When I visited the beautiful city of Cape Town in South Africa for the first time ever over ten years ago, I made sure to take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain (like so many people do) to see the amazing view over this incredible city. I also remember looking out from the cable car and seeing some people hiking to the top of Table Mountain and I clearly remember thinking “Why would you do that?”

Fast forward to ten years later and after hiking The Peak and Jardine’s Lookout in Hong Kong, Diamond Head in Honolulu, Ojstrica in Lake Bled and The Rock in Gibraltar amongst many others, hiking up Table Mountain was at the top of my bucket list and I was planning on doing it at the end of 2020. However as we all know, a pandemic happened and I wondered when I would get the chance to get back to South Africa again, if ever. But that day finally arrived earlier this year (March 2023) when I was lucky enough to travel to Cape Town for a few nights on a work trip – and oh how wonderful it was to be back in the Mother City once again after such a long time.  I knew that this was my chance to finally hike up Table Mountain and I grabbed that opportunity with both hands!

No matter where you are in Cape Town, Table Mountain can be seen towering over the city and there are many different hiking trails you can take to get to the top. I decided to hike the Platteklip Gorge trail as it is the most popular route (meaning there was a lot of information about it) and it is also the quickest and most direct route to the top.

Before hiking this trail I read so many different things about it online so I wanted to write this blog and travel guide to add my point of view (from someone who never goes to the gym) as well as tips, up to date information, advice and everything you need to know and should know about hiking Platteklip Gorge.

The best time of the year to visit Cape Town is between October and March which are the summer months in South Africa. However if you are going to hike up Table Mountain, you should plan to start your hike as early as possible in the morning to beat the high temperatures when it gets too hot later in the day.

The start of the Platteklip Gorge hike is clearly signposted on Tafelberg Road which is located 1.5 kilometres past the cable car station. If taking an Uber, make sure to enter “Platteklip Gorge Starting Point” as your destination to save yourself an extra twenty minutes of walking. There is no fee to hike up Table Mountain but you will have to pay for any transportation costs to get there as well as the cable car back down.

From Tafelberg Road which is 350 metres above sea level, the climb to the top of Table Mountain is 650 metres over a distance of approximately 2 kilometres. As the Platteklip Gorge trail is the fastest route to the top, it also means that it is the steepest.

From the start of the hike, the steep and rocky steps begin straight away and you immediately know that this is not going to be the easy hike that you were hoping it would be. Whilst the trail from start to finish is not too far in distance, it feels a lot longer due to climbing all of the steps on the way up.

To be able to do the Platteklip Gorge hike, sensible shoes such as hiking boots or trainers at an absolute minimum are essential as you will not be able to manage the uneven and sometimes slippery (if near one of the streams) rocks wearing anything else – you need to concentrate and pay attention to where you are stepping the whole way up so that you do not slip or fall.

After approximately 300 metres you will reach a signpost which will let you know that you are on the right path – it is nearly impossible to get lost on this trail. Turn left in the direction of “Upper Cable Station via Platteklip Gorge” as turning right will take you directly back down to the cable car station further along on Tafelberg Road.

It was also looking up at this point and seeing how much further I still had to go where I realised that I had started the first part of the hike far too quickly and that I needed to slow down as I did not want to tire myself out as there was still a long way to go.

This part of the trail was a little easier as it was not as steep as the first part but it was still quite a climb to reach the second signpost along the trail where you turn right in the direction of “Platteklip Gorge Upper Cable Station”.

Even though I was constantly walking in and out of the clouds (or the Tablecloth as it is more commonly known in Cape Town) the views of the mountain as well as the city below when I could see it were beautiful.

Whilst Platteklip Gorge is one of the easiest hikes on Table Mountain compared to the others, it is definitely not easy and I had been hoping for some flatter areas but they were truly few and far in-between. Whilst the trail up Table Mountain looks like it goes straight up, it is actually made up of graded switchbacks which do not let up for even a moment as you are climbing uphill the entire time you are on the trail.

The constant and never-ending uphill climbing of the uneven rocks was really making me very tired so I knew that the only way I was going to get through the rest of the trail was to make sure that I took frequent breaks on the way up to sit down on one of the many rocks and rest my legs and my feet, catch my breath as well as drink some water. It was so peaceful and quiet and having these few time outs was great and a perfect way to take photos as well as take in the scenery around you – just make sure to not block the trail for others when you taking a few minutes rest.

I was also very grateful that it was not bright blue skies and sunshine the entire time whilst I was hiking up Platteklip Gorge as the clouds were definitely a blessing in disguise as even though they blocked the view around me, they also provided much needed shade from the sun as the hike would be a lot harder with no shade.

