Hiking on Lions Head – My Experiences & Tips

A hike up Lions Head is a must! Lions Head, located right next to one of the 7 Natural New Wonders of the World, is very popular with visitors to Cape Town. Why? At 669 meters, it’s not as high or as difficult to climb as Table Mountain. Nevertheless, it offers spectacular views of the city, Camps Bay, and Table Mountain itself. Furthermore, this 2-3 hour hike can easily be included in your travel itinerary without requiring you to plan a whole day for it.

If you’d rather take a hike up Table Mountain instead, you can easily plan half a day or even a whole day for it. Together with Devils Peak, Table Mountain, and Signal Hill, Lions Head practically circumnavigates the City Bowl and is highly recognizable. Incidentally, Lions Head is named so because, together with Signal Hill, it is said to resemble a reclining lion, like a sphinx. I don’t know how much wine the people who named it had; I really only see two mountains.

But let’s be honest, simply climbing Lions Head sounds easy, but it can also mean sharing the trail with 100 other travelers. So here are my suggestions for a slightly different hike.

What else you should know

What else you should know
Current events
General information and preparation
Hiking on Lions Head – 4 special times
1. Sunrise on Lions Head
2. Lions Head in the clouds
3. Sunset on Lions Head
4. Full moon on Lions Head

Current events

Recently, there have been an increasing number of (sometimes armed) robberies at Lion’s Head, around Table Mountain, and on Signal Hill, especially at sunrise and sunset. Currently, hiking is only recommended in larger groups, and preferably during peak times. Valuables should be left at your accommodation. During the robberies, tourists are primarily robbed of cell phones, money, and cameras. It is recommended to bring an old but functioning cell phone with you. More information on the current situation can be found here: Take Back Our Mountains.

General Information and Preparation

Lionshead is located in the center of town. You can easily drive to the start of the hike with your own car/rental car or by Uber/taxi. Please make sure you do not leave anything visible in your car. Car break-ins are very common in this parking lot. Therefore, it is better to take the bus to the Kloof Nek 2 station or an Uber/taxi.

The route spirals up the mountain, giving you a 360-degree view along the way. There is an unavoidable ladder and a climbing section with chains and handles. However, the latter can be avoided. However, you should not be afraid of heights and should not be afraid of heights. The last 20 minutes of the hike are particularly challenging as you make your way up over the many boulders.

Wanderung-Lions-Head-Suedafrika-Wegweiser

What you need for a hike:

Hiking boots or at least closed sports shoes with the largest possible profile
Sufficient water (1-2 liters) & Snacks
Headlamp (if you’re hiking in the dark, it’s very difficult to hold a flashlight or your cell phone due to the climbing sections)
Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, first aid kit
Sweater or warm jacket

Unfortunately, there are frequent helicopter incidents and accidents on Lions Head. Please stay on the marked trails; only try to overtake when it’s safe and you all have enough space. If possible, never hike alone. In case of emergency, it’s always advisable to save the Mountain Rescue phone numbers. I don’t want to spread panic, but spending your entire vacation budget on a rescue helicopter flight would be a shame.

Hiking Lions Head – 4 Special Times

A hike up Lions Head usually fits into any travel itinerary. The three-hour hike can easily be fitted into a full day of sightseeing. Unfortunately, this means the mountain is sometimes very busy, and queues form in front of the ladder or the climbing section. Many Capetonians therefore avoid Lions Head during peak season, but there are times when it’s too tempting even for us to hike up Lions Head.

Although Lions Head is a smaller mountain, you should have a certain level of fitness. If you don’t hike often, it’s best to add another 30 minutes to the ascent time. The trail begins at a “fairly leisurely” pace on a wider forest road, winding around Lions Head. Later, wooden stairs are added, and the path becomes increasingly narrow and steep. The final stretch is rocky and features chains, metal ladders, and handholds.

Quick Facts about the hike to Lions Head:

Starting point: Signal Hill Road
Ascent: approx. 1 hour
Descent: approx. 1 hour
Elevation gain: approx. 270 m
Distance: approx. 2.2 km one way
Other: No water along the entire route, hardly any shade

1. Sunrise on Lions Head

Watching the sunrise is a deterrent for many, as it can be very early (especially in summer). If you have to hike for an hour to see the sunrise, you can be sure that Lions Head is not crowded at that time. Start your hike so that you arrive at the top 30 minutes before sunrise. This means that in the summer, with a sunrise of 5:30 a.m., you can start hiking as early as 3:30 or 4:00 a.m.

Since you’ll be hiking up the mountain in the dark, remember your headlamp (and a backup light, like your phone). The path is harder to see in the dark, and you can easily get lost. Important: Please don’t do this hike alone. There are always other hiking enthusiasts at your accommodation, on Meetup (app), or at Couch Surfing events. If no one is available, feel free to talk to me; maybe I’ll have time to show you Lions Head at sunrise.

Once you reach the top, you should look for a nice spot with a view of Devils Peak, because that’s where the sun will rise. Depending on the time of year, the exact location can change slightly, and sometimes the sun takes a little longer to shine over Devils Peak. The sight of the orange-glowing sun and the illuminated clouds will make you forget all the effort, and somehow it was worth getting up so early! The good news is, you still have the whole day ahead of you to see more of Cape Town. You’ve definitely earned breakfast.

2. Lions Head in the Clouds

Clouds, rain, and wind deter many visitors and locals from hiking the mountain. This is actually quite true, because in bad weather the risk of falling is much higher. But there are situations when the clouds aren’t bringing rain and are very low, allowing the peak of Lions Head to peek out above the clouds. This way, you can have blue skies and sunshine up there. So, you can venture up even in clouds before you have to cancel the hike.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite as lucky on my last hike and didn’t have blue skies, but it was still worth it. This was a “clean-up” hike, which is sometimes called for when there’s too much trash on the trail. Please take all your trash back down with you.

I had better luck with cloud cover on my hike up Devils Peak. The hike itself is somewhat less spectacular, as you certainly have fewer views on the way up. The view and feeling from the top are all the better.

3. Sunset on Lions Head

Similar to the sunrise, the sunset is a real highlight on Lions Head. Even if you don’t make it all the way to the top, there are plenty of opportunities to watch the sunset from the trail along the spiral hiking trail. It might be a bit busier up there than at sunrise, but if you get to the summit in time, you’re sure to find a good spot to watch the sunset. Be sure to bring your camera, because the light is magical up here and there are 100 great photo spots!

Be especially careful on the way back, as it is very dark then. If you are unsure, do not walk all the way to the top or go back down earlier. It is best to bring a headlamp so that you have your hands free. You will not get far with your cell phone flashlight. If in doubt, ask other hikers if you can descend together. Capetonians are all nice people.

4. Full Moon on Lions Head

If you’re in town during the full moon, you absolutely have to watch the moonrise on Lions Head. This is already a popular pastime among Capetonians. To avoid having to hike both routes in the dark, it’s best to go up at sunset and combine both events. On these days, many people might hike up Lions Head for sunset, so plan a little extra time on the way back.

These are my favorite times for a hike up Lions Head. Perhaps you’d like to hike up yourself. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions; I might also happen to be on Lions Head.

Hiking on Lions Head – 4 extraordinary times