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How do you hike Lion's Head in Cape Town?
Lion's Head (669 m / 2,195 ft) takes 2 to 3 hours there and back from the parking area on Signal Hill Road, near Kloof Nek, 10 minutes from the centre. It's Cape Town's most popular hike: free, no permit needed, with 360° views over the city, Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles and the ocean.
Dutch settlers named it, seeing a lion lying down with Signal Hill as its rump. The trail spirals around the peak, so the view changes at every bend: Camps Bay, then Sea Point and Robben Island, then the centre and the harbour.
What to know before you set off:
- The route: about 5.5 km (3.4 miles) return and just under 400 m (1,300 ft) of ascent. Wide at first, then steeper and rockier.
- Chains and ladders: near the top, a section with chains, metal staples and ladders. A signposted "recommended route" avoids the most vertical part but still has a couple of ladders. If you don't like heights, take it.
- The sun: there's no shade at all. Bring water, a hat and sun cream.
- Parking: small and full on fine evenings. Take an Uber, which drops you at the trailhead.
- Closures: maintenance work sometimes closes part of the trail (in spring 2026, for example); other routes stay open.
The busiest time is sunset, and above all the full moon, when hundreds of hikers climb with head torches. The catch: coming down rocky ground in the dark. Sunrise brings fewer people and less heat.
On safety, muggings have been reported on Lion's Head and Signal Hill: go in a group, at busy times, with no valuables on show (see "Is Cape Town safe?").
Not up for the climb? Signal Hill gives you a fine sunset view by car. It's also where the Noon Gun has been fired every day since the 19th century.
Verdict: the one hike to do in Cape Town if you only do one: shorter than Table Mountain and almost as spectacular.
Tip: go up at sunrise or one to two hours before sunset, and be back down before full dark: you get the light, a shorter queue at the chains and a safer descent.
Information checked in November 2026; check again before you travel.
More landmarks in this section
- What are the best things to do in Cape Town?
- How many days do you need in Cape Town?
- Where to stay in Cape Town, and which areas to avoid?
- Is Cape Town safe?
- How do you get around Cape Town without a car?
- How to get up Table Mountain: cable car or hike?
- Is Kirstenbosch Garden worth visiting?
- How do I visit Robben Island and book tickets?
- What are the best beaches in Cape Town?
- Boulders Beach: where to see penguins in Cape Town?
- What to see at Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope?
- Cape Winelands: Stellenbosch or Franschhoek?
- What to do in Cape Town with kids?
- What to do in Cape Town when it rains?