Hike Lions Head

Route Summary
Distance: 5 km
Estimated time: 1.5hrs + stops.
Total Elevation gain: 500m
Type: Out and back
View Lions Head hike map
* Exposed areas with assistance provided in the form of chains, ladders and steps.  Most of these can be avoided by taking the longer route.  Hike with care.

Lion's Head is a must-do hike for everyone, visitor or resident.  It's not a hike you do to get away from it all - when the weather is good, there are always plenty of people on the route - but for good reason.  The 360° views from the top include the iconic front view of Table Mountain (if from a slight angle), the City bowl, harbour and Table Bay looking North, and the magnificent beach suburbs of the Atlantic Seaboard, historic Robben Island and the Twelve Apostles mountain range looking South and West.

View south from Lion's Head

Route description
Use a map of Cape Town to drive to Kloof Nek, the pass between the City Bowl and the Atlantic Seaboard which is also the access point to the lower cableway station.  At Kloof Nek take the road towards Signal Hill and Lion's Head which slopes steeply upward and where it begins to level out after a few hundred metres there is parking on the right and a green TMNP sign headed "Lion's Head" marking the start of the walk on the left.

The path heads off to the left and is like a highway most of the way to the top.  It spirals around the peak of Lion's Head so that, initially, it is not too steep.  After about 2 km you have done the first 360° of the spiral and are looking down on your car; at this point you have the option of continuing on a longer route or heading up a rock face on an easy scramble assisted by chains and steps firmly fixed to the rock by TMNP.  I recommend the rock face - much more fun.  My 8 and 10 year olds loved it, but as with anything on Table Mountain, you do it at your own risk.

After this point the walk steepens into a mixture of rock steps and scrambling to reach the top about 300m further on.  Plan to relax and soak up the views, preferably with a cold drink or glass of wine.  Even when busy, you can usually find a peaceful spot around the edge of the peak to take it all in.  The return trip is the same route in reverse.

Keep an eye out for paragliders: there are two launch points along the route and when the weather is right there can be quite a few paragliders sailing around the peak before gliding down to land on the beaches.

View north from Lion's Head