After spending an awesome first three days of our trip at Sun City, we took a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The plan during our stay in Cape Town was to visit Cape Point/ Cape of Good Hope, Boulder Beach, the Wine Country, Table Mountain and for the most part, just chill in and around Cape Town. Having visited some really beautiful mountains in Colorado, upstate New York, Vermont, etc, I was not super excited about visiting Table Mountain. I thought this was another check in the box kind of place.
We had booked our stay in Cape Town with Airbnb. The house we had rented was huge and felt just like home. Due to jet lag, I could not sleep properly the first night so I decided to go for an early morning brisk walk around 5am. While walking I ventured into De Waal Park and got a full view of the famous Table Mountain. Towards its right was the famous Lions Head Mountain (I still cannot figure out how it looks like a Lions Head – maybe it’s just me). I couldn’t clearly see the top of the Table Mountain as it was covered with the so called “table cloth”; orographic clouds. The “table cloth” symbolizes the smoking contest between the Devil and Van Hunks so I guess the battle was on 
.
When I returned to our Airbnb, we all decided to have breakfast on the terrace with a view of the Table Mountain. As we sipped hot coffee on the chilly terrace, there it was – at an elevation of about 3500 feet, stretching approximately 2 miles and named to match its visual facets – one of the most famous plateaus in the continent of Africa – The Table Mountain.
There are two ways to get to the Table Mountain; the cableway or hiking to the top. We booked our tickets for the cableway online and it saved us a lot of time as the queues to buy tickets at the counter can get quite long. There are many offers available throughout the year so make sure you check their website before you book your tickets. You can opt for either a return ticket or just a one way ticket for the cableway. There are only two cable cars so sometimes the wait can be long. The cable cars rotate 360 degrees during ascent and descent from the mountain, giving a beautiful panoramic view. When you get into the cable car, just secure any spot towards the outer side of the car to get a clear view. Don’t worry about where you stand as long as you stay on the outer side as the cable car will rotate constantly.
If you are a hiking enthusiast like us, you can hike up and down, or hike one way and take the cable car the other way. Hiking each way can take up to two to three hours but is quite an experience along with the stunning views. Table Mountain is also home to a wide array of flora and fauna that you can best witness while hiking. There are some plants and animals that are not found anywhere else in the world. If you’re not an experienced hiker, I would suggest taking the cableway going up and hiking on your way down. Summer might not be the best time for hiking as it can get really hot. If you do decide to hike in summer, carry plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Due to a time crunch, we decided to take the cableway but if given another chance I’ll definitely opt for hiking.
The ride to the top took an approximate 10 minutes. The one improvement I can think of is to allow a limited people in the cable car at a time rather than packing it up. The view from the top of the Table Mountain was breathtaking! No matter in which direction you look, it’s a picture perfect view. With Devil’s Peak to the east, Lion’s Head to the west, Robben Island to the north, Atlantic Ocean to the south and a 360 degree view of the amazing Cape Town, there is not a spot to be missed. At the eastern end is Maclear’s Beacon which is the highest peak on Table Mountain. I was surprised to see that we could get so close to the sides to take pictures and there was no one stopping us. But to be honest, having these unrestricted views was the best part. You can also see folks paragliding from the Lions Head and Signal Hill. I would have loved to do that; it would be a jaw dropping view to experience while paragliding with the Table Mountain on your left, Atlantic Ocean on your right and the entire city of Cape Town beneath.
For some reason, the line to get the ride back down on the cableway seemed to be much longer. If you need to take a break and grab a quick bite or drink, checkout the Table Mountain Café. It offers a decent variety of food and beverages and has wi-fi. There is also a terrace near the cableway entrance/ exits where many events and weddings are hosted.
I think I left Table Mountain with a lot more things added to my to do list. I guess I’ll have to make another visit to hike and paraglide in this majestic setting. I came here with just the notion that Table Mountain was an extremely popular tourist destination but I left with the understanding that it surely lives up to expectations – or should I say way more than expectations. The sheer size, natural beauty and the ecosystem it supports is simply amazing.
Here are some tips –
- If you decide to take the cableway to Table Mountain, check their website for special offers
- If you want to beat the crowds, go early and leave by mid-afternoon. It starts to get really busy towards late afternoon and evening, mainly because of the spectacular sunset views. Or maybe, don’t mind the crowds and stick around for some more awe-inspiring sights
- For the more adventurous folks, do check out the paragliding options from Lion’s Head and Signal Hill
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