Table Mountain: Day Trips and Tours from Cape Town

If you’re looking for pleasant discoveries, hiking, nature’s tranquility and breathtaking views, day trips to Table Mountain are just the adventure you’ve been waiting for.

Plan a day trip to Table Mountain from Cape Town and discover the great variety of historical and its natural attractions and, marvel at the great views while ascending in the Cableway’s revolving gondola.

Enjoy an unforgettable sunset picnic on the mountain or go tandem paragliding for the best views of the Cape.

Here's all you need to know about Table Mountain, one of the best destinations for day trips from Cape Town.

How to get to Table Mountain from Cape Town?

The famous Table Mountain is located on the Cape Peninsula at the African continent’s south-western point, overlooking the mother city, Cape Town.

The Table Mountain National Park attracts a little more than 4 million people and is the home of unique plant species and animals.

From Cape Town to Table Mountain by car

You can rent a car or taxi in the Cape Town CBD for a 20-minute drive to Tafelberg Road where the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is situated. The revolving gondola will take you to the summit in a 10-minute ride. The duration for the descent from the summit is also 10 minutes.

From Cape Town to Table Mountain by bus

You can also take the Cape Point Explorer bus service. It has fully air-conditioned buses with guides on board.

How much does the entrance ticket to Table Mountain cost?

Tickets prices

• Adult: Morning return R395 (US$25), one way R220 (US$13)
• Adult: Afternoon return R340 (US$40), one way R220 (US$13)
• Child (4-17): Morning return R195 (US$11), one way R120 (US$7)
• Child: Afternoon return R170 (US$10), one way R120 (US$7)
• SA senior citizen return R110 (US$6), one way R60 (US$4)
• Student return R230 (US$14), one way R130 (US$8)

Up and down fast track ticket

Adults and children R420 (US$25), valid one day only. These are not available online, only at the cableway’s ticket offices at the lower and top stations.

What is the typical itinerary?

After hotel pickup, you will typically leave from the Cape Town city center where you will see many historic buildings.

These include the 17th century VOC Castle of Good Hope, the grand old City Hall, the old Slave Lodge and St. George’s Cathedral.

You will also see the old VOC Company’s Gardens, and pass through the Bo-Kaap Muslim Quarter, where slaves from Java and other Far Eastern regions were settled.

From the city your tour continues to Table Mountain, at the northern end of the mountain range running throughout the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point.

After arrival at the Table Mountain Cableway station on Tafelberg Road, the aerial cableway will offer you a quick way to the mountain top.

The rotating cable cars give you a fantastic 360 degrees view as you ascend to over 1 000 meters above sea level. You will enjoy panoramic views of the city, Table Bay and even of the famous Robben Island.

At the end of your Table Mountain excursion, you will be returned to your place of accommodation.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Table Mountain?

Cape Town City and Table Mountain tour

Discover Cape Town’s iconic landmarks on this shore sightseeing trip and breathtaking excursion up Table Mountain.

You will see places such as the Castle of Good Hope, the colorful Bo-Kaap Quarter, the City Hall and St. George's Cathedral. To finish your tour on a high, you will ride by cable car to the summit of majestic Table Mountain.

With hassle-free transport, a knowledgeable guide and entrance fees covered, it’s the ideal way to discover Cape Town in a limited time.

Your meeting and pickup point is at the Cruise Terminal in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, where you will meet your guide as you deboard your ship.

You will go directly to the 17th century Castle of Good Hope in an air-conditioned vehicle and explore the oldest colonial structure in South Africa.

Your guide will brief your group on its history and thereafter participants will have time to look around.

Back in the vehicle, pass by other Cape Town attractions such as the City Hall, St. George’s Cathedral and the Company Gardens.

You will admire the Bo-Kaap (Upper Cape) Quarter, nestled on the mountain slopes and known for its colorful history and architecture.

From here it’s a short drive to the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, from where you will ascend to the mountain summit by revolving gondola.

From the top, you will enjoy breathtaking views of the city and Table Bay and also see the famous Robben Island. After your descent by the gondola, you will return to your ship in the Cruise Terminal in the Waterfront.

*This tour is not recommended for people with back or heart problems, or other serious medical conditions.

Sunset picnic on Table Mountain

This romantic tour offers you a sunset picnic with someone special on Table Mountain, with a blanket, flowers and champagne on ice to make it perfect. Your picnic will all be set up for you, all you have to do is be there.

You will enjoy the best of local delicacies and get a great mountain spot with a lovely view.

Your meeting point with your tour operator is the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway on Tafelberg Road, Cape Town. Part of your delightful excursion is the 10-minute ride in the modern revolving cable car to the mountaintop, offering you your first great views.

The mountain was recently nominated as one of the Seven New Wonders of the Natural World, so you will find yourself in a very special place.

Today it is part of the Table Mountain National Park which runs all the way to the spectacular Cape Point. The mountain rises more than 1,000 meters above the City of Cape Town, the most historic in the country.

