Hiking Cape Town's Table Mountain With Children
Table Mountain is Cape Town's iconic natural landmark, dominating the skyline. It is a popular attraction for hikers who tackle its trails to reach the top and enjoy the spectacular views across the bay and out to Robben Island.
A cable car trip up Table Mountain was high on our South Africa itinerary, but somehow, with persuasion from the kids, we ended up hiking up this formidable mountain instead. Madness - maybe, but a memory that will last a lifetime.
In this post, you can read about our epic adventure of climbing to the summit of Table Mountain.
This article may contain affiliate links - Please read my full disclaimer.
How we ended up hiking to the top of Table Mountain
Crowds and hot weather are not a good combination
We never woke up intending to hike to the top of Table Mountain; it couldn't have been further from our minds. Yesterday, the mist and fog had blanketed the mountain, and the cable car was not running because of the inclement weather.
However, the sun was out today, and Table Mountain stood resplendent in its rays. We jumped in the car and eagerly made our way to the cable car station in anticipation of our ride to the top of Cape Town's most famous landmark.
Plans soon backfired as we arrived to see an almost endless queue waiting in line to board the cable car. I am referring to hundreds of visitors standing in the direct glare of the sun's rays with no shade.
Now I'm not too fond of queues, and even though this was our only chance to venture onto the mountain top, there was no way I was ready to add myself and my family to the end of what looked like a never-ending line. We knew we were moving on from Cape Town the following day, but sometimes you have to choose the correct judgment for your own family, and mine was not to join that queue!
Let's just hike to the waterfall, he said!
As a consolation, we decided to continue past the cable car queue and drive further along the road so we could at least take some photographs to prove we had come this far. And that's when it happened.
Jamie, my older son, spotted a waterfall a little way up from the roadside, and before we knew it, he had convinced the rest of us to go up and take a closer look. Puffing and panting to get to the waterfall, I foolishly thought that this would be our Table Mountain experience, and we would soon be heading back to the car for refreshments and some air conditioning. Wrong!
Jamie had convinced his 14-year-old brother and my husband that it would be the best experience ever if we hiked to the top of Table Mountain. Between the four of us, we have Jamie, who loves adventure and climbing, Dominic, who goes with the flow, my husband, who hates walking (unless it involves a coffee stop at the end), and me, who is happy to try anything once!
The first stage of our Table Mountain hike
We started up the steps, or should I say boulders, at Plattekip Gorge, which led the way to the top of the world and collided with runners coming back down.
It transpires that there is a Table Mountain running club. It encourages its members to run up and then back down daily, and as they passed us by, it looked as if they had walked to the corner shop rather than defeat a mountain. One guy even overtook us as we were going up and then returned by us on his way down. Oh, to be that fit!
Let me reiterate that this hike had not been pre-planned, and therefore, we didn't have the right footwear or enough water, think sandals and flip-flops, which made the climb even harder, and we were always stopping to rest.
The camaraderie with other hikers along the way kept us going. We overtook them, then they passed us, always with that knowing nod to one another that we were all suffering, but the reward would be worth it.
Each time Dominic stopped for a rest, I encouraged him to continue moving quickly, fearful that if he sat down for too long, he would be unable to continue. The views from the mountain as we climbed higher were awe-inspiring, and we even encountered some furry creatures along the way, called Cape Rock Hyraxes, that reminded us of large guinea pigs.
Reaching the peak
Finally, after what seemed a lifetime but was, in reality, nearly 4 hours, we heard the sound of panpipes. Were we delusional? Had we succumbed to heatstroke? No, all was well apart from sweat in places I didn't know existed. Turning the corner, we saw a lone man sitting against a rock playing panpipes and selling water. Hooray, we wouldn't die on the mountain of dehydration, and if he had carried water to this spot, then we couldn't be too far from the top. Right?
It turned out to be another 30-minute climb, with legs like jelly and mouths like the bottom of a birdcage, until we eventually reached the plateau at an altitude of 1,085m. We hugged it out as if we were finalists in some warped endurance race and found inner pride in accomplishing this feat as a family.
