Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals
Climb Table Mountain
Ticked off in August 2017
Climb straight out of a city onto a flat-topped mountain with two oceans' worth of view at your feet.
The adventure
Few cities let you walk from the streets to a summit in a morning. From the lower cable station, the Platteklip Gorge path zigzags up a great cleft in the sandstone cliffs, steep and relentless, with Cape Town spreading out further below at every switchback. Lizards bask on the rocks and the fynbos smells of herbs in the sun.
Then you step out onto the top and the mountain flattens into a plateau of rock pools, wind-shaped boulders and wildflowers. Robben Island sits in the bay, Lion's Head rises beside you, and the Twelve Apostles run south towards the Cape Peninsula. Dassies sunbathe on the ledges, unbothered by hikers. When the famous tablecloth cloud starts to spill over the edge, you ride the rotating cable car down, watching the whole city turn beneath you.
Why it’s epic
- Table Mountain was named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, with its highest point, Maclear's Beacon, at about 1,085 metres.
- The mountain is part of the Cape Floral Region, one of the richest plant kingdoms on Earth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The cable car's floor rotates a full 360 degrees on the way up or down.
- Views of Robben Island, Lion's Head, the Twelve Apostles and both sides of the Cape Peninsula.
What it is
Table Mountain overlooks Cape Town and is one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
How to do it
Hike Platteklip Gorge, the most direct route, or the longer India Venster, then take the cable car down.
Top tip
Start early and check the weather; the tablecloth cloud can roll in fast.
Need to know
- Platteklip Gorge takes most fit hikers two to three hours up; it is steep and exposed, with little shade.
- Weather changes fast; the cable car closes in high wind and cloud can drop visibility to metres, so carry layers and water.
- Hike in a group and avoid quiet routes alone, and stick to marked paths.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours
- Best time to go
- All year
- Fly into
- CPT airport
The hike is free and the cable car is affordable; flights to Cape Town are the main cost.
Do it yourself
- Small-group adventuresMuch Better AdventuresActive small-group trips run by local experts.
- Attraction ticketsTiqets
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
- FlightsKiwi.com
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My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
Over to you
Is “Climb Table Mountain” on your bucket list, or have you already done it? Tell me in the comments, and if you've got a question about it, ask away and I'll answer.