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The Lions Head sunrise hike: when to start and what you will need
Lion's Head or Table Mountain guided hike
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Sunrise through the year
When the sun comes up at Lion's Head
Choose a month to see first light, sunrise and the latest start for a 1.5 hour climb.
Sunset
Jan
- Sunset approx. 20:00
First light 05:22, sunrise 05:51. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 04:21 at the latest.7,1,4
Feb
- Sunset approx. 19:40
First light 05:55, sunrise 06:21. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 04:51 at the latest.7,1,4
Mar
- Sunset approx. 19:07
First light 06:20, sunrise 06:46. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 05:16 at the latest.7,1,4
Apr
- Sunset approx. 18:25
First light 06:44, sunrise 07:09. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 05:39 at the latest.7,1,4
May
- Sunset approx. 17:54
First light 07:05, sunrise 07:32. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 06:02 at the latest.7,1,4
Jun
- Sunset approx. 17:44
First light 07:22, sunrise 07:50. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 06:20 at the latest.7,1,4
Jul
- Sunset approx. 17:55
First light 07:22, sunrise 07:50. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 06:20 at the latest.7,1,4
Aug
- Sunset approx. 18:16
First light 07:00, sunrise 07:26. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 05:56 at the latest.7,1,4
Sep
- Sunset approx. 18:37
First light 06:21, sunrise 06:46. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 05:16 at the latest.7,1,4
Oct
- Sunset approx. 18:58
First light 05:40, sunrise 06:05. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 04:35 at the latest.7,1,4
Nov
- Sunset approx. 19:27
First light 05:07, sunrise 05:35. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 04:05 at the latest.7,1,4
Dec
- Sunset approx. 19:53
First light 05:00, sunrise 05:30. For a climb of up to 1.5 hours, set off by 04:00 at the latest.7,1,4
Day length and sunset are worked out for the 15th of each month on South African time. First light and sunrise are US Naval Observatory times for Lion's Head in 2027; the latest start is sunrise minus the 1.5 hours the park allows for the climb, so add a margin for queues. No weather station is close enough to the summit, so the chart shows no temperatures.
A sunrise climb means setting off before dawn with a light and a plan. This page gives sunrise and first-light times for the year, what a guided start includes and how to stay safe.
Editorial team, lionsheadhike.top · Updated November 7, 2026 · A 6 min read
Main facts
- The formatThe guided sunrise option starts before dawn, with flashlights supplied.
- The earliest sunOn the 15th, sunrise is as early as 05:30 in December.1
- The latest sunSunrise reaches 07:50 on the 15th of June and of July.1
- The start timeIt follows the sunrise, so it can differ from the booked time.
- The official lineSANParks asks walkers to hike in daylight hours only.2
What a sunrise hike on Lion's Head involves
A Lion's Head sunrise hike is a climb timed to reach the summit as the sun comes up. The listing for the guided hike on this site describes the sunrise option as a start before dawn, in the dark, with flashlights supplied, so that the group is on the summit as the sun rises. It is one of 4 options on that listing, alongside sunset on Lion's Head and two routes up Table Mountain.
The mountain suits the idea. SANParks describes a short, popular hike with 360 degree views of the Atlantic seaboard, the city and Table Mountain, and the park's own rating for the route is easy with some minor rock scrambling.3,4 That makes a pre-dawn start realistic for ordinary walkers, provided the light and the pace are sorted out before you leave.
The start time follows the sun and not your booking. The listing says the Lion's Head start is dictated by the sunrise and sunset times, so it may differ from the time you first booked, and the group needs to keep a steady pace to reach the summit on time. That is why a sunrise date needs a margin: if you arrive late, the guide cannot wait for the sun.
