There are hiking options in the Cape town area, where you can hike Table Mountain.....

The People's Trail Route

Duration: 2 days, 1 night
Length: 14.9 km
Day 1: 7.5 km, approximately 5 hours
Day 2: 7.4 km, approximately 5 hours with stops

Day 1

Short but arguably the most beautiful trail on Table Mountain, the trail begins at Constantia Nek Circle and from there continues up Disa Gorge through indigenous afromontane forest. The trail emerges from the forest and winds its way through the fynbos landscape to the People’s Trail Hut on the Back Table.

Day 2:

The morning is spent exploring the “back table” including the area around the historic water works museum that showcases the equipment used to construct the dams and reservoirs that scatter the mountain.

Later that day the trail descends via Platteklip Gorge to the lower cable way station.

The People’s Trail Hut is situated on the back of Table Mountain with spectacular views of the Woodhead Dam and the southern Atlantic Coastline.

Sleeping facilities

The Kitchen

Bathrooms

There are three bathrooms with combination solar/gas heating ensuring that everyone will have a hot shower.

Living/ teaching Area

Dominated by a huge fireplace, there is ample table and seating space for the whole party. During summer you can open the French doors and extend this living area onto the patio.

The Table Mountain Trail Route

Duration: 3 days, 2 nights
Length: 25,5 km
Day 1: 7 km, approximately 6,5 hours
Day 2: 9,5 km, approximately 6 hours
Day 3: 9 km, approximately 6 hours
Difficulty: You need to be fit and able to manage steep inclines.

Rich in cultural and natural wonders this trail links the complex social history of Cape Town with the spectacular diversity of the peninsula's Cape Floral Kingdom and scenery.

Please note: The route described below is weather permitting. On days that are too windy, rainy or misty the cable way is closed and alternative routes will be taken. The alternate routes are scenic in their own right and still showcase the many wonders of Table Mountain National Park.

Day 1:

Meet at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront at 08h30. From there the guides of Footsteps to Freedom will lead you, by boat and on foot, through the multifaceted tapestry of Cape Town’s eclectic architecture, weaving the story of the City’s cosmopolitan, often tragic, past.

The day ends at the beautifully restored Platteklip Wash Houses on the banks of the Camissa (sweet water) River on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. Here you will meet the Hoerikwaggo™ Trail Guides - your hosts on days 2 and 3. After dinner - a mouth-watering Cape Malay meal – you can relax around the fire, watch a DVD, send an e-mail or simply chat to your fellow hikers.

Day 2:

After an early rise and a sumptuous continental breakfast you will hike to the lower cable way station. From there, weather permitting, you will catch the Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain.

From the upper cable station the trail winds through pristine fynbos to Maclear’s Beacon for a picnic lunch. The Beacon is the highest point on the Cape Peninsula and was constructed in 1884 by the astronomer Thomas Maclear who initiated the first geodetic survey of the Cape. After lunch continue via the historic Smuts Track to the overnight accommodation at the restored Overseers Cottage which offers awesome night time views of the City and the mountain chain.

Tonight is the night for a traditional South African braai (barbeque) where our chef will spoil you with steaks, turned to perfection, and an assortment of salads and vegetables. The outdoor braai will only be lit on a low fire-risk day. Should the wind be too strong or the vegetation too dry the meal will be prepared in the kitchen.

Day 3:

Today a morning hike will take you to the north western edges of the mountain. The route offers plenty of interesting and historic features and scenic trails. After lunch the guides will lead you down the magnificent, forested Nursery Ravine to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens where the trail ends.

Night 1:

Relax in the casual elegance of the restored Platteklip Wash Houses, where the Cape Malay servant women washed their master’s cloths and kept the banned Quran alive with their vibrant oral tradition. A communal eating place and lounge - complete with a log fire - offer an ideal place to relax and enjoy the sound of night falling on the lower slopes of Table Mountain. On warm evenings a huge fire pit will set the scene for story telling and the forging of friendships.

Sleeping facilities

Sleeping quarters consist of two, four-sleeper bedrooms and four, two-sleeper bedrooms. All beds are fitted with fresh linen and towels are provided.

Bathrooms

There are ample, gas-heated hot water showers.

The Kitchen

There is a fully equipped kitchen where the caterers will prepare your meals. There is also a basic cash bar.

Night 2:

The Overseers Cottage has been revamped into stylish and comfortable overnight facilities offering unsurpassed views of Cape Town on the one side and the total wilderness of the mountain chain on the other. You are guaranteed to wake up refreshed - literally on top of the world. It is a rare privilege to spend an evening in this special place.

Sleeping facilities

Sleeping quarters consist of two, four-sleeper bedrooms and four, two-sleeper bedrooms. All beds are fitted with fresh linen and towels are provided.

Bathrooms

There are ample, gas-heated hot water showers.

The Kitchen

There is a fully equipped kitchen where the caterers will prepare your meals.

Walk the mountain in style with only your thoughts and the scenery to concern you. This guided and portered “white table cloth”, three-day trail offers luxurious accommodation and mouth-watering catered meals.

The Table Mountain Trail will delight both culture vultures and nature lovers and includes many of Cape Town’s major tourist attractions: a cultural trail through the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and the City of Cape Town, a cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting), the world famous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens and two nights accommodation in the Table Mountain National Park.

The maximum size of a hiking party is 16 people with a minimum of 8 people. There will be one Hoerikwaggo™ Trail Guide per 8 hikers plus a lead guide.

What to take

Tariffs

Important: The hike is booked per room and not by individual. There are two four-sleepers and four two-sleepers in each overnight facility. This means that you need to book for two or four people.