Hiking in Cape Town
South Africa's hiking trails are still regarded as an absolute insiders' tip, because the paths along the mountains of the Western Cape with their unique flora and native animal species, are one of the best routes across the continent. Short hiking routs for relaxed walks or exhausting hiking trails for several days in hilly, uneven terrain you can find in South Africa!
Hike up Table Mountain
Table mountain is a flattened mountain and forms a striking landmark in the city of Cape Town. It is part of the flag of Cape Town and other municipal coat of arms. Furthermore Table mountain is a major tourist attraction and many visitors take the cable car or hike to the top. The mountain is the heart of the Table Mountain National Park and also one of the new 7 wonders of nature!
There are different routes to hike up the Table Mountain. The routes are from 45 min. to 1,5 hours. Hiking on Table Mountain is popular amongst locals and tourists, and a number of trails of varying difficulty are available. Because of the steep cliffs around the summit, direct ascents from the city side are limited.
Platteklip Gorge, a prominent gorge up the centre of the main table, is a popular and straightforward direct ascent to the summit. Par for the course is about 2.5 hours but is done between 1–3 hours depending on one's fitness level.
Longer routes to the summit go via the Back Table, a lower area of Table Mountain to the South of the main plateau. From the Southern Suburbs side, the Nursery Ravine and Skeleton Gorge routes start at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. The route via Skeleton Gorge to Maclears Beacon is known as Smuts Track in memory of Jan Smuts, who was a keen hiker. The Bridle Path, or Jeep Track, makes a more gradual ascent from Constantia Nek along the road used to service the dams on Back Table. There are many other paths in popular walking areas on the lower slopes of the mountain accessed from Constantia Nek, Cecilia Park, Kirstenbosch, Newlands Forest and Rhodes Memorial.
On the Atlantic side, the most popular ascent is Kasteelspoort, a gorge overlooking Camps Bay, while the Pipe Track is a level route popular with walkers.
The Hoerikwaggo Trails are four hiking trails on Table Mountain ranging from two to six days, operated by South African National Parks. The original inhabitants of the area, the Khoekhoen and San tribes called Table Mountain Hoerikwaggo – "sea mountain". The four Table Mountain hiking trails are called the People's Trail, Table Mountain Trail, Orangekloof Hiking Trail and Top to Tip Trail.
When: Depend on the weather conditions.
Hike up Lion’s Head
Alongside Table Mountain is the distinctive shaped mountain slope, Lion’s Head. This proud lion overlooks the city and Table Bay on one side, and the scenic Atlantic Ocean coastline on the other. On a clear day the views are spectacular and great for taking photographs, particularly of Robben Island. Catch your breath along the steep path while admiring the great views which will inspire you to carry on further. You will find your way around the lions head until you reach the chains taking you to the very top. The chains are there to assist you as you scramble up a section of rocky faces. They add an element of adventure, but be cautious and take it slowly.
Not suitable for young children and the elderly. There is an alternate route to miss the chains but the path is still quite steep.
Description:
The majority of the walk is steep but easy going. The last section is very steep and you need to use chains to climb up a section of boulers, which increases the difficulty of this walk.
Address:
Signal Hill Road, at the Base of the forestry road.
When: Depend on the weather conditions.