First light and sunrise
Sunrise at Lion's Head for every month
| Month | First light | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 05:227 | 05:511 | 20:001 |
| February | 05:557 | 06:211 | 19:391 |
| March | 06:207 | 06:461 | 19:051 |
| April | 06:447 | 07:091 | 18:241 |
| May | 07:057 | 07:321 | 17:541 |
| June | 07:227 | 07:501 | 17:441 |
| July | 07:227 | 07:501 | 17:561 |
| August | 07:007 | 07:261 | 18:171 |
| September | 06:217 | 06:461 | 18:381 |
| October | 05:407 | 06:051 | 19:001 |
| November | 05:077 | 05:351 | 19:281 |
| December | 05:007 | 05:301 | 19:531 |
US Naval Observatory times for Lion's Head on the 15th of each month in 2027, local time; first light is the start of civil twilight.7,1
Sunrise and first light, month by month
The US Naval Observatory publishes sun times for any place on Earth, and its figures for Lion's Head are the ones to plan with. On the 15th of each month in 2027, sunrise runs from 05:30 in December to 07:50 in June and July, a spread of more than two hours that moves your alarm by the same amount.1 Civil twilight, the stretch of growing light before the sun clears the horizon, begins between 05:00 in December and 07:22 in June and July.7
The table below sets first light beside sunrise for every month. Read the first-light column as the earliest moment you could walk without a torch, and the sunrise column as the moment the sun itself appears. The gap between the two is shorter than a typical queue at the chains, so aim to be near the top before first light and not before sunrise.
Summer and winter feel very different. In the long days around December you start the climb in a warm night and the sun comes early, and in winter you start in cold and deeper darkness, with a later sunrise that makes the pre-dawn wait longer. Neither is better; they just ask for different clothes and a different alarm. The figures are for the 15th of the month, so adjust by a few minutes for other dates.1
A guided sunrise start
From the meeting point to the first light
Before dawn
Meet the guide
The meeting point depends on the option, or a pickup can be chosen.
In the dark
Start with a light
The sunrise option starts before dawn, with flashlights supplied.
On the spiral
Keep a steady pace
The group needs to move steadily to reach the summit on time.
At the rock
Ladder and chains
A steel ladder and a chain handrail come near the top.5
At the top
Wait for the sun
The group is on the summit as the sun comes up.
The way down
Descend in daylight
SANParks calls darkness and the steep descent a dangerous mix.6
Counting back from sunrise to your alarm
To plan a sunrise Lion's Head hike, begin with the sunrise time for your date, then subtract the climb. SANParks allows 1 to 1.5 hours up the route of about 2 km one-way, while Cape Town Tourism says the hike takes about 90 minutes to two hours depending on pace and photo stops.4,11 Use the longer figure if you are not used to hills or if you plan to photograph the first light on the way.
Then add the margin that a pre-dawn climb needs: the walk from where you park or are dropped to the trailhead, a short pause to put a headlamp on, and a buffer for the queue at the chains. Wesgro says the route gets busy and that queues form at the chains, and its advice is an early start to avoid both the crowds and the difficulty of finding parking along Signal Hill Road.12,8
A guided option removes much of this arithmetic: the listing says the start follows the sunrise, and that the group keeps a steady pace to reach the summit on time. If you climb on your own, write your start time on a note, tell someone your route and your expected return, and keep to it, because SANParks asks walkers to tell at least one person who is not coming where they are going and when they expect to arrive.2
Pick your start
Sunrise or something else
Pick the row that sounds like you and read what the sources say.
If I want the summit to myself
Start early
Wesgro says an early start avoids the crowds.8
If I am not confident in the dark
Choose sunset
The sunset option starts in daylight and the descent is in twilight.
If I travel alone
Join a guided group
SANParks recommends groups of four or more.9
If I want the best light for photos
Pick sunrise or sunset
Cape Town Tourism calls both unforgettable, even in winter.10
If I dislike early alarms
Go for sunset
Sunset needs no pre-dawn start, and falls between 17:44 and 20:00 on the 15th of each month.1
Dark, cold and wind before the sun arrives
The official advice leans against hiking in the dark, and a Lion's Head hike start before dawn runs straight into it. SANParks asks walkers to cycle, hike or run during daylight hours only, and the City of Cape Town says never to hike in the dark and to allow enough time to finish before sunset.2,16 A sunrise climb starts before daylight, which is why it works best with a guide and a light, and why the guided listing supplies flashlights.
Light is only part of it. SANParks lists a torch or headlamp among the items everyone should bring when walking outside at night, together with a hat, sunblock, water, snacks, sturdy boots and wet weather gear or wind breakers.13 A headlamp keeps both hands free for the ladder and the chains, which a handheld torch does not.
Wind and weather can change the plan. SANParks says the weather on Table Mountain is unpredictable and can change suddenly, with possible loss of visibility, and that wind is a defining feature of the Cape Peninsula climate, with mean speeds of 20 to 40 km/hr.17,14 Pack a windproof layer that is warm enough for standing still on a summit while the sky lightens, and check the forecast the evening before.
Sunrise listings
Guided sunrise hikes compared
Pick the party size and compare the from price of each option.