From the top of the mountain you will enjoy magnificent views of the Mother City and of the entire Cape Peninsula.

When the cable car reaches the station at the top, your tour operator will welcome you when you step off the car. They will take you to an intimate picnic spot set up with cushions, blankets and drinks on ice in a lovely mountain location.

Then, for the next 2 hours, enjoy a delicious gourmet picnic and cherish the magnificent sunset over Table Bay. When you’re done, you can just leave it to the tour operator to clear up. Your excursion ends at the meeting point.

*Should you wish to cancel for any reason, you have to do it at least 24 hours before the start of your scheduled picnic.

Table Mountain tandem paragliding

What a great way to see Cape Town and the Peninsula, taking to the air smoothly from Tafelberg with your tandem paraglider pilot.

Soaring over the beautiful Table Mountain National Park and looking down over the city and Table Bay, you will feel total freedom.

Your meeting point is at the paragliding site, Signal Hill Rd on Table Mountain, with the alternative Lion’s Head, depending on weather. The total duration of the tour including a 15-minute paragliding flight is approximately one hour.

Your tour includes state-of-the-art paragliding equipment, snacks and drinks, transfer back to the takeoff site and option to buy photos of your flight.

Your paragliding instructor is well organized and professional, so you can just relax and enjoy the magic of paragliding.

Depending on the weather conditions, you will take off from either Signal Hill or Lion’s Head. You will feel at peace, the view from up there is incomparable, and you will have Table Mountain and the beaches right under your feet!

Create memories of a lifetime as you glide effortlessly through the sky over Cape Town and finally land next to the Atlantic Ocean.

At the end of your paragliding flight you will be transported back to your vehicle at the take-off site free of charge. During the drive, you can share some time with your paragliding team, learning more about Cape Town.

How much does a tour to Table Mountain from Cape Town cost?

The Cape Town 4-hour shore excursion of the city and Table Mountain tour costs US$180 per person.

The cost of the 1-hour Table Mountain tandem paragliding flight is US$85 per person and the flight with photos costs US$110 per person.

The 2-hour sunset picnic on Table Mountain costs US$300 per group of two.

What will you see and do?

Table Mountain

The famous Table Mountain National Park attracts some 4.2 million people annually. It is home to 8,200 plant species and a large variety of endemic fauna.

The Table Mountain level plateau is flanked by Devil's Peak on the east and Lion's Head on the west. The Atlantic side of the mountain back table is known as the Twelve Apostles and stretches from Kloof Nek to Hout Bay.

Table Mountain was originally called Hoerikwaggo (Mountain of the Sea) by the indigenous Khoisan tribes roaming these shores. The highest point on Table Mountain is 1,086 meters above sea level on the east end of the plateau.

It is marked by a stone cairn, Maclear's Beacon, erected by Sir Thomas Maclear for trigonometrical survey in 1865. The easy walk from the upper cable station to the beacon is about one hour one way.

The main plateau’s cliffs are split by the Platteklip (Flat Stone) Gorge, which allows easy and direct access to the summit.

This route was followed by the Portuguese explorer captain António de Saldanha as early as 1503, who also named Table Mountain. His expedition was the first recorded ascent of the mountain in Cape history.

The Aerial Cable Way

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway transports visitors from Tafelberg Road to the upper cable station on the mountain plateau at 1,067 metres.

The original construction of the cableway was commenced in 1926 by the world-famous company Adolf Bleichert and Company of Leipzig, Germany.

Following more than two years of building infrastructure, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway was officially opened on 4 October 1929. It has been overhauled three times since then, the first of which occurred in 1958 and the second in 1974.

The latest was started in 1996 and featured a "Rotair" panorama gondola manufactured by the Swiss corporation Garaventa AG–CWA. The new and larger cable cars increased capacity from 20 to 65 passengers on a faster journey to the top.

During the ascent and descent it rotates through 360 degrees, providing panoramic views over the city. The Tafelberg Road and mountain stations have been upgraded over the years, but the old buildings are original.

When is Table Mountain open over the year?

Table Mountain is open throughout the year, with the peak times from 15 December to 31 January. The Aerial Cableway will be closed in the event of too strong winds or for periodical maintenance.

What are the opening times?

The first cableway car leaves from Tafelberg Road at 8 AM and the last one at 8 PM. The last car down leaves at 9 PM. Waiting times are about 5 minutes for the lower cable car and about 10 minutes for the upper cable car.

When is the best time to visit Table Mountain?

The best time to visit Table Mountain is during the dry summer from October to March. A good time during the day is in the morning before it gets busy or too hot.

A late afternoon trip, on the other hand, means that you will see the sun setting over Table Bay and the city.

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your Cape Town to Table Mountain tour in advance.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes.
• Be mindful of your possessions and don’t wander in unknown areas.
• In South Africa cars drive on the left.