Which route fits you, which guided hike walks it, what it costs per person. Plus the detail most listings bury: none of these hikes include the cable car ride down.
Pick a day, or the first and last day of your stay in Cape Town. We check the booking calendar of every guided hike on Table Mountain and Lion’s Head and show which ones still have places.
In the next 7 days, all 8 tours on this page still have places.
Route: Lion’s Head or Table Mountain
Route: Lion’s Head or Table Mountain
Route: Table Mountain, route set by the guide
Route: India Venster
Route: Skeleton Gorge (Kirstenbosch)
Route: Kasteelspoort
Route: Lion’s Head
Route: Lion’s Head
Table Mountain rises straight out of Cape Town, and there is more than one way up: the direct Platteklip Gorge on the city side, the India Venster scramble, Skeleton Gorge from Kirstenbosch garden, or Kasteelspoort on the Atlantic side. Lion’s Head next door is the shorter, steeper summit that people climb for sunrise and sunset. The guided hikes below walk these routes with local guides, and they differ more than their titles suggest.
The biggest difference is one you only find in the small print: the cable car. None of the guided hikes here include the ride down. If you want it, you buy the descent ticket separately (online or at the top station), and on windy days, when the cable car stops, you walk down. Each card below says what is in and what is not.
Table Mountain and Lion’s Head, with route, duration and the cable car question answered on every card. Open a card for what the operator lists as included and excluded.
Pick your mountain when you book: Lion’s Head in about two and a half hours, or Table Mountain in about three and a half. Pickup is optional; the cable car ride down is not included.
One booking, two mountains: you choose between a guided hike up Lion's Head and a guided hike up Table Mountain. Lion's Head is the shorter outing; the Table Mountain option runs to about three and a half hours.
The cable car is not part of this booking. If you want to ride down from the top of Table Mountain, the descent ticket is bought separately, online or at the top station. Hotel pickup is available as an option.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
A guided hike of three to three and a half hours, timed for first or last light, on either mountain. The cable car is not included.
A guided hike timed for the light: sunrise or sunset, on Lion's Head or on Table Mountain. The cable car is not included; on the Table Mountain option, a ride down means buying the descent ticket separately, online or at the top station.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
Three hours to the summit plateau with a guide. The product title mentions a cable car descent, but the ticket is listed as not included, so plan to buy it separately or walk down.
A guided hike to the summit plateau of Table Mountain.
One point to read carefully: the product title mentions a descent by cable car, but the cable car ticket is listed under what is not included. Plan to buy the descent ticket separately (online or at the top station) or to walk down.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
The scrambling route up the front of Table Mountain, with a guide, over four and a half hours. For sure-footed hikers with a head for heights. Cable car not included.
India Venster is the adventurous way up the front of Table Mountain: a steep route with scrambling sections where you use your hands as well as your feet. This half-day hike takes it with a guide.
The cable car is not included. For the ride down, the descent ticket is bought separately, online or at the top station.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
Table Mountain from the back, starting in Kirstenbosch garden. Listed at three and a half hours; pickup and the garden entrance fee are not included.
Table Mountain from the back: the hike starts in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and climbs Skeleton Gorge towards the plateau.
Hotel pickup and the Kirstenbosch entrance fee are not included in this booking.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
The Atlantic-side route past the Diving Board photo ledge, with transport included. Four hours; the cable car is not included.
Kasteelspoort climbs Table Mountain from the Atlantic side, away from the city face, and passes the Diving Board, a rock ledge that is one of the mountain's best-known photo spots.
Transport is included. The cable car is not: for the ride down, the descent ticket is bought separately, online or at the top station.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
Lion’s Head at first or last light, with coffee or tea on the sunrise hike. It runs four hours, the roomiest time frame for this peak on this site.
A guided Lion's Head hike at sunrise or sunset. The title mentions coffee; according to the product page, coffee or tea is served on the sunrise hike only. Head torches are provided, and hotel pickup is available as an option. At four hours it is the most generous time frame among the Lion's Head hikes on this site.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
A three-and-a-half-hour guided Lion’s Head hike at sunrise or sunset. Transport is not included, so you meet at the start.
