Table Mountain: Cableway, Hikes, and What to Expect on Top

Table Mountain is the defining landmark of Cape Town, and for good reason — from the 1,086 m summit plateau the city, the Atlantic Ocean, Robben Island, and the Cape Peninsula stretch out in every direction. Most visitors go up by cableway. A significant minority hike. Either way, the summit is the same.

Part of Cape Town’s city guide and the broader Western Cape region. For accommodation near the lower cableway station, see the Cape Town where to stay guide. For the rest of the day, the Cape Point drive and Boulders Beach pair well with Table Mountain as a full-day Cape Peninsula loop.

Quick Reference

Cableway cost	R430 adult return, R215 child (3–17)
Opening hours	08:00–18:00 (extended in summer; closed in wind/cloud)
Hike time (Platteklip)	1.5–2 hours up; 1 hour down
Summit altitude	1,086 m
Summit time needed	1.5–2 hours
Book online	tablemountain.net (avoids queuing)
Weather check	Table Mountain Aerial Cableway app

The Cableway

The aerial cableway operates rotating gondolas that fit about 65 people each and take 5 minutes from the lower cable station (at the end of Tafelberg Road, on the mountain’s north face) to the top.

Tickets and Pricing (2025/26):

• Adult return: R430
• Child (3–17) return: R215
• Under 3: free
• Seniors (60+): R215

Book online at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway website. You can also walk up to the ticket office on the day, but expect queues in the morning during summer — sometimes 45–60 minutes long.

Opening hours: Generally 08:00–21:30 in summer (November–March) and 08:00–18:00 in winter. The last gondola up is typically 30 minutes before closing. Check the website — hours change seasonally and the cableway closes without notice in bad weather.

Getting there: The lower cable station is a 15-minute walk from the Kloof Nek junction or a short Uber ride from the City Bowl. There’s paid parking at the station.

Hiking Routes

Platteklip Gorge (recommended for first-timers)

The most direct and clearly signed route. Start from the lower cable station car park and follow the path up through the gorge to the summit. Distance: 4.5 km return. Ascent: 670 m. Time up: 1.5–2 hours depending on fitness. Time down: 1–1.5 hours. Grade: moderate — steep but well-maintained steps throughout.

What to bring: 1.5 litres of water per person, sunscreen, a warm layer for the top (it can be 10°C cooler and very windy), snacks. No swimming in the streams — water isn’t safe to drink untreated.

Skeleton Gorge

Starts from Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden (entry R220). A shaded, wooded route — more interesting flora, slightly harder than Platteklip in places. 2–2.5 hours up. Usually combined with a descent via Nursery Ravine or Platteklip and a cableway ride down.

India Venster

A more scenic but longer route from the lower cable station area, going around the western face. Allows you to see the twelve apostles. Allow 2.5–3 hours up.

On the Summit

The top is a large flat plateau covered in fynbos — the unique Cape flora found nowhere else on earth. There are marked walking paths that take 20–40 minutes each and interpretive signs about the mountain’s ecology.

The café serves coffee, sandwiches, and light meals — useful but not the reason to go up. The views are. Walk to the cliff edges (there are no barriers on most of the plateau — take care near the edges) to look down on the Cape Peninsula, the sea, and the city.

Toilets are available at the top. The mountain has a small medical station.

Weather and Conditions

The cableway closes in strong wind or heavy cloud — this is non-negotiable and happens frequently, particularly from October to March when the southeast wind is active. The “tablecloth” — cloud spilling over the summit — can form in minutes and obscure the views completely.

Check the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway website the morning of your visit. Don’t plan Table Mountain for your last day — allow at least one backup day in case of closure.

Best conditions: Early morning (doors open at 08:00) before the southeast wind picks up. The light for photos is also better in the morning and late afternoon.

Practical Tips

• Book cableway tickets online to avoid the queue.
• If you hike up, you can take the cableway down (one-way descents are priced at R215 adult).
• Don’t leave bags or food visible in your car at the lower station car park — break-ins do occur.
• The top is accessible for most fitness levels via cableway, including prams and wheelchairs (the gondola has flat access).
• Sunrise trips are possible with the first gondola at 08:00 — it gets busy quickly.