat. The trail starts has a constant rise. As you see from the picture, the small crevice in the upper left is the narrow passageway to the top of the mountain. The path is the original trail that Europeans used to reach the top of the mountain. It is now switchback after switchback, never ending switchbacks. As the sun got higher in the sky we relied heavily on our water and took frequent brakes. We would hike for about 20 minutes before also taking a rest, along the way passing and being passed by the same hikers on similar schedules.
As you get closer to the narrow top there are a few shady spots created by the sharp crevice walls. These were packed with as many hikers as the slim shade could afford. The view became more constrained as the walls closed in. Breaks became more frequent and about 10 minutes from the top we ran out of water (we only brought about 1.5 liters per person). Salty chips were also helpful, along with granola bars and beef jerky. My dad is a fit 61 year old but was definitely pushed. Again, the earlier you leave the less the sun will slow you down. If we had left an hour earlier we would’ve spent a lot less time on the mountain.
The heat of the day was really brutal.
After about 3.5 hours we made it to the narrow entrance to the top of the plateau. Another 15 minutes of hiking will get you to the Table Mountain cafe, where we feasted on curry pizza and ice cream! We met up with my grandparents who took the cable car to the top. They enjoyed sitting under the umbrellas, snacking, and taking in the view, all without the difficult hike we had endured.
After spending some time resting, eating, and replenishing our water, we wandered around the top of the mountain taking pictures and taking in the view.
We made our way down the mountain in the cable car around 2 PM, making for an excellent and unique day in Cape Town. Most of us were tired after a long day in the sun and went back to rest at the hotel.
