Table Mountain is one of the most popular attractions in all of South Africa—and once you get to the top, it’s easy to see why. At the summit of this 3,558-foot mountain, you can see all of Cape Town and a nearly 360-degree view of the coast. To see the South African coastline from Table Mountain is unreal—the ocean is ferocious in this part of the world, and the colors come to shore in a surge of blues and whites.
Of course, you can always take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. That being said, it tends to be a time-consuming experience. Even with advance tickets, the lines for Table Mountain can be hours-long. And while that doesn’t detract from the majesty of the view when you get to the top, you may still want to consider a more luxurious route up Table Mountain.
African Travel, Inc. offers one of the most exclusive Table Mountain experiences. The luxury tour operator orchestrates small group or private adventures up Table Mountain, such that you can spend your day languishing on top of the mountain with champagne rather than standing in line at the base.
You tend to get a lot of value by touring Table Mountain with a luxury travel company. For one, you usually get to skip the lines. And of course, the logistics are all taken care of, and your experience is curated by a local rather than facilitated through a string of haphazard bookings.
African Travel, Inc. builds South African itineraries that often include time in Cape Town before venturing out on safari. While in Cape Town, their exclusive Table Mountain experience can be added to your itinerary. Here’s how it works: African Travel, Inc. arranges a private tour up Table Mountain—for this experience, summiting the mountain can be done via cable car, on foot, or by bike.
For those hiking up Table Mountain, there are two route options, which African Travel, Inc. will help guests choose from based on what they want to see, what their hiking experience is, and the weather conditions on the day. Guests can take the Platteklip Gorge trail, which is the first recorded route up Table Mountain and offers views of Table Bay, Robben Island, and the city of Cape Town. There’s not much shade on this hike, so it’s typically done in the morning. The alternative is the Skeleton Gorge hike, which starts on the east side of Table Mountain and moves toward the mountain’s front face. You’ll visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, at the base of the mountain, before starting the Skeleton Gorge hike and will wind up at Maclears Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain.
Finally, cyclists can choose to bike up Table Mountain on this exclusive African Travel, Inc. experience. Guests will be guided up the famous bike route that hosts the Cape Epic Prologue each year.
Regardless of how you choose to get to the summit, African Travel, Inc. will arrange a champagne picnic for guests when they reach the top. If you venture up the mountain in the morning, you can add a champagne breakfast to your experience. And there are few things more photo-worthy than a glass of bubbles perched on top of Table Mountain. (Pro-tip: if you want to sip on the local sparkling wine, put in a request for a bottle of Stellenbosch Cap Classique. Cap Classique is the South African interpretation of champagne.)
If you choose to summit Table Mountain in the late afternoon, you can arrive at the top just in time for sunset. That means enjoying your bottle of Cap Classique with a selection of canapes as you watch the sun sink beneath the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Whether you hike, bike, or tram up to the summit, the exclusive Table Mountain excursion promises to be memorable and, more importantly, filled with sparkling wine.
