In a nutshell
- Visiting Cape Town? Table Mountain is an absolute must. This guide covers all the ways to get up and back down — and explains exactly how everything works.
- We’ll tell you what to know about cable car tickets and whether the Fast Track ticket is really worth it (spoiler: during peak season, yes).
- Want to hike? We’ll walk you through the most important trails up Table Mountain and help you pick the right one for your fitness level.
- If you’d rather not tackle the trails solo, we recommend booking a guided hike up Table Mountain.
All the Info You Need for Visiting Table Mountain at a Glance
There are several ways to visit Table Mountain:
Ride the cable car to the top.
Hike up Table Mountain on your own.
Head up on a guided tour — by cable car or on foot.
You can get back down the same three ways — and there’s even a fourth, seriously exciting option: abseiling!
We’ll walk you through every option for visiting Table Mountain and cover everything you need to know.
Important tip: Visiting Table Mountain is only possible in good weather. The cable car doesn’t run in strong winds, and you really shouldn’t attempt the hiking trails in bad weather either. Schedule Table Mountain early in your trip — that way, if the weather doesn’t cooperate on day one, you’ll still have time to try again.
Taking the Cable Car up Table Mountain
The cable car is the fastest and most comfortable way to reach the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town. The ride itself takes just under five minutes, but the wait time is often considerably longer. You can skip the line, though, by purchasing a Fast Track ticket.
Tickets for the Table Mountain Cable Car
There are three ticket options in total, which we’ve laid out in the table below:
| Adults | Children (4 to 17 years) | |
|---|---|---|
| Tickets on-site | ||
| One way | 295 ZAR | 160 ZAR |
| Round trip | 490 ZAR | 250 ZAR |
| Online tickets | ||
| One way | 295 ZAR | 160 ZAR |
| Round trip | 450 ZAR | 225 ZAR |
| Online and on-site | ||
| Fast Track Ticket Return | 1100 ZAR | 1100 ZAR |
Where can you buy tickets for the Table Mountain Cable Car?
You can buy tickets directly on-site at the cable car — there are ticket booths and machines available. The downside: you’ll have to wait in an extra line first to buy your ticket, and then again at the cable car itself.
We recommend buying your tickets in advance on the official Table Mountain website to save yourself the hassle.
Go to the Table Mountain website
Also worth knowing: a round-trip cable car ticket is included with the Cape Town City Pass. We’ve put together a detailed review of the Cape Town City Pass with all the important info.
Is the Fast Track Ticket for Table Mountain worth it?
During peak season, lines at the cable car can be very long. Even though the cable car can carry up to 800 passengers per hour to the top, you can sometimes wait two to three hours.
It gets extremely crowded in late December and early January — that’s when South Africa is on school break, and you’ve got a huge number of both international visitors and locals all wanting to see Table Mountain at the same time.
Outside of peak season, the waits aren’t as extreme, but you should still count on 30 to 60 minutes.
If you’d rather not spend your morning standing in line, the Fast Track ticket is absolutely worth it.
Hiking up Table Mountain
If the cable car sounds too tame for you, hiking up Table Mountain is the way to go. There are countless routes to the summit. We recommend sticking to one of the official trails, which we’ll introduce you to below.
Want to hike Table Mountain but not on your own? We’ve linked a guided tour for each route.
If you’d prefer to head up independently, we’ve also linked an English-language website for each trail with very detailed information about the route. Definitely read through it before you set off.
Platteklip Gorge Trail: The Fastest Route to the Top
The Platteklip Gorge Trail begins on Tafelberg Road, about 1.5 kilometers past the lower cable car station. The trailhead is clearly signposted.
The trail heads steeply upward the whole way. In total, you’ll climb 650 meters in elevation over a distance of 2.5 kilometers, and be prepared to tackle a lot of steps, some of them quite high.
It’s not the most scenic of the routes, but it is the fastest. You’ll need about 1.5 hours to reach the top.
The trail isn’t especially difficult, but it is strenuous. Don’t attempt it in the rain, and in strong sun you’ll work up a sweat very quickly.
More info on the Platteklip Gorge Trail
Book a guided hike via Platteklip Gorge
India Venster Trail: The Most Challenging Hike
The India Venster Trail is widely considered the most challenging hike up Table Mountain. The trail starts at the cable car station and goes straight up directly below the cable car.
When you look up and see just how steep the cable car ascent is, you get a real sense of what you’re signing up for. The trail is very steep, and in several places you’ll need to climb, scale ladders, or pull yourself up on ropes.
Honestly, the India Venster Trail is only recommended for experienced and fit hikers — definitely not for children.
In total, you’ll gain 722 meters in elevation over a route that’s approximately 4 kilometers long. Depending on your fitness level and experience, the hike takes between two and four hours.
More info on the India Venster Trail
Book a guided hike via the India Venster Route
Skeleton Gorge Trail: The Most Beautiful Hike up Table Mountain
The Skeleton Gorge Trail is considered the most scenic route to the summit — and that starts with the trailhead itself. Unlike the other routes, Skeleton Gorge begins on the other side of Table Mountain, inside the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.
