A 2 day hike on Table Mountain
Many people do not have the full 5 days available for the entire Table Mountain hike. This is no problem as any of the tented camps can be booked individually allowing you to do 2 or even 1 days hiking. The most popular shortened hike would be to do the 2 days from Silvermine Nature Reserve to the cable car. Over these 2 days you experience wonderful sea views, beautiful fynbos and protected Afromotane forest as well as the opportunity to visit the Woodhead tunnel, the waterworks museum and the highest point on Table Mountain.
Contact Ridgway Ramblers for details on booking a 2 day hike on Table Mountain.
Day 1: Silvemine to Orange Kloof
Todays hike begins on the Northern side of Silvermine Nature Reserve. Drive to the parking area right at the top and begin your hike here. Follow the path that leads out of the parking area signed towards Elephants eye cave. This path becomes a jeep track which you follow through several switchback turns (ignore further signs for the elephants eye) for 2km. After 2 km as the road swings to the left, follow a small path leading towards Hout Bay. It leads to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in cape Town.
Overlooking Hout Bay from Silvermine Nature Reserve
From here you descend the steep Blackburn ravine for 180m until you come to a junction in the path. Follow the path straight on rather than continuing down. You are now on the upper contour path that takes you around the Western side of the Constantiaberg mountain. After about 1.5km along here you again reach a fork in the path. This time follow the more uphill path which takes you around the shoulder and onto the Southern slopes of the mountain. This path eventually joins with the jeep track up the Constantiaberg.
Overlooking Table Mountain
Turn left onto the road and follow it for 10metres taking a small path leading to the left. This path leads you down onto the shoulder and then a final climb up onto the Vlakkenberg. The last stage of today is a steep downhill towards Constantia Nek. Here you cross the road and enter the Orange Kloof Nature reserve where you find your overnight accommodation.
Relaxing after a days hike
Day 2: Orangekloof to the Table top
Day 2 offers a real treat of a hike. You leave your accommodation to hike further into the kloof. Initially the going is quite gentle until after about an hours hike you turn up Disa Gorge. After about 30 minutes climbing take the small path to the left. This leads you down the original Woodhead Tunnel built in the 1800’s. A rare treat as this section of the mountain is protected with only very few hikers permitted in here.
Take a detour to see the entrance to the Woodhead tunnel
From here you resume your climb up Disa Gorge. The river to your left is load as it tumbles down and the forest gets more and more beautiful. Eventually you reach the dam wall and climb onto the Back of Table mountain via a path on the left of the wall.
Reaching the top of Disa Kloof
From here there are a number of routes you can follow to the table top including the 12 Apostles path, The Aquaduct or Smuts Track.
