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Western Cape
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Cape Town
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TThe Table Mountain cableway is one of South Africa’s most popular tourist attractions, transporting 65 passengers per car from Tafelberg Road to the top of Table Mountain. The floor of each car rotates, giving everyone a 360-degree view on the way up. 

Before the creation of the cableway, visitors wanting to explore the mountaintop had to hike the front face of Table Mountain, up Platteklip Gorge. The Platteklip Gorge route, which winds up spectacular crags, was the first documented ascent of the mountain by Antonio de Saldanha in the 16th century. It remains a favourite route, especially for those who hike up the mountain and take the cableway down, or vice versa. 

The Table Mountain cableway opened in 1929 and, to date, has transported more than 22-million passengers to the summit. One million visitors from all over the world use the cableway annually, and the cars depart every 10 minutes. Famous visitors have ranged from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II to the queen of talk, Oprah Winfrey. 

While the original cable cars were made of wood and tin, the modern visitor is transported by the Table Mountain aerial cableway in hi-tech, Swiss-made Rotair cars at a speed of 10m per second, meaning that the average ascent now takes under 10 minutes. 

Once through the turnstile of the upper cable station, you enter a unique world of violet lizards and plush-looking rock hyrax, snakes and mongoose, denizens of a dazzling floral display. On Table Mountain alone there are an estimated 1 470 species of plants. 

As a World Heritage Site, and home to one of the world's New7Wonders of Nature, Table Mountain National Park’s spectacular beauty and rich bio-diversity are well worth exploring, and you’ll be dazzled by the scenic spectrum that reveals itself from the summit. 

Did You Know?

TTravel tips & planning  info 

Who to contact 

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway  
Phone: +27 (0)21 424 8181  
E-mail: info@tablemountain.net 

What will it cost? 

 

Return ticket prices valid until September 2019: Adult – R330.00; Children (under 18 years) – R165.00; Children (under 4 years) – free. 

How to get here  

Table Mountain is pretty hard to miss. Get to Cape Town and you are there! A free MyCiTi shuttle service is available from Lower Tafelberg Road. There is also a Hop-on, Hop-off City Sightseeing bus that stops at the cableway. 

To get up the mountain itself, the cableway is the easiest option but there are many hiking trails leading to and from the summit. A good option is to take the cableway up and walk down. 

Best time to visit  

Owing to the Cape’s capricious micro-climates, it’s advisable to check the weather before planning your trip up the mountain. It's not much fun up top if you're getting pelted with rain. 

Things to do 

There are 30-minute guided walks at the top of the mountain on the hour, which are free. You can also download free VoiceMap audio tours. 

A hike to the top of the mountain along Platteklip Gorge is a strenuous 3km trail option. 

What to pack  

Sunscreen and a hat are advisable. Warm clothes too, as the weather can change abruptly. 

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