Table Mountain

visit table mountain cable car cape town south africa

With Table Mountain being one of Cape Town‘s best known features, of course I had to add it to my must-do list. First I was thinking I’d hike up, but because of limited time, I had to do the cable car, which has been operating since 1929. When I was onboard going up, and saw the people hiking, I was kind of glad I didn’t have time, because some of the parts are real steep. Don’t understand how they were able to climb some of the sections. The cable car is a pretty airy ride itself, and it rotates so that everybody get to see everything. All onboard didn’t quite understand the concept, so they started moving as the floor started rotating, running into others in their desperate hunt for photos… Once you’re at the top you are given an unlimited amount of splendid views, and maybe, as I was, surprised by the look of it. I, for some reason, thought it was going to be fairly flat… Have no idea why I believed that 🙂 It is actually very rocky, and even though there are three trails (of different lengths; Dassie Walk 15 minutes, Agama Walk 30 minutes, and Klipspringer Walk 45 minutes) in some places you have to find your own way between the rocks. I did the 45 mins walk, but I would have loved to hiked over to the mountain top next to Table Mountain, you just continue at the end of the plateau. Still I am very glad with what I got, and I am very glad I went early. When I got back to the upper cable station to go down, there were a lot more people who had arrived, and still more were in line at the bottom to get up. I guess that’s what happens once the tablecloth, the clouds that tumble over and down the mountain slopes like billowing fabric, is removed 🙂

If you are travelling by public transportation, there is a free shuttle going from Kloof Nek/Lower Tafelberg bus stop to Upper Tafelberg, and back down again. Now here is a couple of tips. Get there early! I was there 30 min before opening and lines were already forming. There are two lines. One for those who have already bought a ticket – do that beforehand if possible – and one line for those who don’t have a ticket – including me 🙁 How stupid did all of us who were in that latter line feel when the other line started moving at “high” speed, and we were standing still… Next there is a line for the elevator (you can take the stairs, two floors), and then a line for the cable car. If you need refreshments, there are cafes and shops at both the lower and upper cable car station.

Website: sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions

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0 thoughts on “Table Mountain

  1. You made me laugh with the story about people scrambling around the cable car trying to stay in the spot they started in! I’m not the best with heights, especially when you’re climbing them on narrow or hairy paths, so maybe the cable car would be for me as well! #CityTripping

    1. Yes, like turning around and going the opposite way on a busy moving walkway 🙂 What I saw of the path didn’t look too bad, but how to climb a ledge a bit taller than myself with no climbing gear or friends, I don’t know how to do. I can do heights to a certain extent, the end of the cable car trip I felt a bit uneasy.

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