December 2023

Today we are going to take you to one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Africa – the astonishing Table Mountain in Cape Town that sits on the south-west corner of the vast African continent.

View of Table Mountain from the lower cable station

Although we’ve all (Berto and I, my brother and his wife and my mum) been to the top of Table Mountain a few times, this was the first time my brother’s kids got to see one of the 7 Wonders of Nature up close.

My brother bought the tickets a month in advance and we could only hope that the weather would cooperate on the day of our visit. And how lucky we were – the sky was blue, the sun warm and there was no wind – perfect weather conditions for an unforgettable visit to the iconic Table Mountain!

Cape Town city centre from the lower cable station

View of Table Bay

The mornings are usually the busiest, but it’s also the best time to visit the mountain because the wind usually starts blowing in the afternoons. When we arrived just after 8:30, there was already a long line of visitors and the buses regularly came to drop off more tourists.

Tourists arriving by buses are dropped off at the lower cable station

However, despite the many tourists, we had a great time in the queue with a witty entertainer who kept everyone in a jolly mood. We stood in line for about an hour and a half before we could get into the cable car and leave for the top of the mountain. This is the one time you have to be patient, because you end up being rewarded with incredible views!

Tourists in line to the cable car

As we moved along the line, we walked past the previous cable cars.

  • With the official opening of the Cableway in October 1929, the cable car could only take 20 passengers at a time.
  • With the first upgrade in 1958, the lighter cable car could take 23 people. This cable car remained in operation until 1974.
  • The second cable car upgrade was in 1974 and was capable of carrying 28 passengers.
  • The last upgrade in 1997 allowed for 65 passengers. These cable cars also have revolving floors that allow passengers a 360-degree view of the city and mountain as they glide up and down.

The upgraded cable car used from 1958-1974

Lower cable station with the stunning Table Mountain in the background

While we were in the group waiting for the next cable car, we could clearly see how the cable cars move up and down.

Cable cars glide up and down the mountain

Our cable car approaching

The 5-minute ride takes passengers from the lower cable station, about 302 meters (991 ft) above sea level, to the plateau at the top of the mountain, at 1067 meters (3501 ft).

As we go up, the next cable car comes down again

Leaving the lower cable station

The panoramic views from the cable car are truly spectacular. Lion’s Head looked lovely against the blue ocean and sky and the rock formations are incredibly beautiful.

Glimpse at Lion’s Head

Rock formations at the top of Table Mountain

At the top of the mountain are curio shops, a restaurant and hiking trails of various lengths. However, it is the views that grab you and one can probably take a 100 (or more) photos. We pointed out some of the most famous beacons and sea side towns to each other. It was also nice to see how much my brother’s kids enjoyed the trip.

On top of Table Mountain

The clouds were lifting and we could enjoy the beautiful views

Camps Bay, a suburb of Cape Town on the west coast of the Cape Peninsula

Famous Clifton Beach

Twelve Apostles Mountain Range forms the back of Table Mountain

Another view of Lion’s Head

There are paved paths everywhere that make it easy to walk and enjoy the views from anywhere on top of the mountain. Umbrellas also provide lovely shade on a hot day.

Paved walkways and umbrellas on top of Table Mountain

The Shop @ the Top! is a national monument and built in 1928 from the rock of Table Mountain. This is a good place to buy a souvenir that you can take home with you to remind you of your visit to Table Mountain.

Shop @ the Top!

After buying coffee and juice, we traded our views on the west side of the mountain for those on the east side.

Views of Table Bay

Panoramic view of Cape Town

Table Mountain, a World Heritage Site, is the natural home of fynbos (a unique, yet endangered collection of shrubs and plants). We were lucky to see fynbos plants in bloom.

Fynbos plants in bloom (with Robben Island in the background)

After about two hours on top of the mountain, it was time to go back down with the cable car. We joined the line of tourists again, but were by no means bored. There were a few mountain climbers who entertained us with their adrenaline sport – definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Brave mountain climbers

On the way down, we could enjoy the panoramic views from the cable car one last time.

View of the famous Victoria Road that connects the Cape Town city centre with False Bay

After our trip to the top of Table Mountain we were all very hungry! The kids wanted to see what the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront looked like, so we drove there. They love seafood and we treated them to a visit to the popular Ocean Basket Restaurant for their first South African seafood experience. We feasted on a starter of sushi and then enjoyed fish, chips, calamari and mussels for the main course.

Sushi for starters

Deep fried calamari, mussels and chips

Visiting Table Mountain should definitely be high on any tourist’s list. We really enjoyed the day and it will always stand out as one of the highlights (literally and figuratively) of 2023.

A day to remember with my mum, brother, sister-in-law and their kids