Hiking on the Table Mountain: 10 tips to get to the top

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hiking on the Table Mountain is not a walk in the park, as you might hope. We share our tips to get to the top

Hiking on Tableberg is an initiation rite for visitors to Cape Town. The iconic giant defines the "mother city" in the same way as Rio has a port, New York has a statue and San Francisco.

This mountain is considered one of the oldest in the world. Its creation began about 280 million years ago and some of his rocks come from 600 million years (long before the Himalaya).

With 1,085 m it is not the height of the mountain, but its width, which is most impressive. The bald, scarred north wall protrudes over the skyline, crowned by a huge plateau that extends over three kilometers.

alt = "Table Berg Panorama hiking"> Alexcpt_photography/Shutterstock Hiking on Tableberg is an initiation rite for visitors

Two secondary summits flank the main mountain: Lion’s Head (669 m) in the northwest and Devil’s Peak (1,000 m) in the northeast. Together with the Signal Hill, these dramatic peaks form the natural amphitheater of City Bowl and the port of Table Bay.

hiking on the Table Mountain is on most tourist to-do lists, but is often underestimated due to its proximity to the city. Here we share 10 tips that help you get to the top.

1. If in doubt, select the record clip gorge

Distance: 3 km length: 2 hours (simple journey)

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There are numerous routes for hiking on the Table Mountain. If in doubt, choose the record clip gorge, the simplest and shortest (but also the steepest) route up the mountain. It follows a well -groomed path that leads a deep gorge on the iconic front of the mountain, and is the route that António de Saldanha chose at the first documented climbing of the Table Mountain in 1503. For an alternative route with even better view, you choose skeletal gorge (6.2 km, 4 hours).

2. Start in the right place

The hike on the Table Mountain via the record clip gorge does not begin at the parking lot of the cable car. You can start there, but a long traverse is added across the mountain. So if you take a taxi, make sure that you will be discontinued 2 km down the street at the Gorge-Klip Gorge-Parkplatz.

Alt = "Hiking paths and routes on Table Mountain"> Sanparks/Fair Use Start at the 'Platteklip Gorge Parking'

When you hike down the record clip gorge, you will also land 2 km from the cable car station. On the way down, look for a sign that indicates the Lower Cable Station. At this point you may want to leave the record clip as we did, and use the cross path across the mountain to the Lower Cable Station, where you can take a bus or find a taxi.

3. Do not expect a walk in the park

According to Africa Check, there were 251 deaths on Tableberg, a number that would almost certainly be higher if the Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) had not been. In 2018, WSAR carried out 477 rescue campaigns or searches at the West Cape and estimates that over 80 % of them were carried out in and around Tafelberg. (That's an average of seven a week.)

WSAR spokesman Johan Marais says: "People underestimate the Tafelberg. They misjudge the size of the mountain and are unprepared."

Even the so-called "simplest" route of the record clip gorge can be a challenge if you are not fit, the weather turns or you start on a hot day late. Do not expect a walk in the park.

4. In fact, pack as if you are climbing a mountain

In view of the deep blue sky and the postcard trust of Cape Town, it is easy to forget that the Tafelberg is a wild place.

alt = “Tafelberg in the cold”> Quality Master/Shutterstock Gray sky reminds us that the Tafelberg is indeed a wild place

Pack as if they are climbing a mountain. Take sunscreen, snacks, decent hiking shoes, a jacket or fleece jacket and at least 1.5 liters of water per person. The weather can change quickly and even in the summer sky it can be stormy at the summit, so do not do without the fleece. If you try one of the less leaked routes, make sure you pack a card.

5. Don't try it alone

Hiking on the Table Mountain itself can be undertaken alone, but there were various security concerns and reports on crimes, so we advise you to hike with a buddy or take part in a tour.

Hold the emergency numbers listed on the Sanparks website, never show your valuables and issue your things out without contradiction.

