Hike Table Mountain via the India Venster trail
Description
India Venster is one of the classic Table Mountain ascents and hiking with an experienced guide adds immense value! This adventurous hike is not for the faint-hearted but if you're looking for a more exciting Table Mountain experience offering superb views in good weather then this is the hike for you. - Table Mountain Experts - Local in-depth knowledge of the Fauna & Flora of Table Mountain - Incredible Views of Cape Town - Adventurous Route with challenging rock scrambles - Quieter Trail away from the masses
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hiking Table Mountain is one of the best activities in Cape Town and the adventurous India Venster route is a classic! This challenging and spectacular ascent on the north face of Table Mountain offers stupendous views over the Mother City, Kloof Corner, Lion’s Head and Camps Bay. Visit the famous “Window” which together with India Ravine gives this route its name. This is a moderate to strenuous hike with some rock scrambling and exposure to heights. You need to be comfortable with exposure (vertical drops) and using your hands to negotiate a number of B-grade rock pitches. In the crux section there are steel staples and chains to aid the hiker. Adventure and views aside there'll also be a focus on interpreting the natural and cultural elements of Table Mountain and Cape Town which adds so much to your experience. Persons with genuine fear of heights / falling as well as persons with poor balance should not opt for doing this hike. A better alternative is Kasteelspoort.
Once on the summit plateau and successfully ascending 740 meters of rocky terrain we'll jump on the Cable Car for the quick trip down (R220 pp - weather permitting). We stroll over the summit area for about 30 minutes, after scaling the mountain, to savour the vistas however if you would prefer to linger longer on the summit and visit the cafe / restaurant then that's perfectly fine and we'll say our goodbyes at the Upper Cable Station. If it is very windy and the cableway is not operating then we need to hike down Platteklip Gorge which adds on an extra 1.5 hours. The cable car doesn't operate in high winds, and in July/ August every year it closes for maintenance. Check with us if booking in July & August. Tickets can be purchased on the top when we get there using cash or credit card. R220 per person
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Reviews(5)
Justin was an awesome guide he gave us an incredible experience, we enjoyed every second of it and we will never forget it. The hike was a bit more challenging than expected, but Justin was very helpful throughout the hike:)
The from the table moutains were excellent. The walk /hike on the mountains was lovely , clean and well maintained.
I made this trip in December 2019, with my son. The cloud was low and for a lot of the time we couldn’t see if there was a 10 meter drop or a 200 meter drop. It took us 2–3 hours to walk up It was a real experience.
Great hike, well paced, well prepared and fascinating insights into the wildlife of the area, particularly the flowers. Efficiently organized, even with last minute booking. Highly recommended.
Our guide Justin was superb. Safe and supportive on the climbing, and extremely knowledgeable about the flora and fauna in the Cape floral kingdom. Climbing the mountain was also a great way to beat the 3 hour cable car queues too! Cannot recommend enough.
Thanks so much for the great review! I had a TOP morning scrambling up India Venster with you both :)