To The Top Of Table Mountain

In arguably the most beautiful city in the world, Table Mountain is the overarching view at almost every vista in Cape Town. The broad spread of mountain borders the city, with the sea edge on the other side. Getting to the top of the Table gives you a view like no other!

Having missed the chance to get to the top last time I was in South Africa, due to fog and then wind, I was determined this time to go. Setting an alarm for each morning, and peeking out to the view (above) to see if the mountain was viable or not, became a bit of a ritual in our hotel room.

One of the last days of our time in Cape Town, and one of the last days of cricket, we set ourselves to go. A group of us grabbed a cab to the bottom, and joined the queue for the cable car. Being early morning, we missed the bulk of the line that gathered after us, and the crazy crowd of buses that were waiting when we came back down.

Once on the Table top, we got to take in the views from all around. Of the sprawling city, the sea, the numerous bays directly below, and the long tail of the mountain range back out towards the Cape Of Good Hope.

Totally spectacular views! Vantage points on top allowed for wow moments at every stop.

In our party of early morning Table visitors, we had a birthday, and so after soaking in the scene all around, we stopped for breakfast at the café on top, where we enjoyed champagne to toast where we were. The staff there even gave the birthday boy a rendition of Happy Birthday To You in several different languages per verse, including Zulu which was pretty special.

Table Mountain is so beautiful, as is the city it dissects. The much anticipated experience of getting to drink in the views from above Cape Town was certainly worth the wait!



Jouljet Notes
Getting There: A shared taxi was reasonable from the city centre, and there were loads of tour and tourist buses as an option.
Time Spent: We spent a couple of hours, including breakfast. But you could spend much, much longer, as there are walking tracks and a lot of "Table" you can wander around.
Cost: R205 adult
Serious Tips: Check the weather forecast, and the cable car website - it does not run where there is a certain level of wind around. It also lists the times for first and last car up; Beat the crowds by going early, otherwise you will spend hours in the line; You can also walk up the mountain, which apparently takes around 2 hours - check out the routes though, because there are long and short paths!
Quirky Angle: Get a photo of the old style cable car cabin, sitting next to you when you line up. So cute!