Looks like I'll be in CT during the annual cableway maintenance shutdown (last week in July/first week in August) - Oh No! Table Mnt was likely to be a highlight of our few days in CT and I don't think I'd get my 7yo daughter to do the hike up (and back down of course) - or would I? I've seen estimates of from 1.5hrs to 3hrs (each way) - has anyone taken small(ish) children up? Is it safe? (i.e. 1. weather changes; 2. getting lost; and/or 3. risk of mugging). Is it a hard climb? - I suppose there is no way to 'cheat' and drive up is there? (surely there is a road up round the back to stock the restaurant at the top?)
1
peterscot
I think the restaurant is stocked via the cable car. The road to the lower cable car station is about halfway up. Difficult to get lost. Can't comment about getting mugged. It looks steep but doable.
Why not do a recce first and possibly see Kirstenbosch Gardens, for other routes/ activities?
2
missalaska
no you can't drive up!
i think the best thing for you with a 7 year old would be to climb LIONS HEAD you get a magnificent view panoramic view and of course a awesome view of table mountain.
the track basically winds round lions head and there is choice nearer the top of the more difficult route with chains etc or a slightly longer easier route. it takes me - a lazy adult about 45 mins to the top with stops. is not difficult and you still get good views if you don't go all the way to the top.
3
ndlovu
Without the child, or with the kid in a carry-pack, the walk up Table Mountain from the rear - starting at the Kirstenbosch gardens - is delightful! Do get hold of a reliable, local person to show you the way (there are no regular guides because this is not a tourist route!), and for a sense of security (some of the Cape Town riff-raff hang about on the mountain). Once up, it is possible to scramble down the front of the mountain, but (again) a reliable local guide would be required. The whole thing should take about four or five hours - depending on your level of fitness!
Doing Table mountain this way, the first view over the northern edge, looking down on the city and Robben Island, comes as a spectacular surprise!
Ndlovu
4
sataraman
I would also suggest going up Lion's Head peak. It's not difficult and I actually preferred to views from Lion's Head because you can see essentially the same panorama as what you would see from Table Mountain plus you can see Table Mountain itself. I guess I'm more or less saying exactly what Missalaska is saying but I just wanted to agree with her suggestion and say that it was for sure the best view we had while we were in Cape Town.
5
topogigio
Be it the one or the other - take something warm and weatherproof, just in case, and particularly so for Table Mountain. And, of course, enough water and something to bite (salty peanuts are always good). And proper footwear.
6
ctlocal
misslaska has offered you a great idea - climbing Lions Head is well within the capability of a 7 year old and offers fab views. (Table Mountain is too, but it's a much more hectic climb. And funnily enough it's the downhill that gets you - the knees take a lot of strain!)
The other thing is that there have been various unpleasant mugging incidents on Table Mountain, both at the top of Platteklip Gorge (the front-of-the-mountain route) and on the Kirstenbosch routes. So I don't recommend those for you and your daughter unless as part of a larger, guided group.
Here's a link specially for kids' stuff in Cape Town.
I hope you both enjoy your trip!
7
gbbackpack
The routes from Kirstenbosch are really nice walks (eg. up Skeleton Gorge and down Nursery Ravine), though you get a different view than the famous City Centre and Table Bay. The whole combination of crossing from Kirstenbosch to the centre is a classic walk great for reasonably fit people who have done mountain day walks of this kind before, but this is not something I would recommend for a 7 year old child or complete mountain novices, as it is still a long way to the front and weather changes are common - ie. mist or even rain covering you completely suddenly (above Kirstenbosch you only reach 600m above sea level and the front table is nearly 1100m at a fair distance with signage but in the mist you can suddenly miss a turn and then nothing makes sense anymore).
Agree fully with Topogigio: Waterproof and warm gear and water are essential even if it looks great weather in the morning.
Walking up from the front and going down by cable car is a popular way and if your kid is quite active this can be an option though it is like climbing endless steps and with a kid I would count on a lot more than 1.5 hours that fit people would manage, though I agree with the excellent suggestion of Lion´s Head as probably the best option.
Regarding safety, there have been a several very unfortunate incidents (above Kirstenbosch and on the front - though this is not a constant threat and there are a good number of visitors on the slopes of the mountain on any nice weather day). Still, it is probably better to go with some more people or with a local mountain guide (there are several registered mountain guides in town - the tourism office should be able to help)
8
gbbackpack
Oops, ignore my second-last paragraph, as this makes no sense if the cable-car is closed. While writing I forgot the original reason for you wanting to walk up! Obviously if the cable-car is closed there should be even more walkers on the route probably making it safer.
Even from the Lower Cableway station you have a nice view, but you can also climb up the first part of the way, and walk a bit along the contour path that crosses just below where the steepest cliffs are (get a map or a guide). Though in August make sure to watch the weather report the day before and watch for clouds coming in even when the weather report was good (Cape mountain walkers do believe in aspects of the weather report about cold fronts coming in, but are always open to adjust plans once on the mountain). In spite of that there are occasional lovely walking days in August.
Pro tip
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