Platteklip Gorge Hike

Platteklip Gorge is the quickest, easiest, and the busiest hiking route up Table Mountain. Taking less than 3 hours to complete, the 2.5 km hike it is the most direct route with a steep, large stair-like section. The Platteklip Gorge route is not technical and ideal for those who are not fond of heights and have a moderate fitness level.  

Platteklip Gorge starts from the lower cableway station along a beautiful and comfortable level path running across the front of the mountain. From here you will already enjoy marvellous views of the city and the bay. This section leads up beside a flowing stream in the winter months, reduced to a slight trickle between November and February as the summer offers little rain. The fynbos vegetation however offers year-round greenery with seasonally evolving surroundings of blossoming shrubbery.

The initial path is intersected and a steep ascent up Platteklip Gorge starts where impressive sandstone cliffs set a dramatic scenery. There are minimal loose rocks, narrow ledges or exposure to heights, and no technical abilities required. The trail zigzags up the gorge which lessens the gradient through recurrent switchbacks. The Platteklip Gorge route finishes at the Table Mountain summit, just minutes from the upper cableway station where you will catch a cable car ride back down after soaking in the scenery. The route does not receive a lot of shade, which can make it a gruelling hike if you start too late in the hot summer months. During peak season it is also a very busy route, especially over weekends.