Last Updated on October 5, 2024 by Hannah Stephenson
Ready to go hiking in Cape Town?
I think that going on a guided hike is a fantastic idea. It’s a lot safer than hiking alone. Plus, as someone who is directionally challenged, I prefer going with someone who knows the way. This is especially true when hiking Table Mountain!
Plus, guided tours often include any necessary equipment, such as headlamps for sunrise or sunset hikes, and even snacks or hotel pickup.
Booking a guided hike really does make everything so much easier, so all you need to worry about is choosing a reputable one. And that’s why I’ve written this blog post!
1. Kasteelspoort One-Way Guided Hike
Time: 4 hours
Distance: 10.8 kilometres
Elevation gain: around 600 metres
Difficulty: moderate
Price: R1,500 (plus R240 for the cable car)
The Kasteelspoort hike is my favourite route up Table Mountain, because it’s fairly quiet and the views are absolutely stunning.
It’s a beautiful trail that takes you up the western side of the mountain, offering amazing views of the Twelve Apostles, the beaches, and Lion’s Head. Tourists often overlook this route, so it tends to be pretty quieter, too.
I doubt that I would have found my way up without the help of someone who’d done the hike before, so I think it’s worth booking this guided hike. It’s much safer to hike in a group, too!
The tour stops at some of Cape Town’s most insane photo spots, like the Diving Board and the Woodhead Dam. I can tell you from experience that these spots are tricky to find on your own!
This tour is so convenient, too, as it includes hotel pickup and finishes at the Upper Cableway, so you ride down!
This is definitely my top pick of all of the guided hikes up Table Mountain, so don’t hesitate to grab your spot.
2. India Venster One-Way Guided Hike
Time: 4 hours
Distance: 3 kilometres
Elevation gain: 700 metres
Difficulty: Hard
Price: R1,500 (plus R240 on the day for the cable car)
India Venster is the most difficult route up Table Mountain, so unless you’re a pro hiker, I highly recommend going with a guide!
I think this top-rated tour is an excellent choice, especially because the guide, Dohann, is fantastic at encouraging the group and keeping the vibe up. And what he doesn’t know about Table Mountain really isn’t worth knowing!
The hike is challenging but do-able for anyone in decent shape. However, I won’t lie to you, if you’re going to do India Venster you do need a pretty good head for heights.
But if you do have the nerve for this one, you will get major bragging rights amongst the people of Cape Town!
The hike starts at the Lower Cableway Station and you can book it for 6 am or 8 am. The early start is definitely a good thing during the summer!
3. Lion’s Head Guided Hike – Sunrise or Sunset
Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 5.3 kilometres
Elevation gain: 400 metres
Difficulty: Moderate
Price: R980
I love hiking Lion’s Head because it’s a good workout but still very doable, and the views are spectacular. Doing this hike at sunrise or sunset is a bucket list experience, but I would strongly recommend joining a guided tour.
While I would happily do this hike alone during the day, going at sunrise or sunset means hiking one way in the dark. It’s just not really safe without a guide!
Plus, the second half of the Lion’s Head hike involves scrambling, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this in the dark without a guide. The price of the tour also includes headlights and torches, so you don’t have to worry about equipment.
The views from the Lion’s Head summit are pretty spectacular, as you can see in every direction, so this is an incredible place to watch the sun come up or go down. And the 250 5 star reviews certainly attest to that – you can read them here!
4. Abseil and Hike on Table Mountain
Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 2.5 kilometres
Elevation gain: 680 metres
Difficulty: Moderate
Price: R1,700 per person
In need of an even bigger adventure?
Well, fear not, because this hiking and abseiling adventure is here for you.
It starts off fairly easy with a hike up Platteklip Gorge, which is the most straightforward way of getting up the mountain.
And come on, abseiling off of Cape Town’s most famous landmark? That is definitely something to write home about.
The abseil team is so encouraging and will make you feel at ease (well, as at ease as it’s possible to feel when dangling off of a mountain). You’re free to grab a beer afterwards, and then you can take the cable car back down the mountain or walk back down Platteklip Gorge again, if you like!
5. Private Group Tour
Time: up to 6 hours
Price: from R2,488 per person
If there’s a group of you who are keen to do a guided hike, then I think that this tour is a fantastic choice.
What’s great about this tour is that it includes a private guide for just you and your group, who will pick you up from your accommodation and take you on whichever route you’d like – or recommend one for you if you can’t decide!
What’s great about private tours is that you really get to know your guide, and they can tailor the experience towards your specific needs. So for families and big groups of friends, I think that this tour is the ideal choice.
I also love the fact that this tour includes a picnic lunch, which is all prepared for you, and bottled water, so you can enjoy a lovely day out without having to plan a thing.
6. Kirstenbosch Gardens and Skeleton Gorge
Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 6.5 kilometres return
Elevation gain: 900 metres
Difficulty: Moderate
Price: R1,350 per person (plus Kirstenbosch entry fee)
Kill two birds with one stone on this guided hike up Skeleton Gorge.
I say this because the Skeleton Gorge route starts in the famous Kirstenbosch Gardens, which are said to be among the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world.
I mean, the location at the foothill of Table Mountain definitely gives them a bit of an advantage, and that’s before we get into the diversity and splendour of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Doing this hike with a guide means you get to learn all about the fascinating flora and fauna as you walk through the gardens and up the mountainside.
I find that this trail has a very “enchanted woodland” feel to it, and I love that it’s nicely shaded. Most trails in Cape Town leave you pretty exposed to the sun, which as a redhead, is a real issue!
Best of all, your guide will help you discover the secret Skeleton Gorge Beach on top of the mountain. That’s right people, there’s A BEACH up here. Cape Town never fails to amaze me.