Table Mountain or Mesa Mountain is the icon of Cape Town, one of the most famous natural monuments not only in South Africa but in the entire planet. A label earned thanks to having become in 2011 one of the 7 natural wonders of the world alongside places like the Amazon, the Iguazu Falls, or Ha-long Bay.
Why is Table Mountain so special?
This gigantic plateau safely escorts the entire city as if it were a stone bodyguard. From its privileged position, it dominates the entire metropolis and is also visible from practically any of its streets. Just by turning around, the particular silhouette of Table Mountain will be there, attentively watching your every step while you discover the rest of the things to see in Cape Town.
This impressive geological formation, with a resistant sandstone summit, is more than 600,000 years old as demonstrated by some fossils found. Table Mountain is so important for South Africa that they even gave its name to the National Park that covers and protects everything from Mesa Mountain and its neighbors Lion’s Head and Signal Hill, to the penguin colony of Boulders Beach and the historic Cape of Good Hope.
The Table Mountain National Park is within the Cape Floral Region, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its incredible diversity of plants, with up to 8,700 different species, of which 5,000 are endemic, concentrated in specific areas. Here you will find the fynbos, a very special shrubland with spectacular flowers.
With luck, you will contemplate its clear summit, although it won’t be rare to see a blanket of clouds tenderly cloaking Table Mountain. Here, the weather is one of the factors that will condition your visit to Table Mountain, as wind and clouds can ally against your desire to ascend to the most impressive viewpoint in Cape Town.
To help you prepare for this visit, I leave here a lot of practical information.
How to go up Table Mountain
By cable car
The fastest and easiest way to ascend to the summit of Table Mountain or Mesa Mountain is by using the emblematic cable car which, since 1929, covers a brutal elevation gain in just four minutes. It is a very short journey, but one that offers impressive views of Cape Town with Lion’s Head and Signal Hill in the foreground, and the Atlantic Ocean and Robben Island in the background.
A curiosity of the Table Mountain cable car is its rotating base, so it doesn’t matter where in the cabin you stand, as you will rotate during the ascent and have 360-degree panoramic views. Below you have all the detailed information on prices and schedules for the cable car.
*IMPORTANT: From July 15 to September 1, 2024, the Table Mountain cable car will remain closed for maintenance work.
On foot
Whether it’s because you like hiking or simply because you want to save on the cost of the cable car, you have the option to hike up Table Mountain. You can choose between two routes, or if you really love trekking, do both: go up one and come down the other.
Table Mountain via Platteklip Gorge
From Tafelberg Road, keep driving a bit past the cable car station until you find the sign marking the start of the Platteklip Gorge path to Table Mountain. This route is a continuous climb in zig-zags through the ravine of a gorge. It’s not that it’s a technically difficult hike, but it is very tiring due to the steep elevation gain of 700 meters in just over two kilometers.
Those who have done it claim that the effort of climbing steps is worth it for the views behind you and the environment between stone walls. If you choose to reach Table Mountain on foot, Platteklip Gorge is the most accessible, easy, and also the most common route.
Ascending at a steady pace but without rushing, and stopping to catch your breath and take photos of the views behind you, hiking up Table Mountain will take you a bit more than two hours. Once at the top of the plateau, you can walk along different paths that are all flat or go directly to the cable car station, which is just under half an hour away.
Afterwards, you can choose between going down in the cable car or doing it again on foot via a different, but more dangerous path: Indian Venster.
If you don’t feel like going on your own and prefer to be accompanied by a mountain guide, it’s a good idea to book the Table Mountain excursion via Platteklip Gorge which also includes pickup in Cape Town so you don’t have to worry about how to get there.
Table Mountain via Indian Venster
If you like the mountains and an adrenaline rush, the Indian Venster route to Table Mountain will be perfect for you. However, this path is not appropriate for everyone because it requires climbing up ladders and even iron chains anchored to the rock and passing along narrow ledges. People with vertigo and a fear of heights should not take this path.
Here you will also have an elevation gain of just over 700 meters and it will take you around three hours if you want to calmly enjoy the impressive views.
