Cable car or hike? Morning or afternoon? Here's how to plan your visit to Table Mountain, including what to do when the famous wind closes the cableway.
No visit to Cape Town is complete without going up Table Mountain. The flat-topped mountain rises straight out of the city to just over 1,000 metres, and from the top you can see two oceans, the whole city bowl and the length of the Cape Peninsula. Here's how to plan your visit, whether you take the Table Mountain cableway or hike to the top.
Taking the Table Mountain cableway
The cableway is the easiest way to the summit. Its cable cars have rotating floors, so everyone gets a full 360-degree view on the way up. The ride takes only a few minutes.
Tips for the cableway
- Book online to skip the ticket queue, especially in summer.
- Go early. Mornings are often clearer and calmer, and queues are shorter.
- Check the status on the day. The cableway closes when it's too windy or when cloud covers the top, and it shuts for annual maintenance for a short period each year.
- Take a jacket. It's noticeably cooler and windier at the top than in the city.
What to do on top
The summit is flat and wide, with easy paths, viewpoints, a café and a shop. Allow at least one to two hours to walk the short circular routes, look for dassies (rock hyraxes) sunbathing on the rocks, and take in the views over Camps Bay, the Twelve Apostles, Robben Island and the city.
Hiking up Table Mountain
Hiking up is a rewarding way to reach the top, and many people walk up and take the cable car down. Mountain weather changes quickly, so go with a group, start early and check the forecast.
Platteklip Gorge
The most direct and popular route climbs a steep gorge straight up the front of the mountain. Expect roughly one and a half to three hours to the top, depending on your fitness. It's a constant climb up rocky steps, with little shade.
Skeleton Gorge
Starting in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, this route climbs through shady forest and up ladders beside a stream. It's beautiful but steep in places and best avoided after heavy rain.
India Venster
A more challenging route with scrambling and exposed sections, best done with an experienced guide.
Safety tips for hikers
- Never hike alone, and tell someone your route.
- Carry water, a warm layer, sunscreen and a charged phone.
- Start early and plan to be down well before dark.
- Turn back if cloud comes in. The "tablecloth" can roll over the top quickly and reduce visibility to a few metres.
When is the best time to go?
Clear, calm days are best, and they happen in every season. Summer brings more sunshine but also the strong south-easterly wind, while winter has more rain but also many crisp, perfectly clear days. Early mornings and late afternoons give the softest light for photographs.
What if the wind closes the mountain?
It happens often, so build some flexibility into your plans. If the cableway is closed, swap your day around: visit the Cape Peninsula or the Winelands and try the mountain again on a calmer day. Signal Hill and Lion's Head also offer fantastic views of the mountain itself.
See Table Mountain with Thulani
Our private City & Table Mountain tour starts with the cableway on the best day for it, then explores the Bo-Kaap, the Company's Garden and the V&A Waterfront. Because the tour is private, we can move it around the weather so you don't miss the view.
Looking for more ideas? Read our list of things to do in Cape Town.