How long the hike takes

How long does it take to hike up Table Top Mountain?

About 2 to 3 hours to the top of Table Mountain by Platteklip Gorge for most people, and 1.5 to 2 hours for fit, regular hikers. The harder and longer routes take 3 to 4 hours up.

People often search for Table Top Mountain; the mountain is Table Mountain, and the time depends mostly on the route. The figures below are for a steady pace with short rests. Time down is for walking; the full-day column is the whole outing, from the start of the trail to the end of the day's plan, including the ride down where it applies. Where sources disagree, the table gives a range.

Should you hike up and ride down, or walk both ways?

Hike up and ride down if you want a half day and kind knees; walk both ways if you want the full mountain day or the cableway is closed. The descent on Platteklip is shorter in time but harder on the legs.

Going up then taking the cableway down is the classic plan, and the cableway sells one-way tickets for exactly this. The ride takes only a few minutes, but allow time for the queue at the top on busy summer afternoons. The cars run from about 8 or 8:30 am until early evening, later in summer, weather permitting; check tablemountain.net on the day for the last car down.

Walking down Platteklip takes most people about 1.5 to 2 hours: the steps are high and uneven, and your thighs do most of the braking. It is the reason many hikers feel the day in their legs afterwards (more on that in how hard the hike is). If you walk down, keep something in reserve: slips happen more on the way down, when you are tired.

How long do guided Table Mountain hikes take?

Most guided hikes last 3 to 5 hours from the meeting point, including rests and some time on the top. Tours with hotel pickup add the drive, and the cableway ticket down is extra on almost all of them.

• The guided summit hike: 3 hours from the base of the mountain, with pickup as an option. Rated 4.9 from 781 reviews; the guide picks the route on the day.
• The Platteklip Gorge hike: 4 hours including pickup and drop-off in the City Bowl, with about 2 hours up depending on the group.
• The abseil and hike: 3.5 hours: about 2 hours up Platteklip, a 112 m abseil, then about 30 minutes' walk back to the top.
• The India Venster hike: 4.5 hours, of which 3.5 to 4 are hiking.
• The Kasteelspoort hike: 5 hours with hotel pickup, including about 2 hours across the plateau.
• Skeleton Gorge to Maclear's Beacon: 5 hours from Kirstenbosch, across the top to the highest point.

These are the times on the listing. Add the ride down, and allow some slack: a slow group, a crowded Platteklip or a long queue at the top station can each add half an hour.

How fast should you walk, and how often should you rest?

Slower than you think at the start, with a short stop every 15 to 20 minutes. On a steep staircase like Platteklip, a steady pace you can keep is faster overall than rushing and then stopping for long breaks.

The first half hour sets the tone. Find a pace at which you can still talk, drink a few sips at every stop, and eat something halfway. Groups should walk at the pace of the slowest person, not wait for them at the top of each section. Stops are also where you see the view: the city bowl, Lion's Head and Table Bay open up behind you as you gain height, so turn round.

A guide does this pacing for you. Reviewers of the guided summit hike mention a guide who adapted himself to their rhythm, and a couple in their sixties who found it tough going but well worth the effort with plenty of stops. That is the difference between a hike you enjoy and one you endure.

How long should you stay on top?

Plan 30 minutes to an hour on the top after a hike, for the views, a drink and a short walk along the edge. Add about 2 hours if you want to walk to Maclear's Beacon.

Platteklip Gorge comes out a short walk from the Upper Cable Station, with its cafe, restaurant, toilets and viewing terraces. The short marked walks near the station take 15 to 45 minutes, and short guided walks are included with your cableway visit. If you walk down rather than ride, keep your stop shorter so you finish in good light.

On a clear day you will want longer than you planned, and on a cloudy one you may see nothing at all: the tablecloth can pour over the edge in minutes and lift again just as fast. What there is to see and do up there is in the guide to the top of Table Mountain.

How do you plan the day around wind and the last car down?

Start early, check the cableway status and the wind forecast before you set off, and keep an eye on the time on the way up. If the cars are not running, or you might miss the last one, plan to walk down Platteklip.

Wind is the usual reason the cableway stops, and the summit is much windier than the city. In summer the south-easter often builds during the day, so a morning start gives you the calmest hours, the coolest air and the least crowded path. Platteklip faces north and gets full sun from mid-morning. Before you leave, check the live status on tablemountain.net and its app; if it is already closed, you can still hike, but plan the full day on foot.

Work backwards from the last car down: add your time up and an hour on the top, and start well before that. Remember the cableway also closes for about two weeks each winter for maintenance (27 July to 9 August in 2026); the trails stay open. Which months and hours are best is covered in the best time to hike Table Mountain.

What if the cableway closes while you are on top?

Walk down Platteklip Gorge. It is the nearest and easiest way down from the cable station, about 1.5 to 2 hours on foot, and it is the route the cableway company expects hikers to use.

The cableway company advises every hiker to be prepared to hike down if necessary, and that is simply part of the plan on Table Mountain. From the Upper Cable Station, follow the edge east to the top of Platteklip Gorge; the path is signposted and busy. Do not look for a shortcut, and never head down India Venster or an unfamiliar ravine. Keep a warm layer on until you are below the wind, and carry a head torch in case the walk ends near dusk.

This is one of the practical things a guide handles. Guides watch the forecast, choose a route and timing that leave room for the walk down, and know the fastest safe line in cloud. The guided hikes are compared on the homepage.

Frequently asked questions