The view from the top of Table Mountain
We wandered around the top of Table Mountain, admiring the views out over Cape Town and out to Robben Island, Nelson Mandela's home, for so many years. We took photographs and, of course, visited the cafe where Dominic and Jamie devoured their ice-cream rewards, and my husband got the coffee he had been yearning for on the way up the mountain; well, a promise is a promise.
And as for me, I've had the opportunity to experience something in my lifetime that I still talk about to this day. In fact, without Jamie suggesting we attempt our Table Mountain hike, I wouldn't be sharing my story with you today, so I am thankful that he did, and we all shared this unique experience.
If you wonder whether we hiked back down the mountain, the answer is no. We queued for the Table Mountain cable car, which in 5 minutes had us back at the bottom!!
Advice for your hike up Table Mountain
Check the weather 24 hours in advance.
Have plenty of water and a snack.
Use factor 50 sunscreen.
Wear a hat.
Wear sturdy walking shoes; this is a tough hike.
Be aware of the time you start your Table Mountain hike to allow enough time to reach the top and then return before the cable car closes or it starts to get dark.
If you don't want to climb Table Mountain independently, you can book to hike with a professional guide, who will help you navigate your way to the top.
Need help planning your next holiday?
Please check out my curated Travel Resources Guide for the exact booking platforms, transport tools, and eSIMs I use on my travels.
HEADING TO SOUTH AFRICA? PLEASE CHECK OUT MY TRAVEL GUIDES ↓
12 Best Things To Do In Cape Town
10 Sensational Cape Peninsula Landmarks Worth Visiting From Cape Town
How to Visit the Penguins in Cape Town on Boulders Beach
11 Best Cape Town Wine Tasting Vineyards in South Africa
Knysna Elephant Park: The Ultimate Elephant Sleepover In South Africa
Quatermain’s Safari Camp Review: 3-Nights In Amakhala Game Reserve
10 Ethical Animal Experiences Along South Africa’s Garden Route
How to See Storms River Suspension Bridge in Tsitsikamma
The Most Incredible Lion Encounter in South Africa
Is Johannesburg Safe For Tourists To Visit?
Don Pedro Recipe: South Africa’s Alcoholic Milkshake For Adults
The Most Perfect Two-Week South Africa Garden Route Itinerary
How to Go Great White Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, South Africa
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve Review: A Luxury Stay in South Africa
Top Luxury Safari Lodges in South Africa You’ll Want To Visit
Angela Price: is an accomplished travel writer bringing extensive expertise and passion to the world of travel.
With over 40 years of globetrotting adventures under her belt and with a keen eye for unique experiences, she has established herself as an authoritative voice in travel, offering invaluable insights for fellow adventurers seeking to uncover the delights of worldwide destinations.
Her motto is “live life wandering not wondering”. Read more about Angie.
Well done Jamie for pushing your family out of its comfort zone and gaining a memorable experience! The 5 minute cable car down would have seemed not fair based on the feat to get to the top!
We weren't too happy with Jamie at the time but on hindsight, it was one of the most amazing things we have done and we still talk about it to this day.
We took the bus to the cable car and the cable car up. But I am now sorry we did not hike to find the waterfall or to the summit. But you got an amazing day for views from Table Mountain. I do like the idea of getting a profession guide. We were surprised at how quickly the weather changed. So would definitely wait for a fully clear day.
Wow, what an amazing experience. I can only imaginr the joy and exhilaration you must have felt on reaching the top.
It really was a great experience to have with my family. It was hard going but I’m glad I did it !
Hi Angie,
Those are spectacular pictures, and I haven't seen weather that clear for a veerrry long time..!
I do a bit of hiking here in Hong Kong. We have some wonderful trails here but I, too, have experienced the chastening feeling when some fitness fanatic runs past me on the way up and again on the way down, while I'm still gasping my way up..!
