Hike Platteklip Gorge

Route Summary
Distance: 9.5km
Estimated time: 5hrs + stops.
Total Elevation gain: 950m
Type: Out and back
View Platteklip Gorge Walk map

* Fairly long and strenuous, clearly marked

If you want to walk to the table top or the highest point on Table Mountain (Maclear's Beacon), this is the shortest and most clearly marked route.  As a result it is popular, particularly with tourists who have limited time and knowledge of the mountain.

• A popular variation of the map provided here is to walk up Platteklip and catch the cable car down.
• If you are content with getting to the table-top and don't feel the need to get to the highest point (which only adds about 70m), you can skip the Maclear's beacon loop, halving the distance (but not the effort!) and reducing the time by about 1.5 hours.

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 the access point to the lower cableway station.  At Kloof Nek turn left and wind up Tafelberg road to the lower cableway station.  Check your odometer at the cableway station and continue along Tafelberg road for  another 1.6km.  You will find a parking area olong the left hand side of the road with the start of the walk on the right of the road next to a security/information booth at the far end of the parking area.  A large sign marks the start of the Platteklip Gorge trail.


Follow the trail up the left hand side of a small river gorge.  After a few hundred metres you cross the stream (can be dry in summer) and shortly afterwards pass under a small grove of trees.  At this point there is a contour path bearing right towards the cable station. Turn left and continue up the path which travels horizontally along the side of the mountain for about 80m to a right-hand hairpin bend.  At this point the contour path in the other direction leaves the hairpin and continues horizontally; you follow the hairpin left and continue upwards, with Platteklip gorge visible ahead of you.  From this point there are no paths of significance which do not take you to the top of the gorge; in places the path splits, but rejoins further up.

Platteklip Gorge as seen from Tafelberg rd

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