Lion's Head or Table Mountain?

Is it better to hike Table Mountain or Lion's Head?

Neither is better; they suit different days. Table Mountain is the longer, steeper hike to the famous plateau, with the cableway as a way down, while Lion's Head is shorter, easier overall and the best place in the city for sunrise or sunset.

The table compares Lion's Head with Platteklip Gorge, the most direct route up Table Mountain. Other routes up Table Mountain are longer (Skeleton Gorge, Kasteelspoort) or harder (India Venster), but the balance stays the same: Table Mountain asks for more time and more legs, Lion's Head gives you a big view for a smaller effort. Distances and times for Lion's Head come from hiking guides rather than an official source, so treat them as good approximations.

One practical difference decides a lot: on Table Mountain the cableway can carry you down, as long as the wind lets it run. On Lion's Head you always walk down the way you came, so your legs do the full return.

Is Lion's Head a difficult hike?

Moderate. It is steep and rocky near the top, with short sections on metal staples and chains, but it is short, and it is easier and quicker than any route up Table Mountain. Anyone reasonably fit who is comfortable on uneven rock can do it.

The lower half is a wide, gravelly path that winds gently round the peak through fynbos, with the Atlantic on one side and the city on the other. It gets steeper and rockier as you go up. On the upper part of the main route, you pull yourself up a few rock steps using metal staples fixed into the rock, and a narrow ledge has chain handrails; one short ladder is part of the same stretch. These sections are brief and well worn, but they need a steady head, dry rock and both hands on the rock, so carry your things in a daypack.

If you would rather not use the staples, a bypass path goes round them and rejoins the route below the summit. It is still rocky, but it has no fixed metal. The last stretch to the top is a rocky walk over big boulders on either route, with plenty of people to follow. Coming down is often harder than going up on the rocky parts: take your time and face the rock where it is steep. Sturdy shoes with grip matter more here than on Platteklip. For the effort Table Mountain asks by comparison, see how hard and how safe Table Mountain is.

What is the Lion's Head trail like from start to top?

The trail starts from Signal Hill Road just above Kloof Nek and spirals round the peak, so the view changes as you walk: first the Atlantic and Camps Bay, then the city, Table Bay and the front of Table Mountain.

• The start: a parking area on Signal Hill Road, a short drive from the city centre. There is no gate or ticket; the trail is open to everyone.
• The lower slopes: a broad path through fynbos with views over Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles, the long line of peaks that runs south from Table Mountain.
• The middle section: the path narrows and swings round to the city side, with Robben Island in Table Bay and the Waterfront below.
• The upper section: the choice between the staples and chains and the bypass path, then rocky steps to the top.
• The summit: a small rocky top with room to sit, 669 m above the sea, facing Table Mountain across Kloof Nek.

Allow roughly 1 to 1.5 hours up and a little less down, plus time on the top. At sunrise and sunset the summit fills up, so arrive a little early for a spot. Watch the edges: the top has no railings. For every route on the bigger mountain across the saddle, see the Table Mountain routes.

Should you hike Lion's Head at sunrise, sunset or full moon?

Sunrise is the calmest and least crowded of the three; sunset gives the warmest light over the Atlantic; the full-moon evening is the most social and the busiest. In all three you walk part of the way in the dark, so carry a head torch.

Sunrise: you start in the dark and reach the top as the sun comes up behind the mountains to the east, lighting the front of Table Mountain and the city. Sunrise is roughly 5:30 am in midsummer and nearly 8 am in midwinter, so a summer sunrise hike means a very early alarm. Sunset: you walk up in daylight and watch the sun drop into the Atlantic beyond Camps Bay, then walk down by torchlight. Full moon: a local tradition, with the moon rising over the city as the sun sets; expect a queue at the chains.

Going with a guide takes the guesswork out of the dark sections. The Lion's Head or Table Mountain guided hike (5.0 from 2,269 reviews, the most-reviewed hike on this site) provides torches or head lamps for the sunrise hike, and on the sunset option takes you down to a quieter lower spot. Reviewers say the guides learn everyone's names and respect each person's limits. Whichever time you choose, bring a warm layer: the summit is windy, and you will be standing still for a while.