I'm glad you enjoyed your trip 🙂
Thanks for your comment Martin, it was a great trip and one we still laugh about several years later. We started to do the Hong Kong peak trail a few years back but were unsure how long it would go on for so turned back due to insufficient time. If you like hiking and ever get to Tasmania there are some stunning trails there.
Yes, I bet there are some spectacular trails in Tasmania!
None of the trails on HK Island take longer than 3 or 4 hours. The MacLehose Trail (100KMs) and Lantau Trail (75KMs) obviously take longer (around 20 hours for the MacLehose) but you can do individual stages of them, which you can generally complete in anywhere from 2 to 5 hours, depending on the stage.
Love this article! Sounds like a wonderful experience that I will get my partner to do with me at some point! Thanks for the tips too i’ll remember to pack some lightweight walking shoes! Keep up with the posts I love reading them!
Thanks Chloe. It was a very special experience to have with my family so I hope you can experience it with yours one day if you ever get to South Africa 😃
You had wonderful experience to Table mountain of South Africa. The view from top is stunning.Most wonderful part of your hike is that it was unexpected. Thanks for all wonderful tips.
I am glad you enjoyed reading about my experience. It was unexpected but I am so glad we did it.
What a fabulous experience Angie, and you have created a wonderful memory that will stick with you forever. It's impromptu adventures like that you'll recall with affection for years to come, as the pain and exertion of the experience fades. We did something similar up a mountain in Palm Springs, not the right footwear and not enough water, and we were dehydrated for days afterwards!
It was a fabulous experience and one we still talk about if anyone tells us they are travelling to South Africa. Your Palm Springs hike sounds pretty similar !
The view once you get to the top is BEAUTIFUL!! That's awesome you got to see all the animals & wildlife that you did. Thanks for sharing this hike!
Glad you enjoyed reading about it 😃
Looks and sounds like a wonderful journey. I'm not sure I would have braved it. It's great that your family is cooperative and encouraging of each others' interests. I'm sure your son appreciated you all agreeing to follow his adventurous heart...and you were all rewarded with gorgeous views and sweet treats at the end. Way to go!
It was a wonderful experience and my sons are a lot older now but still remember every moment of it, including the ice-cream treats at the top!
A well-written blog about your impromptu adventure. I felt as if I was with you in this hike. No coffee or ice-cream for you?
No just water and a lot of it 🤣
I am right with you sister, I hate queues as well! We once stood in line for a few hours in Istanbul, to enter a museum, in like 30 degrees heat with no shade. I was about to explode, I should have had a hat!
Glad you enjoyed the hike!
It was memorable!
My son spent almost 3 weeks in South Africa and he says it was the best experience ever. He has been all over the world but the Table Mountain is one place he thoroughly enjoyed. I am much encouraged both by his and your experience here to give it go.
It is a wonderful country. I have so much more to write about. If you can then I would recommend a trip especially along the garden route
I love it when plans don’t quite come together as planned but end up working out so much better. I love that smug feeling you get when you’ve finished a hike. Great post, even though half my relatives are from Capetown, haven’t made it out there myself yet.
Yes, we did give ourselves a pat on the back when we made it to the top. Sometimes the best experiences come from the unknown and unplanned and this was definitely one of them!
Wow, I have hiked down Table Mountain but not up. This sounds like a proper random adventure! Definitely worth it! Well done!
Thank You! It was very tiring but a great experience.
This must have been an amazing experience for you and your family, definitely a story to be told here and you told it so well! For me, as I’m sure many would agree, this is on my bucket list but to have the chance to fulfil this in the way you have with your family is a once in a life time opportunity, very jealous!! Another great read Angie 😁
Thank you Nic. It definitely was a bucket list trip and to be able to share such an unforgettable experience with my children is one I will always treasure 😃
Wow. What an amazing experience. Was the coffee worth the trip 😆
I think for my husband it was worth all the hard work to get to the top for his coffee!