Our pick
Lion's Head or Table Mountain
The tour on this site
- Length2.5 - 3.5 hours
- Rating4.9 from 2,127
- Pricefrom $44
Cost for your group
Lion's Head hike guide: what you pay and what you get
Lion's Head or Table Mountain guided hike
★ 5.0 · Rated by 2,127 guests
Weigh up 4 options
What a guided hike costs for your group
Type your party size and compare four guided hikes by their from prices.
- Lion's Head or Table MountainOur own pick · starting at, per person $44
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View - Sunrise/sunset or Table MountainThe lowest from price · starting at, per person $37
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View - Sunrise coffee or sunsetFour hours · starting at, per person $52
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View - Guided sunrise or sunsetSmall group of 8 · starting at, per person $72
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View
Starting prices on GetYourGuide, exchanged at the ECB reference rate. The booking page gives the exact price.
The path itself is free to walk. A guide adds company, pace and local knowledge, and the listings differ on length, group size and price. Here is how to compare them.
Editorial team, lionsheadhike.top · Updated November 7, 2026 · A 7 min read
Main facts
- Do you pay?Cape Town Tourism lists the Lion's Head hike as free.1
- Why a guideSouth African Tourism says hiring a guide is better still than hiking in a group.2
- Our pickThe site tour is listed from $44 and rated 4.9 from 2,127 reviews.
- LengthThe listing gives the duration as 2.5 - 3.5 hours.
- CancelFree cancellation up to 24 hours before for a full refund.
Is the Lion's Head trail free?
The walk itself does not have a ticket. Cape Town Tourism gives the location as Signal Hill Rd and the price as free.1 Table Mountain National Park is primarily an open-access park, with conservation fees payable at only a few points including Cape Point, Boulders, Kirstenbosch and Silvermine.3 As for do you have to pay to hike Lion's Head, the sources say the trail is free to walk, and nobody is selling a permit at the trailhead.
Free to walk does not mean free to do well. The trail itself costs nothing, though the day around it has costs. There may be parking costs or tips for car guards, and Cape Town Tourism says tipping car guards outside the city centre is acceptable and usually at your discretion.4 You will also need transport to Signal Hill, water, shoes and a light if you go at sunset. Add those, and the cost of a guided option looks different: it bundles a person, a plan and often a pickup.
The honest comparison is between your time and a guide's. If you know the route, have a group of 4 or more and are comfortable with ladders, you can go unguided.5 If you are alone, new to the mountain or nervous about the chain section, a guide changes the day from a gamble to a plan. South African Tourism says to hire a guide or ask an experienced hiker to take you along.2 Be clear with yourself about which of those describes you before you spend money.
Side by side
Five Lion's Head listings compared
| Listing | Length | Group | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion's Head or Table Mountain | 2.5 - 3.5 hours | Private or small | 4.9 from 2,127 |
| Sunrise/sunset or Table Mountain | 3 - 3.5 hours | Private or small | 4.9 from 795 |
| Sunrise coffee or sunset | 4 hours | Private or small | 4.9 from 356 |
| Guided sunrise or sunset | 3.5 hours | Limited to 8 | 4.9 from 312 |
| Small-group sunset | 3.5 hours | Limited to 7 | 4.9 from 93 |
Figures come from the listing records; prices are from prices and change with the date.
What a guide adds on this mountain
Start with company. The advice for Table Mountain is never to hike alone, and to make sure there are at least 4 hikers.5 Hikers who want company can join a guided tour, and several tours follow different trails.9 A guided group solves the head count on the days when no friends are free, and it gives you somebody to watch the group on the ladder. That is the practical gain, and it matters most for solo travellers and pairs.