The ascent is no easy feat either, and it’s consistently very steep. In some sections you’ll need to do a bit of climbing or scale ladders. The route passes mostly through lush greenery and delivers breathtaking views throughout.
In total, you’ll cover 600 meters in elevation over a distance of 3.5 kilometers. Plan for about two hours.
More info on the Skeleton Gorge Trail
Book a guided hike via Skeleton Gorge
Guided Tours up Table Mountain
You can also combine a visit to Table Mountain with other attractions in Cape Town. We’ve picked out two guided tours that cover what we think are the most important highlights.
These are the two tours we recommend:
Cape Town city tour including Table Mountain: A classic small-group sightseeing tour. In addition to Table Mountain, you’ll also visit Signal Hill and other top spots around Cape Town.
Full-day tour: Table Mountain, penguins, and the Cape of Good Hope: On this tour, you’ll explore not just Table Mountain but the whole Cape Peninsula. You’ll drive along the legendary Chapman’s Peak Drive, visit the penguins at Boulders Beach, and make it all the way to the Cape of Good Hope.
Abseiling from Table Mountain
Hiking up Table Mountain only gets a half-hearted smile out of you? You need more of an adrenaline rush? Then just abseil down from the summit!
Yes, you read that right. You can abseil off Table Mountain. The descent starts right at the top, and in total you’ll drop 112 meters — making it one of the highest abseil routes in the world.
After abseiling, you’ll still need to hike about 30 minutes before you’re back at the bottom.
Make sure to book the abseil in advance, as spots are limited and a last-minute decision isn’t always possible.
Book abseiling from Table Mountain
Table Mountain: Our Personal Experience from the Visit
We visited Cape Town with kids — and during peak season, no less. We really didn’t want to spend hours standing in line, so we booked a Fast Track ticket for Table Mountain. The line was seriously long, and we were so glad we made that call.
A staff member led us straight past the queue and we walked directly into the elevator that leads to the cable car — zero waiting. From there, we stepped right into the next gondola and off we went.
The ride itself takes about five minutes and is pretty spectacular. The gondola rotates a full 360 degrees during the ascent, so everyone gets a view in every direction.
Once at the top, we were on the Table Mountain plateau within just a few steps. There are various paths leading to different viewpoints, and the area is enormous — so even at the height of peak season it never feels crowded.
For us, visiting Table Mountain Cape Town was one of our absolute highlights of the whole trip. We really, really recommend it!
The View from Table Mountain
And what can you actually see from up there? Let’s just let a few photos do the talking:
Getting to Table Mountain
Uber
The easiest way to get to Table Mountain is by Uber. You can get dropped off right at the cable car station or at the start of your chosen hiking trail — super convenient.
Hop-on/Hop-off Bus
Public transportation in Cape Town is pretty limited. There is, however, a hop-on/hop-off bus for visitors, and it does stop at Table Mountain.
There’s even a combo ticket for the bus and cable car that can save you a little money. Note that Fast Track access for the cable car isn’t included, but you can purchase it on-site if the line turns out to be very long.
Book the combo ticket for bus and cable car
Getting to Table Mountain by Car
You can of course also drive to Table Mountain. From the typical neighborhoods where you’d stay in Cape Town, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Parking at Table Mountain
Unfortunately, there’s no official parking lot at the lower cable car station — there’s simply no space for one.
You can park along the side of Tafelberg Road. There are parking attendants in yellow vests who help you find a spot and keep an eye on your car while you’re up on the mountain. In return, they expect a small tip when you get back — around 10 rand is appropriate.
Depending on the time of day, you may need to park quite a distance from the cable car station. Early morning and afternoon tend to be the quietest times.
Frequently Asked Questions
To wrap things up, here are some quick answers to common questions about Table Mountain:
Is there an entrance fee for hiking up Table Mountain?
No, hiking up Table Mountain is completely free. You only pay if you take the cable car.
Are there restrooms on Table Mountain?
Yes, there are restrooms both on Table Mountain and at the lower cable car station.
Are there restaurants on Table Mountain?
There is a restaurant on Table Mountain — but don’t expect culinary masterpieces. It’s typical fast food, a few sweet snacks, and drinks. Standard tourist-spot fare.
Is Table Mountain suitable for strollers or buggies?
Yes, Table Mountain is accessible. At the top, the paths are suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. In some spots you’ll need to take a small detour since the most direct route has steps, but it’s totally doable. We’ve been up Table Mountain ourselves with our travel stroller and can confirm it works.
Is Table Mountain safe?
Visiting Table Mountain is generally safe. That said, if you plan to hike to the top, you should never do so alone — always go with at least one other person.
Can you go paragliding from Table Mountain?
When you’re in Cape Town, you’ll see plenty of paragliders in the sky. They don’t actually launch from Table Mountain, though — they take off from the neighboring Signal Hill or Lion’s Head. If you want to give it a try, you can book a tandem paragliding flight here.
How tall is Table Mountain?
Table Mountain stands 1,087 meters tall.