A guided Lion's Head hike at sunrise or sunset in a group of up to 8, with snacks and coffee included. There are two ways up: a shorter, steeper line with chains and ladders, or a longer route along the ridge. Transport and water are not included, so you make your own way to the start.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
For anyone in your group who would rather ride up: the one product on this site that includes the cable car, return.
Not a hike: a return cable car ride plus a one-day hop-on hop-off bus ticket covering three routes. The one product on this site that includes the cable car.
Not a hike: a return ride on the Table Mountain cable car combined with a one-day hop-on hop-off bus ticket covering three routes. The bus stops at the lower cable car station.
The cable car stops running in strong wind; check the product page for how a closure is handled.
From the operator’s listing on the booking page, including whether the cable car is part of it.
Platteklip Gorge is direct and exposed to the sun, India Venster is a scramble, Skeleton Gorge starts in Kirstenbosch garden, and Kasteelspoort passes the Diving Board. Our route guide matches each route to the guided hike that walks it, and it covers Lion’s Head at sunrise and sunset too.
Compare the routesEach pick stands out on one point: the summit, the light, the back of the mountain or the budget. All guided hikes are in the comparison table further down.
Three hours to the summit plateau of Table Mountain in a small group, on a route the guide picks for the day’s conditions. Riding down by cable car is optional, and the ticket is not included. Not suitable for children under 4.
Lion’s Head at sunrise or sunset in a group of up to 8, with snacks and coffee included. You take the shorter, steeper line with chains and ladders or the longer way along the ridge. Getting to the start is up to you.
Table Mountain from the back: Skeleton Gorge from Kirstenbosch garden by the Smuts Track, 3.5 hours. You get to Kirstenbosch yourself and pay the garden entrance there. Not suitable for children under 12.
Sunrise or sunset on Lion’s Head or Table Mountain in a small group, 3 to 3.5 hours, with head torches. The guide sets the route by the weather and the group’s fitness, and German-speaking guides come along when available.
Tell us what you want from the mountain and how you get to the start, and we suggest the hike that fits.
Question 1 of 2
Question 2 of 2
No tour fits every answer, so here is the closest one.
Three hours to the summit plateau in a small group, on the route the guide picks for the day’s conditions. Children can join from age 4; the cable car ticket for the way down is not included.
You choose Lion’s Head or Table Mountain when you book, on Table Mountain by Platteklip Gorge or India Venster. Hotel pickup can be added, and the cable car ticket for the way down is bought at the top.
India Venster with a guide over 4.5 hours, in a group of up to 10, with a grade B scrambling section on the way up. From age 12; the cable car ride down is not included.
The Atlantic side past the Diving Board, 4 hours in a group of up to 10. Transport from and to your accommodation in the City Bowl, water and a snack are included.
Up the back of the mountain from Kirstenbosch garden, 3.5 hours. You get to Kirstenbosch yourself and pay the garden entrance there; from age 12.
Four hours on Lion’s Head at sunrise or sunset, with head torches. Hotel pickup can be added, and coffee or tea comes with the sunrise hike; from age 12.
Sunrise or sunset on Lion’s Head or Table Mountain, 3 to 3.5 hours with head torches. The guide sets the route by the weather and the group, and hotel pickup is a separate option on request.
Lion’s Head at sunrise or sunset in a group of up to 8, with snacks and coffee. You meet the guide at the start, because transport is not included.
Also a good fit
Sort the hikes by duration or price with a tap on the column header.
