Private Guided Hikes

Lion’s Head, Table Mountain and More

LION’S HEAD


At 669 metres above sea level, Lion’s Head offers panoramas of the city, Table Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, making it a wildly popular destination for hiking enthusiasts. It’s no wonder the Lion’s Head trail is the most popular among the Cape’s many hikes: it’s relatively short (around two hours), offers a great workout, and the views from the summit are well worth the trip.

TABLE MOUNTAIN

At 600 million years old, Table Mountain is one of the oldest mountains in the world and three times older than the Himalayas. It’s also one of the most botanically rich places in the world, with more plant diversity on our flat-topped wonder than the Amazon. You can admire one of the 'New 7 Wonders of Nature' from multiple angles, but you really can’t say you’ve visited Cape Town until you’ve stood on top of it. There are over 100 routes up Table Mountain, and we know the best and most beautiful of them all.

Hike Details

  • All our trips are privately guided

  • The Natural Wanders guide will collect you at your accommodation

  • Fully qualified & registered, highly experienced, knowledgeable and friendly Mountain Guide

  • Local Knowledge of History, Culture, Fauna & Flora and Local City Attractions

  • Full flexibility of your route, always

  • Snacks and water are provided

  • We’ll work with you to find a route that suits your abilities and your schedule. We know you’re trying to see and do as much as you can while you’re here.

  • Photo Opportunities at the best spots along the route

What to expect

Scenic Trails: We’ll guide you along lesser-known, private routes known mostly by the local community. These trails are less travelled, more scenic, and offer stunning views.

Flora & Fauna: Along the way, you’ll discover the rich biodiversity of Table Mountain, including its unique birdlife and the renowned fynbos vegetation.

Regular Stops: We take breaks to soak in the beauty and enjoy freshly brewed organic coffee or tea, paired with local South African rusks. All of this with the best views of the Mother City and the Peninsula.

Local Stories: Our guides are born-and-bred locals with an in-depth knowledge of the myths and legends of Cape Town (as well as the best spots to grab brunch).

Meet the Guide

Shamier Croeser

Shamier is a father of three, husband, surfer, digital strategist and mountain-lover! His mission? To guide others toward deeper connections with nature, culture, and themselves through immersive outdoor experiences in the Western Cape. There’s a reason he’s known as Mountainheart on the slopes of Lion’s Head!

With 15 years of experience as a digital strategist, he loves helping small businesses grow. Over the past five years, however, he’s turned his attention to his passion for the mountains, where he blends exploration, mindfulness and personal growth. Shamier’s guided hikes intertwine the untold stories of the Cape’s indigenous people, diverse cultures, and historical heroes.

He’s a family man—an adoring husband, a dad fighting to stay cool, and an amateur surfer with pro dreams, secretly plotting to trek the African coastline by foot and surfboard.

Shamier has fulfilled the requirements for a Skills Program in Tourism Guiding (Adventure Guiding/Mountaineering) with electives in Mountain Walking and Overnight on Trail in the Western Cape, as recognized by the Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CASSTHETA), and is a Wilderness First Aid Level 3 Responder.

More information about Table Mountain Hikes

Rising to just over one thousand metres above sea level, Table Mountain ranks famous African giants such as Kilimanjaro and the Atlas Mountains. It’s much larger than one might think upon first arriving in Cape Town and some people spend their lives exploring the trails and caves of Table Mountain and only scratch the surface. 

There are several different ways to explore Table Mountain, these are the most popular;

India Venster: Moderate to Strenuous up a technical route, but offering the best views. The hike starts at the Lower Cable Car station and for two-thirds of the route the path follows under the cable car. The route then swings above Camps Bay, granting great views of Lion’s Head, Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean. Weather permitting, the guide will organise tickets and then proceed down Table Mountain in the aerial cableway.  

Table Mountain Plateau walk: This two-hour route is an easy walk from the cableway station on Western Table to Maclears Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain. This pleasant walk across the flat-topped Table plateau overlooks the city and passes through some beautiful vegetation. 

Platteklip Gorge: This easy-to-moderate hike is the most popular route up Table Mountain. The well-worn switchback has steps all the way to the top, with no bouldering or scrambling is required. 

More information about Lion’s Head hikes

A relatively short hike lasting around two to three hours, the trail winds around the mountain, offering incredible views along the way (which pale in comparison to what’s visible from the top).

The route is clearly marked, and most of it can be easily traversed by foot (the path from the parking lot runs uphill for quite a while, offering a particularly good workout). There’s a little rock scrambling as you near the summit, but the only part of the trail that could be considered intimidating are the metal ladders and climbing chains required to ascend the rock face at one point. Thankfully, these can be skipped via a roundabout footpath.

Once at the top we can admire the full expanse of Table Mountain from Devil’s Peak, all along to the Twelve Apostles which forms part of a dramatic backdrop to the city of Cape Town. There is no better way to start the day than watching the sun rise over the Cape Mountains, or to end it with a sunset over the Atlantic Ocean and the panoramic views of the greater Cape Town.