The Indian Venster trekking to Table Mountain starts right at the lower cable car station, on Tafelberg Road, and takes you directly to the upper station.
If you want to make the climb a whole adventure, then choose this route. But, given that it can be a bit dangerous, I recommend doing the Table Mountain excursion via Indian Venster with a guide experienced enough to accompany you on the way.
Tips
Before starting the route, don’t forget to check the weather, as fog and wind could put you in a serious bind. Wear appropriate footwear with good grip, bearing in mind that you will be climbing stone steps and it is easy to slip or twist an ankle if you are not well-equipped.
There is no shade along the way, so protect yourself well from the sun with a cap or hat and a good sunscreen. Also remember to bring enough water and try to go with someone. In case you travel alone, let someone know beforehand the exact route you are going to take.
If you are going with children who are used to walking and mountain hiking, you can do it, but be aware of the steep incline and what your children can or cannot handle. If you are going with a baby, you will only be able to do it with a baby carrier backpack.
Do not forget that you are inside a national park. Please respect the environment, stay on the path and do not leave any waste or trash on the trail.
How much the Table Mountain cableway costs
Here are the updated Table Mountain cableway prices for this 2024, until September 30th when they will be reviewed:
- Adults: return 420 rands (about €23) Single trip, 240 rands (about €12). From 1:00 PM, return is cheaper, 360 rands (about €19).
- Children and youth up to 17 years old: return 210 rands (about €11) and single trip 180 rands (about €7).
- Children under 4 years old go up for free.
- Students with an ID card that proves it: return 250 rands (about €12) and single trip 150 rands (about €7)
If you have the Wild Card, the annual tourist card that gives access to South Africa’s national parks, you are entitled to a 20% discount. Note that the discount is only valid if you buy the tickets in person at the ticket office, you cannot buy it online in advance. I had it and at the ticket office they asked me to send the card receipt to an email address they gave me right there. The price to go up Table Mountain with the Wild Card is 316 rands (about €16) return until 1:00 PM.
You can save yourself the queues by buying the fast pass called Fast Track which, of course, is more expensive. Its price varies between 550 rands (about €36) and 950 rands (about €47)
I recommend you to buy the Table Mountain cableway ticket online here in advance to avoid the long waiting queue. However, keep in mind that you still have to wait a bit even if it is just to access the cable car cabin. Upon arrival, you will see that there are two distinct queues marked, one for those who already have a ticket and another for those who do not.
Go as early as possible because it is the place with the highest flow of visitors in Cape Town and you will have to wait a long time among the large number of visitors.
Keep in mind that they are valid for seven days from the chosen date which gives a lot of peace of mind in case the day you planned to go up is cloudy or they close the cableway due to wind (which is common). Before going, check on the official Table Mountain website that the cableway is open. You can also see approximate waiting times and much more info.
Table Mountain, what to do at the summit
Once at the top, the madness begins to choose the best views from Table Mountain. A lot of viewpoints participate in the competition, each more beautiful than the last, offering different panoramas. There is a network of trails that run through the three kilometers of the Table Mountain plateau, obviously all of them flat and without difficulty.
You can choose between:
- Dassie Walk. If you are short on time (which you shouldn’t be) this trail will take you only 15 minutes and offers views of the north and west sides.
- Agama Walk. It will take you about 30 minutes, as always depending on the number of photos you take along the way, to complete this circular path during which you will have panoramas of both the east and west.
- Klipspringer Walk. The most complete route along the edge of the plateau will take you about 45 minutes and brings you close to the viewpoint overlooking Plattkelip Gorge.
Walking a little further you can reach Maclear’s Beacon, a cairn made of small stones that marks the highest point of Table Mountain. Calculate about an hour from the upper cableway station and approximately half if you have hiked up through Plattkelip Gorge. From Maclear’s Beacon starts a beautiful hiking route that, in three hours, takes you to the Kirstenbosch botanical garden passing through Skeleton Gorge (here you have the option to do it with a guide)
From the Twelve Apostles viewpoint, there are free guided tours every hour on the dot from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. It is a great idea to get to know the summit of Table Mountain and discover a lot of curious facts about this geological formation, its flora, and its fauna.