| Photo | Hike | What's in it | Rating ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
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Lion’s Head or Table Mountain Guided Hike | Guide · Lion’s Head or Table Mountain · pickup optional · cable car not included · 2.5 h (Table Mountain about 3.5 h) | ★ 5.0 (2,421) | R 900 per person | Book now |
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Sunrise or Sunset Hike (Lion’s Head or Table Mountain) | Guide · sunrise or sunset · cable car not included · 3–3.5 h | ★ 5.0 (888) | R 810 per person | Book now |
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Table Mountain Guided Summit Hike | Guide · summit plateau · cable car not included despite the title · 3 h | ★ 4.9 (825) | R 1,250 per person | Book now |
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Lion’s Head Sunrise or Sunset Hike with Coffee | Guide · sunrise or sunset · coffee or tea at sunrise · 4 h | ★ 5.0 (411) | R 1,026 per person | Book now |
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Guided Lion’s Head Hike at Sunrise or Sunset | Guide · sunrise or sunset · snacks and coffee · transport not included · 3.5 h | ★ 4.9 (312) | R 1,200 per person | Book now |
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Skeleton Gorge & Kirstenbosch Hike | Guide · from Kirstenbosch · pickup and garden entry not included · 3.5 h | ★ 4.9 (37) | R 1,350 per person | Book now |
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Kasteelspoort & Diving Board Hike | Guide · transport included · cable car not included · 4 h | ★ 4.9 (19) | R 2,000 per person | Book now |
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Half-Day India Venster Hike | Guide · scrambling route · cable car not included · 4.5 h | ★ 4.9 (18) | R 950 per person | Book now |
Prices per person come live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees. The cable car descent ticket is not part of any hike price. “What’s in it” summarises the product page, so check the full inclusions there before you book.
Route, sunrise or sunset option, hotel pickup, group size and minimum age, taken from the listings. Where a listing gives no figure, the field says so.
| Tour | Route | Sunrise or sunset | Hotel pickup | Group size | Minimum age | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lion’s Head or Table Mountain Guided Hike | Lion’s Head or Table Mountain | Yes | Optional extra | Not stated | Not stated | 2.5–3.5 h |
| Sunrise or Sunset Hike on Lion’s Head or Table Mountain | Lion’s Head or Table Mountain | Yes | Optional extra | Not stated | Not stated | 3–3.5 h |
| Table Mountain Guided Summit Hike | Table Mountain, route set by the guide | No | Optional extra | Not stated | From 4 | 3 h |
| Half-Day India Venster Hike | India Venster | No | Not stated | Up to 10 | From 12 | 4.5 h |
| Skeleton Gorge & Kirstenbosch Hike | Skeleton Gorge (Kirstenbosch) | No | Not included | Not stated | From 12 | 3.5 h |
| Kasteelspoort & Diving Board Hike | Kasteelspoort | No | Included | Up to 10 | Not stated | 4 h |
| Lion’s Head Sunrise or Sunset Hike with Coffee | Lion’s Head | Yes | Optional extra | Not stated | From 12 | 4 h |
| Guided Lion’s Head Hike at Sunrise or Sunset | Lion’s Head | Yes | Not included | Up to 8 | Not stated | 3.5 h |
From the GetYourGuide listings, checked in October 2026. The duration is the operator's figure. The cable car ticket is not part of any hike.
The cable car is not part of any hike. Buy the descent ticket separately (online or at the top station) or plan to walk down. One summit hike mentions a cable car descent in its title, but the ticket is listed as not included. Wind closes the cable car. According to the operator it stands still on roughly 60 to 90 days a year, and on those days the only way down is on foot. Summer heat is real on the front of the mountain. Platteklip Gorge faces north with little shade, so start early and carry more water than you think you need. It is harder than it looks. In November 2025 alone, rescue teams were called out for an exhausted hiker on Platteklip Gorge and for a group stranded on the mountain in the dark after the cable car had closed.
Armed robberies on hiking trails in Table Mountain National Park were reported during 2025, and in January 2026 a couple was attacked on The Glen trail off Upper Kloof Road. SANParks has deployed additional ranger units in the park. It is a reason to plan rather than to stay away: hike in daylight, keep valuables to a minimum, stay on the main routes, and consider going with a guide: someone who knows the mountain and means you are not on the trail alone.
The hop-on hop-off bus stops at the lower cable car station, and our sister site hoponcapetown.com covers the bus tickets. Seeing the mountain from the air is the job of capetown-helicopter.com, and if you would like to pair a day on the peninsula or in the vineyards with your hike, visitcapepoint.com and capewinelandstour.com cover those day tours.
Hikers on Table Mountain and Lion’s Head, quoted from GetYourGuide.
★ 5.0 (2,421 reviews)
“The communication ahead of this trip was great and everything ran very smoothly. Idrees was our guide. He picked us up exactly on time and we managed to start the walk slightly early. We had a small group which was perfect and Idrees was an awesome guide. He removed all my nerves with not being an expert hiker & I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The views from the top were sublime. …”
“Great experience! Felt very safe with Kurt and the view were spectacular. Definitely a must do in Cape Town”
“We had an amazing time with Codi as our guide. He was really attentive, fun and made sure everyone felt comfortable and safe. He also shared a little bit about the history and gave good recommendations for after the hike.”
