Visiting Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa

Table Mountain is one of the most visited attractions in South Africa. In the heart of Cape Town, the flat-topped mountain is the best place to visit if you are looking to enjoy the views of the city of Cape Town. Table Mountain is part of the Table Mountain National Park–you must visit this area if you want to experience the true beauty of Cape Town. The cableway is the ideal way to get to the top of the mountain.

However, some people choose to hike to the top. This is a 3 km steep hike and takes anywhere from over an hour to over three hours, depending on physical ability. Visitors are encouraged to hike in groups, at least four people. The most common trail is the Platteklip Gorge  Trail—the starting point is not the cableway car park but further down after about 2 km there is Platteklip Gorge parking lot where the shorter trail begins.

Opening Hours & Ticket Info

As for the cableway, it operates every day from 8 am to 8 pm. The last one going up is at 7 pm and the last one down is at 8 pm. The waiting time is about 5 minutes. You can purchase tickets for the cableway online or at the ticket office when you get there. An afternoon ticket is cheaper than a morning ticket–many people visit Table Mountain in the morning.

Facilities at Table Mountain

You will find a souvenir and gift shop at Table Mountain, as well as a coffee shop. A WiFi lounge is also available for visitors. For those who want to hold an event at the top of Table Mountain, you will need to send an email to functions@tablemountain.net to make a booking.

Getting to Table Mountain

Free MyCiti Shuttle

The free shuttle bus will take you from Lower Tafelberg Road (off Kloof Nek Road) to Table Mountain parking lot outside the Lower Cable station.

City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Bus

If you have a Cape Town City Sightseeing Tour Bus ticket for the day, one of the main stops is Table Mountain, outside the ticket office. The bus runs every 20 minutes. See their website for all stops on the Table Mountain route.

Rental Car

If you decide to rent a car, please know that Cape Town roads, especially in and around downtown, can get very busy–however, driving can still get you to remote places quicker.

The only problem with Table Mountain is that parking is limited and as a result, cars park along the road. During the peak season, the line of parked cars is unbelievably long. If you happen to park further back, be prepared to walk up a good few minutes to get to the entrance of the Cableway Station.

Taxis and Uber

You can also take a taxi or Uber.