If you only do one thing while you’re in Cape Town… who am I kidding?! You have to do all the best things in CT — the wine, the food, the urban exploring, and of course, why you’re here on this page, THE HIKING! And honestly, I can’t even narrow it down to just one hike…we loved both Table Mountain and Lion’s Head. TABLE MOUNTAIN : We celebrated Christmas Day with a hike up Table Mountain and finished it with sore, tired legs and a sunburn that wouldn’t quit! But it was all worth it! The views at the top are pretty epic. We parked our car nearby the base of the cable car and started up on the route directly up from there–it starts out pretty fast and uphill with mega rocks but eventually levels out to go around the side of the mountain and joins up with the Platteklip Gorge trail. This is another option to start if you’re looking for a quicker route! All in all, the hike took us about 2 hours but depending on your hustle (mine was intense this day–I needed some extra aqua at the top!), it can take even up to 3 hours. The other thing to note, is that at the top of Table Mountain, you will find trail after trail. If you opt to take the cable car to the top, you still have the option to hike for hours and hours!

So the essentials :

WATER, like 2 liters each.

COMFORTABLE SHOES : Sneakers or hiking boots are best. Since we were traveling for over two weeks, I opted for something lightweight and easy to travel with : SUAVS shoes. They are comfortable, super-duper lightweight and flexible, and made for easy traveling! I slipped them on for my flights, the hiking, even my safari drives!

CASH : we were warned about muggings on the trail so we carried VERY little money with us….which in turn meant that we couldn’t swing the cable car ride down, so we spent our dough on water and braced for the 2 hour hike down! Depending on when you decide to hike (off peak hours, weekends vs weekdays), the trails may be scattered with enough other people that muggings are rare. Keep this in mind when planning your hike! 

LION’S HEAD : The neighboring mountain, Lion’s Head, again offers sprawling views of Cape Town but with towering Table Mountain as well. At the intersection of Table Mountain, Cape Town and Camps Bay, you’ll notice a road to Signal Hill. Along this road, on the left, you’ll notice the starting point for the Lion’s Head hike. You can park along the road or in the few spots available. This hike is also a steep one but with a few little kinks…think ladders and chains to help you ascend to the top! It was a bit daunting but once you finally crawl to the top, the views are incredible! Pack a picnic to enjoy at the top and soak in the views. Again, don’t forget lots of water and comfortable shoes! 

I found a ton of helpful information and suggestions for other hiking locations from locals Carlinn at Camps Bay Girl and Mike at Life of Mike.

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