Tips for visiting Table Mountain

There are a couple of ways to enjoy visiting Table Mountain. The mountain overlooks Cape town city. Here are the key things to note before making a trip.

Getting there

• From downtown Cape Town you can get a taxi or catch the bus to the base of the mountain. The ride takes about 10 minutes.
• From there they're 3 ways to get to the top of the mountain:

1. Go up the mountain alone using one of the many hiking trails that run across the mountain. Most hikers prefer to use the Platekipp Gorge route and Smuts track.
2. Go hiking as a group. There are many companies that offer group hiking services. I recommend group hiking for novices.
3. Take a cable car to the top of the mountain.

Cable Car Tips

• The first cable car leaves at 7.00am and the last at 7.00p.m.
• Get your tickets in advance( online ) and print your tickets to avoid getting caught up at the ticket line.
• Internet connection and mobile network are unavailable while in the cable car.

Activities to do at the mountain top

There's a range of activities to do once at the top these include;

• Going on a hike.
• Taking photographs. The view of the cape peninsula and Cape town is magnificent from the mountaintop.

• Hold private events. There are a restaurant and well-maintained grounds for holding private events such as weddings, family gatherings, and work-related events.
• Enjoying the "special sunset". Watch as the sun goes down into the Atlantic ocean and the lights in Cape town begin to twinkle.

Best time to visit

• Avoid visiting on weekends and public holidays due to the extremely long queues on such days.
• It's best to visit either early morning or evenings. In the afternoon you could be affected by the "tablecloth cloud" that obscures visibility of the hiking paths posing a risk for hikers.

• The best months to visit are during the summer, that's from November to February.

Must carry items

1. A warm jacket
2. Sunscreen
3. A camera
4. Enough drinking water
5. Appropriate shoes. Preferably sneakers.

With that in mind, you're set to go!