Hiking Lion’s Head

During this past holiday weekend, a few friends and I hiked to the top of Lion’s Head to watch the sunset. We began our hike in town, and the walk to the beginning of the trail actually took longer than the hike up the mountain. Aside from nearly having to run up to catch the sunset in time, the views from the trail and the top were absolutely spectacular. The first half of the trail winds around the wider part of the mountain, beginning looking out over the city of Cape Town and Table Mountain towering above and eventually reaching a wide-open view of the ocean around the other side.

The second half of the hike was slightly more vertically inclined than the first. We began an ascent up a few ladders before reaching a section where you had to climb using rings and chains attached to the mountain to pull yourself up the rocks. Despite jumping off a large bridge a few weeks ago, I have not yet gotten over my fear of heights so I was on my hands and knees for a majority of this part after reaching the top of each climb.

After climbing up the last few rocks and reaching the top, you encounter a crowded mountaintop full of other hikers waiting for the sun to go down. From the top you can see all of the city of Cape Town, Table Mountain and the ocean far below extending toward Cape Point and seemingly never ending beyond the mountainous coast. The sun begins to go down and the sky erupts in magnificent colors that shoot over the ocean and around to the city on the other side of the mountain. The city lights begin to come on as the colorful glow remains above, and Table Mountain becomes a silhouette against the setting sun. We sat on top of Lion’s Head until the sun had entirely disappeared behind the ocean and then slowly began our decent down lit only by the moon and the city lights far below.

We begin our hike up Lion’s Head!

A few friends form Enkanini tagged along.

The first half of the hike provides a wonderful view of the ocean.

The first of the ladders throughout the second half of the hike.

We made it to the top!

The mountain top becomes quite crowded as the sun begins to go down.

Cape Town begins to light up as the sun disappears.

Signal Hill and the city of Cape Town can be seen from the top.

Babiche watches the sun go down.

Table Mountain becomes a silhouette.

Our group captures the last few minutes of the sunset.

The steep decent from the top.

We make our way down the mountain with the help of a few flashlights.

Cape Town glows below.

The round glow of flashlights is all that can be seen of hikers making their way down the mountain.