Even though a lot of people were passing me on the way up, you very quickly learn that hiking Platteklip Gorge bit by bit and at your own pace is much more important. Make sure to let others pass you on the trail as it simply does not matter how quick other people are going and remember to take your time as it is not a race.

There was a lot of people hiking the Platteklip Gorge trail the day I was there so I never worried about my own safety as you were never alone for very long. It was also probably the friendliest hike I have ever done and I met and chatted to some lovely people from all around the world along the way – everyone was encouraging each other to keep going and it really helped knowing others were there to cheer you on.

The switchbacks towards the top of the gorge did not seem too bad but there were some sections that were very steep and rocky and which I had to use both hands to scramble up and steady myself as it was very uneven and slippery. I knew that I wasn’t the only person who was finding the trail hard as I saw one person crying their eyes out whilst being encouraged to carry on by their friends (they made it to the top!) and someone else yell out “Scheiße!” at the top of their voice as they turned a corner to see even more rocky steps in front of them.

Even when you think that you are very nearly at the top, the trail just goes on and on and the end never seems to get any closer – it really starts to play tricks on your mind. A couple who I had been chatting to on the way up passed me on their way back down who said I had about another twenty minutes to go and you wondered how that was possible as it did not look far, but it was completely true.

There were a few moments during the hike when I seriously questioned my own sanity as well as my life choices but I am also very determined once I decide to do something as well as a little stubborn so there was absolutely no way I was going to give up especially after waiting so long to finally get back to Cape Town – after all it would take just as long to go back down as it would do to reach the top.

After a very long and slow walk to the top of Table Mountain, I nearly ran up the last few steps despite the fact that I was exhausted and my legs were tired and shaking like jelly. It took me three hours to complete the Platteklip Gorge hike so ignore the blogs online saying that it can easily be done in an hour and a half as you have to go at your own pace and remember to stop for a break when you need to as everyone is different.

The feeling of elation when I finally reached the top of Table Mountain was like nothing else and I really could not believe that I had finally done it. It was definitely a lot harder than I thought it would be but it was doable and even though I often describe myself as unfit, I guess I must be fitter than I think I am as I managed to hike up Table Mountain!

The only downside was that the top of Table Mountain was completely covered in cloud so I had absolutely no view whatsoever when I got up there. However I cannot be mad or upset as I have been to the top of Table Mountain twice before when the views have been incredible so all I had to do was to simply close my eyes and remember the amazing view looking down over Cape Town and Lion’s Head and across to Robben Island.

I could have easily waited to see if the clouds would clear but I was absolutely starving and even though there is a cafe that sells both food and drink at the top of Table Mountain, I had walked past a restaurant at the Waterfront the day before which I wanted to visit that afternoon for a late lunch. I was able to buy a ticket for the cable car on my phone and joined a short line to head back down Table Mountain – and the view below as we descended through the clouds was incredible.

If you need to access mobile data whilst visiting South Africa, you can purchase a travel E-Sim through Airalo. If you would like to use my referral code NIKKI8866 when signing up, you will receive £2.50 / US$3 off your first purchase.

If you do decide to hike up to the top of Table Mountain, make sure to wear lightweight layers as the weather can very quickly change and also bring both sunglasses as well as a hat to help shade yourself from the hot sun – sunblock is also essential.

Bring plenty of water with you (double the amount if you are hiking in the height of summer) as well as plenty of snacks to keep your energy levels up – if I had known how long the hike was actually going to take me, I would have eaten a much bigger breakfast than I did that morning and brought a lot more snacks as my energy was definitely fading near the top making the hike feel a lot harder than it was.

Also remember to bring a power bank for your phone if taking lots of photos (another useful bit of information is that I had a full 4G signal for the entire hike) and remember to bring some cash or a credit card with you (if not using your phone) to pay for your cable car ticket back down.

When hiking up Table Mountain, it is also important to know that having to hike back down is also a possibility if the cable car stops running at any time. If hiking in the afternoon, you will be against the clock if you want to take the cable car down so know what time the last one leaves so that you can time your hike around it. The cable car could also stop operating at any time if it becomes too windy or because of other bad weather.

Hiking up the Platteklip Gorge to the top of Table Mountain is a lot harder than it looks but I am so happy that I can finally say that I have done it and the pain has all been forgotten – though my Plantar Fasciitis has come back with a vengeance since returning from Cape Town. The feeling of pride and accomplishment is like nothing else and sitting in a restaurant at the Waterfront later that afternoon in the shadow of Table Mountain with a well deserved cocktail (or two), I simply could not believe that I had climbed it as it really did not seem real and it still does not to this day.

Next time I’m in Cape Town, bring on Lions Head for sunset!

Since this blog post was written back in 2023, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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