6. Be patient

In midsummer you may find yourself in a lot of society while hiking on Tableberg. Above you will probably see tourists who take first -class photo spots into fittings or generally cause trouble.

alt = "Masses await the cable car on Tafelberg"> Yorkshire Knight/Shutterstock Human crowds await the cable car

be patient and keep a cool head. Remember that you are also part of the mass. Just take a deep breath and wait until your turn are.

7. Explore the table top

Most tourists stay on the observation platform near the cable car station. In fact, only a few are aware that they are not really "exceeded" on the mountain, since the highest point of Maclear’s Beacon is 2.5 km from the Upper Cable Station.

Alt = “Maclear’s Beacon is the real summit of Tafelberg”> Barry Ne/CC BY-SA 4.0 Maclear’s Beacon is the actual summit of Tafelberg

If you have time, make the Upper Cableway Station the Maclear’s Beacon Walk, which is described here. The paths around the tip of the mountain offer a breathtaking 360-degree view of Cape Town, the table bay and the rest of the Tafelberg national park.

8. Do not become complacent

Walking on the Table Mountain is exhausting, so it is natural that you feel a feeling of relief on the way down. However, it would be a mistake to become complacent. Steep steps and loose rock make it easy to slip out and fall if you don't be careful.

9. Buy cable car tickets in advance

If you only climb the Tafelberg in one direction, you need to take the cable car in the other direction. Buy tickets online beforehand so that you only have to wait for the cable car and not on the cash houses.

Remember that you may have to be an hour or more to get down the mountain with the cable car, especially in the high season. Plan enough time for the return trip, especially if you plan a little later a day.

10. Do you have a backup plan

If you want to drive down the Tafelberg with the cable car after the hike, remember that you can be closed half of the day depending on the strong wind, bad weather or thick cloud cover (known as the "tablecloth").

After our descent we met a solo traveler who had hardly spent minutes above because she wanted to catch the last car after it became known that the cable car was closed due to strong winds.

alt = “You can take the cable car in one direction if you hike on the Table Mountain”> daleen Loest/Shutterstock The cable car can be closed due to strong wind

In the same situation, you may want to take time and hike on the summit instead of rushing your visit to take a cable car. In any case, plan enough time to get down the mountain before dark.

hike on the Table Mountain: The essentials

what: hiking on the Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

Where: We stayed in the Grand Daddy, a boutique hotel in the Long Street, 15 minutes walk from V&A Waterfront. The hotel is elegant with extremely bizarre accents: the reception is built from old suitcases, the roof has seven artistically renovated airstream supporters and the elevator is considered the oldest in Cape Town.

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The grandfather

The hotel restaurant serves a great breakfast and the nearby Bombay Brasserie offers excellent upscale cuisine at a reasonable price. The Grand Daddy is a great basis, but note that the room on the "standard" floor has no natural daylight. We were laid on request (according to some scramble with a receptionist). Book a "superior" or "luxury" room to avoid this.

When: The best travel time for Cape Town are the warm summer months from October to April. The temperatures are highest between December and February and this is also the most busy time.

When you combine Cape Town with a safari, note that game observations are best in dry winter (May October) because animals gather around water holes and the lack of vegetation offers guests a clearer view. In spring (November to December) you can watch many newborns.

like: You can take a Myciti bus to Table Mountain. This stops at the Lower Cable, so that you run to the starting point of the hiking trail 2 km away or have to take a long traverse along the mountain. Alternatively, you can order a taxi or order an Uber via your hotel reception. We organized the logistics on the way with Travel Sim, which works in numerous countries with a single card and telephone number.

We flew to Cape Town with South African Airways. Book flights at the best prices via Skyscanner.

If you have time, we recommend visiting you to Lesotho and Eswatini (Swasiland) during your trip to South Africa.

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Lonely Planet South Africa, Lesotho & Swasiland is a comprehensive travel guide for South Africa, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and choose less busy roads.

main picture: Ilonde van Hoolwerff/Shutterstock 
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