Table Mountain Aerial Cableway — Local services in Western Cape

I'm a South African myself and I've been on Table Mountain a few times before and retained nothing but fond memories, until this morning's visit. I thought it an excellent idea to make use of the 90th birthday anniversary special and paid R90 per ticket for my wife and I. We tried going on Friday morning around 11:00 but the queue was impossible. It stretched almost halfway into the designated parking area and we weren't willing to stand there in the sun for a couple of hours. We decided to try going VERY early this (Monday) morning. We reached the mountain at 6:15 even though the cable way only opens at 8:00, but we had some coffee and breakfast and was content with the knowledge that we were the very first 2 people in the queue, aside from a group of 3 tourists who cut the line. The wind picked up ferociously around 7:30 and even with jackets on it was freezing. Needless to say we weren't impressed when they opened the gates 10 minutes late and that one person told us to cross the road to enter the gates and then another said to go back until they closed the road for cars.

When we finally entered the gates there was absolutely no clear sign of where to go next until one of the attendants yelled for us to go straight ahead (nice and professional). The cable car trip itself was stunning and we enjoyed it as usual, and it was an extra thrill to have one of the windows open making the beautiful purple Fijnbos popping up here and there more visible. We wanted to grab a coffee at the cafe to warm up before we started exploring and before the cafe got busy, but they didn't open on time either, which was supposed to be 8:30.

I wanted to make a quick dash to the toilet in the meantime to buy time, but they were busy "replacing the water" and I was sent to a toilet further away. I eventually joined my wife at the cafe and we had a look around inside. As expected everything was highly over-priced, which is sort of understandable considering its location, but why did the service have to lack quality?

We had to ask prices for the coffee and were nonchalantly waved away to a blank TV which had to be refreshed and displayed each page (some with instructions how to place an order) for a mere 2 seconds before moving on. We went to sit outside whilst waiting for the coffee to be prepared and the stench from the toilets was overwhelming and very unwelcome. We went to collect our coffees when our buzzer vibrated and after picking them up I turned to hand my wife hers when my hand suddenly bumped a totally useless, badly placed computer screen on the counter (at which no orders are placed). It was a mess. If I wasn't wearing a leather jacket I would have really been ticked off. No logical person would place an unused screen there under the elbows of clients picking up coffee.

Only two tables were set-up inside the cafe at this time and they were occupied, so we went outside again to try and enjoy our coffee in peace surrounded by the breath-taking view. We stayed close to the building to avoid the toilet smell which would have spoiled anyone's appetite. Whilst having a quiet moment to ourselves the staff started washing the floor around us and we felt compelled to just move along to get out of their way. The rest of our visit went smoothly because no people were involved. We enjoyed our 30min hike to the full and without disturbances.

I'm just wondering why the cable way opens at 8:00 whilst the cafe and shops only open at 8:30 and the employees only start to set up tables, clean toilets and wash floors then? Every job I've ever had I had to start working earlier than opening time to prep for the first customers, but not Table Mountain, they couldn't care less. Do they expect us to stay on the mountain for the entire day to be able to make use of the amenities? I was really disappointed to say the least. Table Mountain won't see us again, it's not...

Quite simply put, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is a must-do for anyone visiting Cape Town. The views from the top are simply breathtaking, and you can see for miles in every direction. Even the cableway ride itself is an experience in itself.

We made use of the City Pass Cape Town for the day, using the Hop-on Hop-off bus to get from V&A Waterfront up to the attraction. I would advise this as the parking is limited and gets very busy. Another big tip is to get there as early as you can. We went on an off-peak Friday morning at 9 am and waited around 30 minutes to ascend to the top of the mountain. By the time we had returned around 11:30 am the queue was triple the size, so would have taken at least 1 hour to get to the top. By arriving as early as you can, you can beat the queues and enjoy more of your day. Another benefit of the City Pass Cape Town is you can proceed straight into the line, instead of having to purchase tickets before you join the queue – again saving you time.

The cableway ride takes about 5 minutes to reach the summit. A really nice surprise was the cable car actually turns as you go up/down, so it doesn’t matter where you stand, as you’ll have a great view at one point during the ride. The views from the top are nothing short of incredible. You can see Table Mountain, Robben Island, and the entire city spread out before you. Once you reach the top, you can take in the stunning views from the various viewpoints, and there are also several hiking routes should you wish to use them. There is also a pub, cafe, toilets and a gift shop too.

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is a great way to experience the beauty and nature of Cape Town. The views are amazing, the cableway ride is fun, and there is something for everyone to enjoy. It’s a must-do attraction when visiting Cape Town – but get there early to...

First tip: read plenty of the reviews here about the Cableway. Most of the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews give you a decent overview about some of the (potential) negatives of the experience.

Second tip: you're going up a mountain. Read that again. You. Are. Going. Up. A. Mountain. And, like any mountain around the world, Mother Nature can (and, does) throw weather curveballs. Be prepared... at the very least, wear sensible footwear.

Third tip: expect to queue. Each cable car can carry 65 people. So, think about how dithering 65 people can be, as they all try to get to the same thing.

We first visited Table Mountain on what looked like a perfectly decent day (sunny, etc) to find out the Cableway had closed because of strong winds. Fair enough. So, returned a few days later - brilliant weather.

I feel your experience of Table Mountain IS going to be dictated by the weather. If it's fine on top, then this experience is brilliant. Fantastic views. However, if the weather up there is s___ty, then so too will be your experience. And - seeing as this is Table MOUNTAIN - the weather can change very rapidly. Fine one minute, cloudy and windy the next. Like I said above, be prepared.

The cableway itself is excellent: very, very good views. But, you've got to deal with the other passengers in your cable car, and everyone's trying to do the same thing - get themselves the best vantage point to grab the best photos as you go up, then back down. So, respect each other, do what you can to not get the s__ts on with all your other passengers and newly found very personal...