Next comes judgment. The route ends with a steel ladder, a chain handrail and an optional chain ladder, and the chain ladder can be bypassed by an easier route up the south-east ridge.10,11 A guide knows which line suits which member of the group and decides when the weather says go down. The cableway company stresses that the weather can change very quickly, regardless of the season.12
Then there is local knowledge. A guide can point out the city below, the paraglider launch and the mountains around, and the summit offers panoramic views of the city, Table Mountain, Camps Bay, Signal Hill and the Twelve Apostles.7 The sources do not say what any one guide will say, so read reviews for tone. On the site tour, the listing records 2,127 reviews at 4.9, which is a larger sample than the other options.
Group size
The participant caps listed
- Small-group sunset7
- Guided sunrise or sunset8
- Platteklip Gorge hike10
- India Venster hike10
Each bar is the participant limit stated on a listing; the site tour lists private or small groups without a number.
The site tour in detail
The tour on this site is the Cape Town: Lion's Head or Table Mountain Guided Hike. Its listing gives the duration as 2.5 - 3.5 hours, a live English guide, private or small groups available and pickup available, and it is listed from $44. Prices are from prices and vary with the date, the option and the group, so use the booking page for the exact fare. Treat the exact times, fares and inclusions on the live page as the final word. Treat that as the Lion's Head hike price to measure the other listings against.
You choose the mountain when you book. The listing offers Lion's Head at sunrise, Lion's Head at sunset, or Table Mountain by the Platteklip Gorge or India Venster route. It says the Lion's Head start time follows sunrise and sunset, so it may differ from the booked time, and that flashlights are provided for the climb in the dark and when required for the sunset descent. Check the option twice before you pay.
The listing asks for a good fitness level and says the trails combine hiking, scrambling and exposure to heights. It lets you reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before for a full refund. The meeting point varies with the option booked, and pickup from accommodation can be chosen. Read the details on the booking page, because they decide where and when you meet.
Pick your guide
Which guided option fits you?
Choose the line that sounds like you and the answer sits beside it.
If I want the most reviewed
The site tour
The site tour is rated 4.9 from 2,127 reviews.
If I want the lowest price
Sunrise/sunset or Table Mountain
It is listed from $37.
If I want a smaller group
Limited-size sunset
One listing is limited to 7 participants.
If I want French
Sunrise coffee or sunset
The listing offers guide languages English and French.
If I want Table Mountain too
Choose the site tour
It offers Lion's Head or Table Mountain by two routes.
Three to consider
Our pick and two alternatives
Small group
Guided sunrise or sunset
Limited to 8
- Length3.5 hours
- Rating4.9 from 312
- Pricefrom $72
Languages
Sunrise coffee or sunset
English and French
- Length4 hours
- Rating4.9 from 356
- Pricefrom $52
How the Lion's Head listings differ
The listings share a mountain and differ on the details. A guided hike at sunrise or sunset is listed at 3.5 hours, limited to 8 participants, from $72, with a rating of 4.9 from 312 reviews. A guided sunset hike is listed at 3.5 hours, limited to 7, from $109, rated 4.9 from 93 reviews. The cap is stated on each listing. Compare them on the details that matter to your group rather than on the headline price alone.
Others lean on price or extras. A sunrise or sunset hike or Table Mountain option is listed from $37, rated 4.9 from 795 reviews, with private or small groups and pickup available. A sunrise with coffee or tea, or sunset, hike is listed from $52 at 4 hours, rated 4.9 from 356 reviews, with guide languages English and French. The listing adds that the meeting point is the Lion's Head car park next to the coffee truck, afternoon only.
Use the comparison below to pick on what matters to you. Group size, length, language, pickup and the sunrise or sunset choice vary. One listing says a minimum of 3 people is required to run the tour, and another says its tour is weather dependent and that all hikes are at your own risk. Read the small print, and ask the operator if a rule is not clear. Ask early, because a quick message to the operator usually settles a doubt before it costs you a booking.
Booking to summit
How a guided hike unfolds
Book
Pick your option
Choose Lion's Head at sunrise or sunset, or Table Mountain.
Day before
Check the start
The Lion's Head start time follows sunrise and sunset and may vary.
Meet
Trailhead or pickup
The meeting point varies with the option booked.
