Day Hikes
- Registered and experienced Mountain Guides
- Customized private guiding to suite all levels
- Table Mountain day trails
- Cape of Good Hope day trails
- Winelands and Cape country day trail
The hiking trails that we have highlighted are our most popular guided day routes.
Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and the Cape Wine Regions are the most commonly defined areas, each with their unique location and outlook.
This is a small sample of the options available to regular hikers. These are not route descriptions, but a brief outline of what you may expect. If you are looking for something less strenuous or something more adventurous, contact us for alternatives.
When bookings are made, trails recommended take in account individual or group requirements, from the strenuous full day hikes to gentle strolls in nature.
Table Mountain
Most people wanting to hike Table Mountain for the first time have a vision of getting to the flat, Western Table where the Upper Cable Station is located, often referred to by incorrect name of ‘Table Top Mountain’. We have therefore highlighted the three most popular routes to achieve this:
- Platteklip Gorge – the shortest, the quickest, but also the steepest.
- Kasteelspoort – a circular route of about 5 hours that starts and ends where cars are parked.
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden & Smuts Track – a linear route of about 5 hours that includes the famous Gardens.
There are many other routes within the greater Table Mountain range, with its ridges and valleys, cliffs and plateaus, that may attract those with more time to explore the Back Table, Twelve Apostles paths and Silvermine Reserve. For more information on these alternatives contact us directly.
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
The Cape of Good Hope is synonymous with Cape Town and with the early European explorers who rounded the Cape in search of the sea route to the east. Today, it is a nature reserve of 7700 hectares and the only full fenced area of the Table Mountain National Park. The entrance is 80 km from the centre of the City of CapeTown and it is a further 20 km to Cape Point, where the historic lighthouse is situated and the point where sailors regarded themselves as having ‘rounded the Cape’. It is not the most southerly tip of Africa, not the place where the two oceans (Indian & Atlantic) meet.
There are numerous hiking trail both along the coast and inland and magnificent views from the high points and cliff paths. For the sake of convenience, we have covered only circular routes, but longer linear trails can be arranged, with additional logistical support. There are also overnight alternatives.
These are all moderate to easy hiking trail and can be done together with a visit to Cape Point Lighthouse and the Cape of Good Hope.
Cape Country Regions
The mountains, nature reserves and farmlands outside of Cape Town, in the area known as the ‘Winelands’ and further afield, are home to numerous hiking trails. It would be impossible to list or describe even a small percentage of these, as it would only serve to confuse. Sufficient to say that they are set in diverse terrain and biomes, they are universally scenic and that they cater for all level of hiking, from a gentle stroll on the periphery of the agricultural areas, to high mountain adventure. We chosen three hikes within easy driving distance from Cape Town for a day’s outing, close to the well known towns of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Hermanus.
Mont Rochelle & Kogelberg reserves both have longer and tougher trails than the ones we have described. For information on other alternatives in different areas please contact us.