Can you hike Table Mountain at sunrise too?

Yes, but plan the day so that you come down in daylight or by cableway. Hike up in the early light, spend time on the top, and ride down once the cars start running; never hike down Table Mountain in the dark.

A sunrise start on Table Mountain works well in summer, because the front face is still in shade and the air is cool. The catch is the way down. The cableway runs from about 8 or 8:30 am until early evening, later in summer, weather permitting, so after a dawn ascent you may wait a while on the top for the first car. That is no hardship on a clear morning, and the top is at its quietest then. Check tablemountain.net on the day for the running times and the wind.

What you should avoid is the reverse: a late start that leaves you hiking down Platteklip Gorge as the light goes. The steps are uneven, the path is steep, and the gorge darkens early. If you want a view at dusk, Lion's Head is the right hike for it. For start times by season, see the best time to hike Table Mountain.

Can you do both on one trip?

Yes, and most active visitors do, on different days. Hike Lion's Head first as a shorter warm-up, then keep your clearest, calmest morning for Table Mountain; doing both on the same day is possible for strong hikers but tiring.

• Day one: Lion's Head at sunrise or sunset. It shows you the layout of the city and Table Mountain's front face, and it tests your legs on steep, rocky ground.
• Day two or three: Table Mountain on the first morning with a clear forecast and light wind, so the cableway is likely to run for the way down.
• A windy day: if the south-easter is blowing hard and cloud sits on Table Mountain, Lion's Head is often below the cloud, though the summit will still be windy.
• Rest in between: Platteklip's steps are hard on the thighs, and the Lion's Head descent is rocky; one day between them helps.

Keep a spare day for Table Mountain in your plans if you can, because the weather decides more than anything else. A guide who can switch the route on the day helps here: the guided summit hike (4.9 from 781 reviews, the most-booked Table Mountain hike on this site) has a local guide choose the route by weather, crowds and group fitness, with regular stops.

What about Signal Hill?

Signal Hill is the lower, rounded hill joined to Lion's Head, and you can drive to the top. It is a viewpoint rather than a hike: good for a sunset picnic, or for anyone who wants the Lion's Head view without the walk.

Seen from the city, Lion's Head is the lion's head and Signal Hill is its body, stretching towards Sea Point. Signal Hill Road runs along it from Kloof Nek, past the Lion's Head trailhead, to parking areas at the far end with views over the Waterfront, Table Bay and Sea Point.

For hikers, Signal Hill is mainly the way to the Lion's Head trailhead and a place to bring the non-hikers in your group. If someone in your party would rather not walk at all, Signal Hill or the cableway to the top of Table Mountain gives them the views; the options for the top are in the guide to the top of Table Mountain.

Do you need a guide for Lion's Head or Table Mountain?

No, for either on a clear day: both main trails have no gate or ticket and are busy and easy to follow. A guide is most useful in the dark, on the chains of Lion's Head, on the quieter Table Mountain routes, and when you would like someone else to watch the weather.

Without a guide, hike in a group (SANParks suggests four or more), start in daylight or with a head torch on busy sunrise and sunset hikes, tell someone your plan, and stay on the main paths. Carry water, a warm and a waterproof layer, food and a charged phone, and keep valuables out of sight. Save the park's emergency number, 086 110 6417, and Wilderness Search and Rescue, 021 937 0300 (112 from a mobile). Rangers and volunteer patrols cover the popular trails, including Lion's Head and Platteklip Gorge.

With a guide, you get the timing, the route choice and someone who has done the chains hundreds of times. The Lion's Head sunrise or sunset hike (5.0 from 388 reviews) offers pickup or a meeting point at the trailhead, a registered guide, a first aid kit and weather monitoring, and the sunrise version comes with coffee or tea. Every hike in this guide gives a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours ahead; compare them on the homepage.

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