“Our guide Mbuyie was absolutely fantastic. It was just me, my husband and him on the hike and it was brilliant. Despite the fog and weather our hike was so enjoyable and it was great to spend a few hours talking and sharing stories with a local from South Africa. Despite not being able to see the views he ensured to take our photograph and was a pleasure to be around.”
“Breathtaking views. However "hike" was perhaps a wrong name. It is more like a climb.”
“Sure, the Lions Head hike with sunset is definitely a must and absolutely beautiful. … Also, it was a larger group, and hardly any attention was paid to the last few people…”
“It was a bad experience since it was all cloudy and there was no sunset or views”
Praise for this hike centres on the guides: attentive, patient with nervous first-timers, and making the group feel safe. The critical reviews point to three things. Cloud: two reviewers had no view at all, and one of them felt the hike should have been postponed in poor weather. It went ahead in both cases, while another reviewer walked in fog and still gave five stars. Effort: one reviewer found the hike “more like a climb”: the upper section of Lion’s Head has chains and ladders, so expect to use your hands in places. Group size: one reviewer was in a larger group where the last few people got little attention. A guided hike cannot promise a view, and if pace worries you, tell the guide at the start.
Reviews collected from the hikes' GetYourGuide pages. Shortened for length (marked with …), wording unchanged; names reduced to first name and country.
Most listings for Table Mountain hikes do not say plainly whether the ride down is included. We checked every hike on this page against its product page, cable car included, and wrote down the same facts for each. When you book through a link here, GetYourGuide pays us a small commission out of its own margin; your ticket price stays the same. We are an independent site, not SANParks and not the cableway company.
Cable car, difficulty, safety, heat and cancellation, answered briefly.
No. None of the guided hikes on this site include the cable car. If you want to ride down from the top of Table Mountain, the descent ticket is bought separately, online or at the top station. One summit hike mentions a cable car descent in its title, but its product page lists the ticket as not included. The only product here that includes the cable car is the cableway and hop-on hop-off bus combination, which is a sightseeing ticket rather than a hike.
Platteklip Gorge is the direct route up the front of the mountain and the usual choice for a first summit. India Venster is a steep scramble for sure-footed hikers with a head for heights. Skeleton Gorge climbs the back of the mountain from Kirstenbosch garden, and Kasteelspoort comes up from the Atlantic side past the Diving Board photo ledge. Our route guide compares them in detail and names the guided hike that walks each one.
Lion’s Head is the shorter outing (the guided hikes run from two and a half to four hours) and the classic choice for sunrise or sunset. The upper section has chains and ladders. Table Mountain is the bigger climb with more route choice, and the cable car gives you an option for the way down. If you can only do one, pick Lion’s Head for the light and Table Mountain for the summit plateau.
Harder than it looks from the city. Even Platteklip Gorge, the most direct route, is a steady, steep climb, and rescue teams have repeatedly been called out for hikers who ran out of energy or daylight. Start early, carry plenty of water, and choose a route that matches your fitness rather than your ambition.
Armed robberies on hiking trails in Table Mountain National Park were reported in 2025 and again in January 2026, and SANParks has deployed additional ranger units in the park. Hiking with a guide or in a group, keeping valuables to a minimum and staying on the main routes in daylight are sensible precautions. The risk is real, and it is a reason to plan the hike rather than improvise it.
The Table Mountain cable car stops running in strong wind. According to the operator, that happens on roughly 60 to 90 days a year. On those days the way down is on foot, which takes time and is hard on the knees. Before you set off, keep in mind that a closure can happen while you are on the mountain.
Early. Platteklip Gorge faces north and has little shade, so summer afternoons on the front of the mountain get hot. Morning starts avoid the worst of the heat, and sunrise hikes on Lion’s Head get you down before the day warms up. Watch the forecast for strong southeasterly wind and for the “tablecloth” cloud that can cover the summit.
Every tour on this site offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. The policy shown at checkout on the product page is the binding one, so give it a quick look before you book.
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