Go Together Life

📍 Out-and-back route | 5.8 km each way | 700m elevation gain | ~3 hours up
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars (and sore legs)

If there’s one hike we return to over and over in Cape Town, it’s Kasteelspoort. It’s one of those rare trails that has everything: drama, views, a satisfying climb, and the payoff of reaching the top of Table Mountain without the cable car queues. It’s one of our all-time favourites.

The trail kicks off in the hills of Camps Bay, just where the manicured lawns give way to rugged fynbos. You’ll find the trailhead at the end of Theresa Road, often lined with cars on clear days. (Pro tip: avoid parking on bends, on our last hike, we saw a very enthusiastic traffic officer handing out tickets like party favors.)

From the start, the views are outrageous, in the best way. Look up: the towering Twelve Apostles. Look down: the curve of Camps Bay beach and the glittering Atlantic beyond. Look across: Lions Head and the Table Mountain Cableway teasing you from afar.

The hike begins on a jeep track that eases you into things before the real work begins. After a short incline, you’ll veer off onto the Kasteelspoort trail proper, where the magic really starts. The path climbs steadily through a ravine, switchbacking higher and higher through lush vegetation and rocky terrain. The teens and dads surged ahead with suspicious ease, while the moms took the more “scenic route” (read: a little slower and very focused on hydration and snack breaks).

Despite the incline, the trail is not particularly technical, just steep. There’s a short rock scramble, but mostly it’s a steady uphill walk. A reasonable level of fitness and a good pair of hiking shoes are musts. So is a weather check: Table Mountain has a mind of its own, and the weather can roll in fast. Pack layers, water, snacks, and definitely a rain jacket.

After a leg-burning climb and many “just one more corner” false summits, we finally crested the ravine and were greeted with those top-of-the-world views: endless ocean, wind in your hair, and a deep sense of accomplishment.

We took a well-earned break here. The dads made the short detour to the famous “Diving Board” rock for that iconic (and mildly terrifying) photo opp. The teens, less interested in cliff posing and more focused on lunch, chose snacks over stunts. Either way, a good decision.

From here, you can turn back toward the car or, if you’re lucky (like we were), carry on to the Overseers Cottage, perched just beyond the dams that dot the mountain’s summit.

We walked an additional 3.5 km from the top of Kasteelspoort to the cottage, with only 97 meters of elevation, blissfully flat after the uphill grind. Including lunch and lots of photo stops, it took us just over an hour.

Take note of the flora as you walk, as 69% of the 9,000 species on Table Mountain are endemic to the Cape Floristic Region. This means that they are found nowhere else on earth! Table Mountain is also one of the new seven wonders of nature and so in our opinion it is a must-hit bucket list item.

Final stats:

• Victoria Road to the top of Kasteelspoort: 2.3 km | ~2 hours
  
• Kasteelspoort to Overseers Cottage: 3.5 km | ~1 hour
  
• Total elevation gain: 700m
  
• Total views: countless
  

Our verdict?
An absolute five-star hike. Challenging but doable, scenic but not crowded, and an unforgettable way to experience the rugged beauty of Table Mountain. Your legs will hate you, but your camera roll (and your soul) will thank you.

🧳 Packing List

• 🎒 Daypack
• 💧 Water bottle or hydration pack
• ⛑ First aid kit
• 🧢 Hat & 🕶 Sunglasses
• 🌧 Rain jacket
• 🧥 Warm top/layers
• 🧦 Hiking socks
• 👟 Proper boots/shoes
• 🍫 Snacks
  

Our overnight gear was portered to the Overseers Cottage for us as part of the service provided with the booking! And we were very happy to arrive to clean clothes, cold drinks and the ingredients for our dinner all ready for us to assemble. If you want a fire, make sure to include charcoal with your goods set aside for portarage. No wood is allowed because of the risk of introducing borer beetles to the mountain.