Travel with Mariska

Level: Moderate to difficult (depending on the weather).

Duration: 3 – 4 Hours if you only walk to the famous diving board and back, or it can take up to 5 hours if you walk all the way to the cable car.

Cost: Free

The Kasteelpoort trail is one off the trails leading up Table Mountain and it starts on the Twelve Apostles side of Table Mountain. I do suggest starting this hike early in the morning, as then the trail side off the mountain is still shaded.

This is a moderate hike, depending on the weather as it can become a bit tricky if it is very windy.

Start the hike of in Bakoven and make your way up by following the Jeep trail (Pipe Track).

There are two ways to get to the start of the Kasteelpoort trail. There will be a rocky trail leading up the mountain on your left, continue left with a steep climb to the start of the trail (do take note that there are no signs indicating for you to go left) OR you can continue straight with the Jeep trail (Pipe Track) and make your way around, turning left at the junction. We opted for the shorter/steeper trail.

After about 20 minutes you will see a clearly marked sign that indicates the direction for the Kasteelpoort trail. Here you just continue up the mountain, surrounded with beautiful fynbos and boulders. When you are almost at the top, there will be a lookout point overlooking Lion’s Head. After this you’ll continue your way up, where at certain areas it will require of you to scramble or pull yourself up some rocks/ boulders.

Once close to the end, you’ll see the gradient eases a bit. Continue past a wooden bridge until you find a rocky sign. Follow the route ‘Twelve Apostles Spine Route‘ to make your way to the diving board. Once you’ve reached the second sign, you follow the flat trail called ‘Old Cableway Viewpoint‘. Continue on the trail and this will lead you to the Old Cableway which was used in the olden days to ship materials for the construction of dams on top of Table Mountain.

Once at the Old Cableway, you will see the famous diving board right in front of you.

Once you’ve reached the diving board, you can either continue your way back down or you can hike to the cable car (which will take about an extra hour and a half) and then make your way down with the cable car and Uber back to where you’ve parked your car.