Weigh up 4 options
Guided sunrise hikes compared
Pick the party size and compare the from price of each option.
- Our hikeSunrise or sunset · starting at, per person $44
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View - Sunrise only10 people at most · starting at, per person $91
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View - Sunrise with a drink4 hours · starting at, per person $52
≈
View - Small group8 people at most · starting at, per person $72
≈
View
Starting prices on GetYourGuide, exchanged at the ECB reference rate. The booking page gives the exact price.
The crowd, the chains and your companions
A summit sunrise is a shared moment on a narrow mountain. The route has a steel ladder, a chain handrail and an optional chain ladder near the top, with an easier bypass on the south-east ridge, and Wesgro notes queues at the fixed chains.5,12 In the dark the queue is also a place where headlamps point everywhere, so keep yours low and turn it away from the faces of other climbers.
Hiking with others is the official advice, not just a courtesy. SANParks recommends groups of four or more for activities in the park, and says criminals are much more likely to go after individuals than groups.9,18 The City of Cape Town also says never to walk alone, with groups of at least four recommended.19 A guided group meets that advice in one booking.
Keep valuables at home, as the park suggests, and carry only what you need.20 SANParks also records that there is criminal activity from time to time in some urban edge areas of the park, and that Visitor Safety Officers patrol popular use zones to advise hikers and to deter criminals.21,22 Save the park's emergency number, 0861 106 417, in your phone before you go.15
Video
Lion's Head at sunrise: is this Cape Town's best hike?
Midlife Meander on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Whether you hike at sunrise, sunset, or under a full moon, Lion’s Head is an unforgettable experience, even in the winter.
Your pre-dawn kit
What to carry for a sunrise climb
Light and layers3
Food and water3
What you see from the summit as the sun comes up
SANParks lists what the 360-degree sweep takes in: the city bowl, Devil's Peak and the front face of Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles, the Atlantic seaboard from Oudekraal through Camps Bay and Clifton to Sea Point and Green Point, Table Bay and Robben Island.23 At first light those shapes come out of the dark one at a time, with the city lights still on below you.
Face east for the sunrise itself. SANParks mentions the distant Hottentots Holland mountains to the east when it describes watching the full moon rise from the summit, so that is the horizon where the light builds.6 Cape Town Tourism says that hiking Lion's Head at sunrise, sunset or under a full moon is an unforgettable experience, even in winter.10
Give yourself time to stay once you are there. The listing's pre-dawn schedule is built to put you on the summit as the sun rises, and the walk down in daylight is far calmer than the climb up in the dark. Bring something warm to wear while you wait, and carry your litter out, since SANParks asks visitors to take nothing but photographs and leave nothing but footprints.24
FAQ
Fast, clear answers, short.
Do I need a headlamp for the sunrise hike?
Is a sunrise hike on Lion's Head safe?
What time is sunrise in summer and winter?
Can I hike Lion's Head in the dark on my own?
How long before sunrise should I start?
Is it cold at the summit before dawn?
Does the guided sunrise hike run every day?
Sources
- US Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department · Rise and Set for the Sun for 2027, Lion’s Head, Cape Town (E018 23, S33 56, zone 2 h east of Greenwich) ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Visitor tips ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Lion’s Head & Signal Hill ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Hikes, walks and trails ↩
- Cape Town Tourism (official regional tourism organisation) · Take a hike up Lion’s Head ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Hikes, walks and trails ↩
- US Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department · Civil Twilight for 2027, Lion’s Head, Cape Town (E018 23, S33 56, zone 2 h east of Greenwich) ↩
- Wesgro (Western Cape official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency) · 7 spectacular day hikes in Cape Town ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Visitor tips ↩
- Cape Town Tourism (official regional tourism organisation) · Cape Town’s ideal winter hikes ↩
- Cape Town Tourism (official regional tourism organisation) · Cape Town’s ideal winter hikes ↩
- Wesgro (Western Cape official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency) · 7 spectacular day hikes in Cape Town ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Vital information ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Climate ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Vital information ↩
- City of Cape Town (capetown.gov.za) · Explore our mountains, fynbos and forests ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Safety tips and precautions ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Safety tips and precautions ↩
- City of Cape Town (capetown.gov.za) · Explore our mountains, fynbos and forests ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Visitor tips ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Vital information ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Vital information ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Hikes, walks and trails ↩
- South African National Parks (SANParks), official page, archived copy · Hikes, walks and trails ↩
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