Best strolls and hikes around Cape Town

Cape Town is still a half-wild city. If you’ve just got a little time here, it’s worth spending at least some of it exploring its most magical rambles.

This is a short list of the most highly recommended hikes and walks around the city, ordered from easiest to toughest. Every walk on this list is achievable for someone who’s only moderately fit.

Summer is a great time to explore. The sky is clear so you get the best views, the Disas are in bloom, the Table Mountain Beauties (easily confused but enthusiastic butterflies) will try to slurp you up if you’re wearing red. Go have an adventure.

Casual Strolls

Make sure you bring a water bottle and a tiny snack.

The Pipe Track

Take an amble along the side of the mountain. It’s completely flat almost the whole way. There are plenty of runners, kids, grannies and other people walking it every day, so it’s also impossible to get lost.

It’s called the Pipe Track because it was built in 1887 to service the pipes that used to bring water from the Disa River down to the city.

• Duration: As long as you like. Just turn around and start walking back when you feel tired. It’s worth it even for a 30 minute amble.
• Kid-friendly: yup.
• Start: Take an Uber up towards the Cable Car station. The Pipe Track trail starts here.

Kirstenbosch

The most gorgeous garden in South Africa. You can wander around it all day, or just take a picnic and a book, flop under a tree and nap (you brought the book to keep sun off your face).

• Duration: Spend at least a few hours.
• Kid-friendly: basically kid-paradise.
• Start: the entrance by the nursery is a good place to begin. There’s a small fee to get in.

Muizenberg — Kalk Bay Coastal Walk

The fishing villages along the West coast of the city are preposterously charming. It’s a bit of a trek to get there (they’re beyond what’s affectionately called the Lentil Curtain, because of all the hippies) but it’s worth trekking out to spend an afternoon exploring. There’s a boardwalk that runs between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay, right along the beach. When you get to Kalk Bay, take a stroll up the pier to watch the fishermen and the seals, then find a spot for lunch (Olympia, the Brass Bell and Harbour House are some faves).

• Duration: 1 hr
• Kid-friendly: only if your kid likes rockpools i.e. EVERY KID.
• Start: take the train to Muizenberg (taking the train is half the fun) then follow the directions here.

Elephant’s Eye

There’s a sweet micro-hike that starts at the dam in Silvermine, and takes you up to a cave with magnificent views over the reserve (great spot for a picnic). Cool down after your walk with a little swim in the dam.

• Duration: 1.5 hrs
• Kid-friendly: yup.
• Start: get a car to the Silvermine dam entrance here. There’s an information board there showing you how to get onto the path to Elephant’s Eye.

Actual hikes

Bring water, a good snack, and something warm in case the weather turns foul. Wear sensible shoes. Always a good idea to have a torch with you just in case. Try to hike in groups of four or more.

Thomas T. Tucker Trail

It’s not called the Cape of Storms for nothing. Spend half a day exploring the Cape Point nature reserve and the wrecks of all the ships that didn’t survive Adamastor’s wrath. There’s a short trail that takes you along the beach, where you can see at least 3 shipwrecks (more on a good day).

You’re likely to run into a baboon troop. Read the caution below.

While you’re out there, take a drive to the point itself: the very bottom of Africa. Take a walk to the old lighthouse. It’s a tourist trap, but still damn cool.

• Duration: 2 hrs
• Kid-friendly: probably (depending on the kid), just don’t let them go wandering off on their own, because of the baboons.
• Start: drive to the Cape of Good Hope reserve entrance. Once you’re in the park, take the first right towards Olifantsbos beach. Park there and look for the sign for the Thomas T Tucker trail.

Lion’s Head

Probably the most popular Cape Town hike, and for a reason. The walk up isn’t too strenuous, but you get a magnificent view over the whole city. The best time to go up is 1.5 hours before sunset, watch it up there, and walk down in the dusk. This is best done when there’s a full moon, and you’ll find dozens of other people doing it with you. Bring a headlamp or torch, and take a picnic (and some wine decanted into a plastic bottle) to snack at the top while you enjoy the best view in town.

• Duration: 2–3 hrs
• Kid-friendly: age 5+ kids are probably fine, but there are some bits that you climb using footholds that might be too far apart for very young children.
• Start: the path starts here, halfway along the road towards Signal Hill, and is very well sign-posted.

Skeleton Gorge & Smuts Track

This is the only hike on the list that I’d call tough. But do it — it’s unforgettable.

There are a lot of different routes up Table Mountain. Skeleton Gorge is one of the most popular. Whilst this means you lose some of the solitude you get from some of the other routes up, it means that you’re safer and very unlikely to get lost. The route is beautiful, taking you up a forested ravine up to the highest point of Table Mountain, Maclear’s Beacon, and past one of the table-top dams (it’s a bit surreal having a beach picnic, on top of a mountain).

Make sure you bring warm things and a hat on this hike (the weather is unpredictable), as well as plenty of food and water.

Start at Kirstenbosch and follow the signs to Skeleton Gorge / the Smuts Track. Once you’re out of Skeleton Gorge, follow the signs towards Maclear’s Beacon: the highest point of the mountain. From there, head towards the cable car station and take the easy way down.

• Duration: 6 hrs (this will take up most of your day)
• Kid-friendly: no, unless your kid is Mowgli.
• Start: this is a pretty thorough description of how to find the trail.

Other hikes to investigate, if you have more time

• The Amphitheatre
• Woody Ravine
• Cecelia Forest to Constantia Nek
• Newlands Forest
• The Mink and Manure Belt / Aspen Trail

Safety tips

Save these emergency numbers in your phone:

• Wilderness Search and Rescue: 021 937 0300
• General Emergencies: 10177

The weather in Cape Town can change in an instant, so always have warm clothing with you. Bring enough water and food to last all day, and don’t be stingy with sunscreen.

A note about baboons

Baboons are smart, sweet, adorable and endlessly fascinating to watch. This can sometimes make you forget that they are, above all else, very dangerous wild animals. They are most dangerous in areas where they’ve learned that humans are likely to have food on them. If you encounter a troop (they usually move in groups of 50–100), do not display any visible food. Keep small children close to you. Do not move towards them or startle them. If one does come at you, chances are that it wants your backpack (if you need to, give it to him). If you’re hiking and baboons are blocking the path, try to wait for them to move on. If you have to move through them, go slowly and carefully. And for dog’s sake, whatever you do, do not try to feed them.