In addition, you can have a drink or eat in the cafeteria located at the top next to the cable car station. There is also a rest room with Wi-Fi connection and a souvenir shop.
Just before taking the cable car down, look closely at the cliffs right below. With luck, you’ll be able to see some climbers literally hanging from the rock with the void beneath their feet. If you’re into strong thrills, you should know that there is the possibility of abseiling from Table Mountain down a 112-meter wall more than a thousand meters above sea level.
Would you dare?
How to get to Table Mountain
In my case, I did it by driving my own rental car . If you go with a vehicle, I recommend going as early as possible because the parking is literally on the edge of the road, Tafelberg Road, there isn’t a parking lot as such, and the later you arrive, the further away you will park and the longer distance you will have to walk in full sun along the asphalt dodging cars.
You can also reach Table Mountain by public transport, using the MyCity buses on routes 106 and 107. In both cases, you must get off at the Kloof Nek parking stop; once there you have to take the MyCity shuttle bus that leaves every 15 minutes and takes you along Tafelberg Road to the cable car itself. Remember that cash is not accepted on these buses, you must first buy a card that can be recharged.
Another option that I think is great is the Cape Town panoramic tourist bus which drops you right at the cable car station. With this transport you can reach all the points of interest not only in the city, including the botanical garden, but also others further away on the Cape Peninsula like Camps Bay or Hout Bay. You will have an audio guide in Spanish and the freedom to get on and off as many times as you want.
- There is an option to buy the combined cable car + tourist bus ticket
You could also arrive by taxi (negotiate the price beforehand), by Uber or with the Bolt app which also has private drivers. Our HomeExchange host in Cape Town told us that we could use Uber with peace of mind, although we didn’t have to.
Other places from which to see Table Mountain
The views from the top of Table Mountain are spectacular, but to contemplate this giant from afar you have to go down. They say the best views are from Lion’s Head where you can walk up either on your own or in a guided group.
Another good natural viewpoint is at the top of Signal Hill; you can reach here by car and if it’s at sunset, even better.
At Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the leisure area around the port docks, there are also good places to admire Table Mountain. Almost all tourists look for the yellow structure with the name that frames the mountain, right next to the Spanish restaurant La Parada.
Table Mountain from a bird’s eye view
Undoubtedly, from the air, the views of Table Mountain must be very impressive. I really wanted to enjoy that experience and have a different perspective, so if you can, don’t miss out on doing it.
By helicopter, you can choose between the normal scenic flight or the helicopter flight with a boat cruise included. In both cases, you take off from Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.
For the more daring, there is the possibility of becoming a ‘bird’ to soar through the skies of Cape Town and have Table Mountain literally beneath your feet. How? By booking the tandem paragliding flight activity which looks amazing; here you have it from €71 with a Spanish-speaking guide with the option to pay a bit more to have photos and videos of the moment.
Another option is this one from €86 , more expensive but with many reviews from people who have already done it.
Excursions to Table Mountain
If instead of visiting Table Mountain on your own, as I did, you prefer not to complicate things and have everything handled for you, the best thing will be to book one of the tours of Table Mountain where you will be accompanied by a Spanish-speaking guide. Also, depending on which one you choose, you will visit other iconic places in Cape Town.
Here are some options with good reviews:
- Private tour of Table Mountain and Cape Town. Besides going to the top, they will take you to top spots and it has very good reviews
- Excursion to Table Mountain, Cape Town and ferry to Robben Island.
- If you also want to see the penguins at Boulders Beach and the Cape of Good Hope, book this excursion.
Keep reading about South Africa: Travel to South Africa: practical guide Hotels in South Africa What to see in Cape Town Guide to visiting Table Mountain The best day trips from Cape Town Visiting the Cape of Good Hope What to see on the Panorama Route Wild Card, is it worth it? South Africa with kids 10 restaurants in South Africa to go with kids Guide to traveling to Eswatini Hlane National Park Hermanus, the paradise of whales
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