Hikes and Treks in South Africa

Cape Town isn’t only a vibrant metropolis that is used as a base for a South Africa trip. It is also an outdoors lover’s paradise. This city has a rich outdoor culture that begins with parks and gardens, and extends to nearby hills and mountains. Hiking trails in Cape Town are gateways to unique sceneries and views over the city’s fantastic beaches, streets, the harbor, and more. Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced hiker, when you tour Cape Town, you'll encounter hiking trails that are suitable for everyone. We give you a snapshot overview of six best hiking trails (in no particular order) in Cape Town; strategically categorized based on difficulty level – Easy, Moderate, and Difficult.

Stretching for around 1000km and marking the eastern side of the Great Escarpment, the Drakensberg Mountains (or perhaps more correctly just ‘Drakensberg’, meaning Dragon’s Mountain), offer some of the best hiking opportunities while traveling in South Africa. Here can be found some of southern Africa’s highest peaks and Drakensberg hiking trips offer something for everyone, including gentle half-day hikes, longer multiple-day trips, challenging climbs and, for those with the necessary experience and equipment, technical mountaineering. This is a guide to the seven best known and most rewarding options (in no particular order) in this destination.

Rising 1,086m above Cape Town, Table Mountain is the city’s most recognizable landmark. The mountain and its famous plateau look over the city like a strong, silent, protective guardian. But Table Mountain is more than just a representation of Cape Town; it’s also home to an immense amount of flora and fauna, native only to the area. Table Mountain’s abundance of biodiversity coupled with its one-of-a-kind landscape creates a truly awesome experience for visitors.Known for the incredible view of the city the mountain avails from its top, it is definitely a rewarding experience to hike up Table Mountain from the ground below to its sky-scraping height, which is also possible to reach via an easy cable car ride. Platteklip Gorge trail is the most direct and popular trail up the mountain and has been included in our list of best hiking trails in Cape Town. There are also three other trails you can take leading to the top of Table Mountain. Choose as you please.

The oldest official trekking trail in South Africa — the Otter Trail is the best trek in the country. Located entirely inside the Tsitsikamma National Park, the trail is right in the middle of the famous Garden Route, another one of South Africa’s most famous attractions.The diversity of the route is what makes it so unique. The Otter trekking trail winds along breathtaking coastal cliffs, in addition to dense and untouched forests, offering trekkers the best of both worlds. Admire the striking rock outcrops, explore the caves, or go for a dip in one of the naturally formed rock pools while trekking here on your trip to South Africa. Piled high with fauna and flora and graced with impressive waterfalls, and many rivers and streams, this is a place of pure, uninhibited beauty. Over the course of the trek, visitors can enjoy bird watching, wildlife spotting, and tidal pool paddling. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for the Cape Clawed Otter, for which the trail was named!