The UNFIT tourist's guide to hiking up Table Mountain using the Platteklip Gorge trail
If you go to Cape Town, there is no missing the Iconic Table Mountain which looks down on the city from almost anywhere you are. And if you are a tourist in the mother city of South Africa, one of the must do experiences is to get up to the top of Table Mountain to take in the views. The easy way to do this is to take the Cape Town Cable car but if you are up for a challenge then hiking up the Mountain is definitely worth taking a morning to do!
Hiking up Table Mountain using the Platteklip Gorge route is the most preferred route because:
1. The hike is short and manageable at just 2.5km from the parking to the plateau. However be warned that you will also be going up almost 700m so it is one long stair climb...
2. The best views looking down on the city bowl, when it is not misty...
3. The hike up is free, if you are choosing to use the cable car back down it will cost a little bit.
4. Open all year round - just pick a day with good weather
5. Pack a picnic for the top and make a day of it!
6. Come back down with the cable car or if your knees can take it, hike back down as well
Here's my guide as an unfit tourist of getting up to the top of the iconic mountain. Locals say it takes between 60 and 90mins. Don't believe them. Although it is short - it can be tough so be prepared for a good work out and some clambering and scrambling. It took me 3hour 15 mins to get to the top and then a quick walk to the cable car station.
Total distance is about 3.5km (I didn't keep an accurate measure) with an elevation gain of about 700m to the plateau.
Check out the video where I climbed up the other popular hike in Cape Town, Lions Head:
• The UNFIT tourist's gu...
Remember to check out my website if you would like to join me on my adventures! southafricanwanderer.co.za/
This is the first video I have edited using Da Vinci Resolve - tell me what you think about the video quality and sound quality...
Пікірлер: 34
You may be unfit, but you’ve sure got guts and determination - I could hear the struggle in your breathing! I did the same climb about 20 years ago when I was 58. But I weighed about 150 lbs at the time and was reasonably fit. My then 25 year old stepdaughter was my partner, and we had the same plan - to take the lift down. But the winds had risen such that the cable car was cancelled. Hiking back down was almost as tough as the climb up. Enjoyed your video and salute your courage.
@SouthAfricanWanderer
3 ай бұрын
Thank you so much 🙏🏼 Yeah I think with a lot of my hikes it’s more will power and pushing through to the end. Coming down is tough on the knees, glutes and hamstrings 😅
This trail looks so beautiful bud, such a unique and picturesque trail!
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Жыл бұрын
It’s a pity I had the mist and cloudy weather, on a clear day it’s even more beautiful!
♥️ this! I have some work to do this morning but will check in as and when I can. I just heard you’ve done this climb three times before 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🙌🏽. Enjoy yr climb and 🙏🏽 for sharing and letting us to spiritually climb with you! ♥️ and best wishes from London, 🇬🇧.
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Жыл бұрын
Thanks so much! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
As a fellow Capetonian and procrastinator, if you've been trying to procrastinate then you must have attained professional level status.
Thank you very much for this video...
@SouthAfricanWanderer
5 ай бұрын
I hope it helps you with your hike 🙏🏼🙏🏼
@JasenomadeTV
5 ай бұрын
@@SouthAfricanWanderer 100%♥
Thanks for this video for the unfit once. It’s helpful 😅
@SouthAfricanWanderer
7 ай бұрын
Glad I could be of assistance 🙏🏼
thank you for sharing you huge walk. Keep going brother. Keep it up
@SouthAfricanWanderer
9 ай бұрын
Thanks so much Winston! The encouragement is always welcomed!
This is the one I've been waiting for! Very deceiving hike, you often think you are close to the top but it takes a while to get there.
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Жыл бұрын
I hope it helps!
Thank you for such inspirational and encouraging video. I will be doing the same in 2 weeks time. And am unfit 🤣😅😬
@SouthAfricanWanderer
8 ай бұрын
You can do it! Just take it easy. Also, if you have the time, check out the Lions head hike as well. There’s a video up on my channel as well
@yeowchongong5608
8 ай бұрын
@@SouthAfricanWanderer watched that and liked. Thanks for your video, I decided not taking my chance. That one looked tougher then table top
@SouthAfricanWanderer
8 ай бұрын
@@yeowchongong5608 There is more scrambling and climbing over large rocks.
Would you recommend doing this with a baby in the carrier?
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Ай бұрын
I’m generally unfit so it will depend on how fit you are. If you are carrying the baby carrier I think you should be more fit than me
Can you do this if you have vertigo?
@SouthAfricanWanderer
5 сағат бұрын
Yes I think that should be possible - there aren't any paths along ridges and you can keep looking forward and up so it should be fine. However I used the cable car coming back down which i would definitely not recommend if you have vertigo because not only is the cable car moving down the mountain it also rotates to give everyone a 360deg view. If you come back down using this route I am also not sure how much it would trigger the vertigo as I have only ever climbed up.
By the way any loo along the way up?
@SouthAfricanWanderer
8 ай бұрын
I don’t think there is one along the way, just at the bottom cable car station and then again at the top. I would normally say find a big rock or bush. But it’s a busier route so there’s always people passing 🙊😂😂
@yeowchongong5608
8 ай бұрын
@@SouthAfricanWanderer 🤣😉
@davidgorman1182
4 ай бұрын
Your body will soak up all that moisture lol. No loo along the way, but no use for it either
Next time let me take you on a nicer route with more variation (not just the stair master 1000!) - the route is called India Venster :)
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Жыл бұрын
I shall definitely take you up on that offer! Is that the one I saw people scrambling over the rocks as we came down with the cable car?
@capetownwalks
Жыл бұрын
@@SouthAfricanWanderer Indeed! :)
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Жыл бұрын
@@capetownwalks that looked scary though. I’ve got a fear of heights (even though I do all these hikes)
@capetownwalks
Жыл бұрын
@@SouthAfricanWanderer aaah then theres a few others which are not as scary :) (Kasteelspoort and Skeleton Gorge are 2 others)
@SouthAfricanWanderer
Жыл бұрын
@@capetownwalks yep and I also want to do Chapman’s peak drive and a few other Cape Town hikes