Cape Town: Skeleton Gorge Hike to Table Mountain Summit

Hike to the summit of Table Mountain via the Skeleton Gorge route. Traverse the length of the famous tabletop summit to the upper cable station.
Embark on a challenging hike up Skeleton Gorge to the summit of Table Mountain. Traverse the length of the famous tabletop summit to the upper cable station, and take in the views of the surrounding area.

Start the hike at the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and cover a big chunk of Table Mountain. Climb up the gorge to the summit of Table Mountain.

After a short detour from the top of the gorge, arrive at a ‘beach’ at the historic Table Mountain dams. The route tops out at Maclear’s Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain. From there, traverse across the length of the famous tabletop summit to the upper cable station.

The hike involves some scrambling. A series of wooden ladders midway up the gorge, somewhat exposed to heights, requires care if you suffer from fear of heights.

After rain, especially in winter (June to August), the route gets wet and slippery – almost impassable directly after heavy or prolonged rain. Kirstenbosch Gardens’ opening hours prevent an early start in summer to beat the heat, so the hike often ends up extremely hot from October to March.

The ascent is strenuous, more so in summer due to the heat. You need to be in good shape to enjoy the route. It is often either wet and slippery or hot and humid.

The section in the gorge involves a series of ladders: technically easy, but intimidating if you’re afraid of heights. Beyond the ladders, the route follows a boulder-strewn watercourse, straightforward when dry, quite intense when gushing.

Once out of the forest, the terrain is gentler, but the uphill can feel interminable on a hot summer’s day.

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 24 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 24 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.