Climb
Steady pace
The trail spirals around the mountain before a short, steep scramble.6
Summit
Look out
Panoramic views of the city, Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles.7
Down
Add a layer
The trek down after sunset can get chilly.8
Lion's Head or Table Mountain with a guide
The site tour covers both mountains, which suits people who have not decided. Lion's Head takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours on its own, and Platteklip Gorge should take between 1 and 3 hours depending on fitness, with India Venster taking 2 to 4 hours.15,16,17 The Table Mountain options in the listing are the Direct route by Platteklip Gorge and the Adventurous route by India Venster. That flexibility is useful when the forecast is uncertain, as long as you confirm the option before the day.
Dedicated Table Mountain guided hikes exist too. A guided summit hike is listed at 3 hours from $59, rated 4.9 from 754 reviews, with pickup available and private or small groups. A Platteklip Gorge hike is listed at 3 hours from $91, with a group limited to 10 and pickup included. An India Venster hike is listed at 4 hours from $91, limited to 10. Table Mountain asks for more time and effort than Lion's Head.
India Venster needs a fair bit of scrambling and should be tackled only by fit hikers who know the route.17 Platteklip Gorge is a prominent gorge up the centre of the main table and one of the most popular routes up the mountain.18 For a first outing with a guide, Lion's Head is the shorter choice and Table Mountain can wait for another day. Tell the guide about any health concern, knee or hip problem or fear of heights when you book, not at the foot of the ladder.
Video
Is Lion's Head at sunset worth it?
Candy & Ryan Explore on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Always hike in a group and carry water and warm clothing with you. Better still, hire a guide or ask an experienced hiker to take you along.
Before you book
Booking checklist
On the booking page4
- Pick the mountain and the sunrise or sunset option
- Note that the start time follows sunrise and sunset
- Check the meeting point and pickup
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Booking sense and when to go unguided
Book early for the dates you care about, and keep the cancellation window in mind. The listings show free cancellation up to 24 hours before for a full refund. The weather matters: a cancelled or shifted hike is a real possibility on a windy or cloudy day, and the cableway company advises checking the weather the day before and the morning of the hike.19 If your dates are fixed, book the option you want and keep a spare day in the plan.
Unguided is a fair choice for fit walkers in a group of 4 or more who know the route, have checked the forecast and carry a light and water.5,19 Save the emergency number, 086 110 6417, and tell somebody where you are going.14 Do not hike alone at night, and do not hike at night or in late afternoon in winter.20 If any of that is shaky, a guide is a sensible upgrade. Tell somebody where you are going and when you expect to be back.
Finish by matching the booking to the day. If you want the sunset view and a quieter descent, pick the sunset option on the site tour. If you want the cooler morning, pick sunrise. If you have a bigger appetite for effort, choose Table Mountain by the route that suits your fitness. Whichever you pick, read the live listing for what it includes on your date. Then confirm the meeting point and start time the day before.
FAQ
Fast, clear answers, short.
Is the trail free to walk?
Do you need a guide?
How much is a guided Lion's Head hike?
How long is the site tour?
Can I cancel?
What is the smallest group?
Is pickup available?
Can I do Table Mountain on the same booking?
Sources
- Cape Town Tourism · Sunset Lovers, Here are the Best Sunset Spots in Cape Town ↩
- South African Tourism · Table Mountain is an international icon ↩
- South African Tourism · Table Mountain is an international icon ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Survival Tips for the Cape Town Summer ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Cape Town's Ideal Winter Hikes ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Sunset Lovers, Here are the Best Sunset Spots in Cape Town ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Sunset Lovers, Here are the Best Sunset Spots in Cape Town ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Take a hike up Lion's Head ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Take a hike up Lion's Head ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Cape Town's Ideal Winter Hikes ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Explore Cape Town's Iconic Table Mountain ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Explore Cape Town's Iconic Table Mountain ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Explore Cape Town's Iconic Table Mountain ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Is it safe to hike up Table Mountain? Here's what you need to know ↩
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