Table Mountain National Park

Introducing Table Mountain National Park

Covering some three quarters of the peninsula, Table Mountain National Park (www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain) stretches from flat-topped Table Mountain to Cape Point. For the vast majority of visitors the main attraction is the 1086m-high mountain itself, the top of which can easily be accessed by the Cableway (424 5148; www.tablemountain.net; adult one-way/return US$8/16, child US$4/6; 8.30am-7pm Feb-Nov, 8am-10pm Dec & Jan), which runs every 10/20 minutes in high/low season.

The views from the revolving cable car and on the summit are phenomenal. The Cableway doesn’t operate when it’s dangerously windy, and there’s little point going up if you are simply going to be wrapped in the cloud known as the ‘tablecloth’. The best visibility and conditions are likely to be first thing in the morning or in the evening.

Hikers can take advantage of over 300 routes up and down, but bear in mind that the mountain is over 1000m high, conditions can become treacherous quickly and it’s easy to get lost. Unprepared and foolhardy hikers die here every year. In 2005 Table Mountain National Park launched the first of its planned suite of three Hoerikwaggo Trails (www.tablemountainpark.com/parks/table_mountain/ht) designed to allow visitors, for the first time, to sleep on the mountain, and eventually to hike 80km or so from the City Bowl to Cape Point.

If you don’t have your own transport, rikkis will drop you at the cable car from the city centre or take a nonshared taxi.

Last updated: Sep 14, 2009