Skeleton Gorge & Nursery Ravine Hike, Table Mountain

If you’re looking for the most forest-filled, stream-hugging, sweat-inducing way up Table Mountain, Skeleton Gorge is your ticket. 

This isn’t your average rocky scramble or wide jeep track. This is a lush, misty, jungle-like adventure that starts in the world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and ends high on the mountain’s back at a dam that looks like it belongs in a fantasy film.

I’ve done this hike in summer heat, winter drizzle, and everything in between. And every time, it’s amazing. 

It’s one of the most rewarding hikes in Cape Town, but it doesn’t hand out its views for free. Be prepared to climb. Then climb some more. And then, just when your legs say “enough,” climb again. But it’s worth every step.

Skeleton Gorge & Nursery Ravine: Hike Overview

• Start Point: Kirstenbosch Gardens (or Cecilia Forest for a free alternative)
• End Point: Hely-Hutchinson Dam on Table Mountain
• Return via: Nursery Ravine
• Distance: ± 7.5 km (loop)
• Duration: 3.5 to 5 hours (depending on pace and breaks)
• Difficulty: Moderate to hard (steep, with ladders and scrambling)
• Entrance Fee: R230 for adults at Kirstenbosch (free via Cecilia Forest)

Why Hike Nursery Ravine on Table Mountain?

Because it’s wild. It’s the only route up Table Mountain that makes you feel like you’re in a rainforest. 

You’re walking under a dense canopy, alongside moss-covered rocks, and up slippery wooden ladders next to a stream. This isn’t about wide-open views on the way up — it’s about immersion in nature.

At the top, you’re rewarded with one of the most surreal scenes in the Cape: soft white sand and a giant, manmade dam (Hely-Hutchinson) nestled in the mountain. 

It feels like the top of the world — and you’ll usually have it to yourself if you start early.

Image: climbing.co.za

Getting There and Where to Start

For hiking Skeleton Gorge and Nursery Ravine, you’ve got two solid starting options:

1. Kirstenbosch Gardens (official start)

• Enter through Gate 1 on Rhodes Drive.
• Head up to the “Skeleton Gorge” trail sign.
• Pros: Shortest route, beautiful gardens at the start.
• Cons: You have to pay the entry fee unless you’re a local member.

2. Cecilia Forest (free start, slightly longer)

• Park at Cecilia Forest just off Rhodes Drive.
• Follow trails up through the forest until you join the Contour Path.
• From there, you’ll connect to Skeleton Gorge.
• Pros: Free, quiet, more gradual warm-up.
• Cons: Adds about 45 minutes to your hike.

If you’re on a budget or just love walking through dense pine and gum forests, Cecilia is a great way to start. Otherwise, Kirstenbosch is the classic route, and you can treat yourself to a juice or coffee in the gardens afterward.

The Ascent: Up Through Skeleton Gorge

Once you’re on the Contour Path, you’ll see the Skeleton Gorge sign. This is where the real climb begins.

What to Expect:

• Wooden steps: These go on… and on… and on. You’ll gain height quickly.
• Ladders: There are several wooden ladders bolted into the rock, safe but slippery in winter.
• Riverbed scrambles: In winter or after rain, parts of the path flow like a stream. In summer, it’s usually dry, but the rocks stay slick.
• Thick foliage: You’ll be in dense, shaded forest for most of the way. It’s cool, quiet, and green. It’s completely different from the rest of Table Mountain.

You’ll be breathing hard and sweating, no matter your fitness level. This is a tough climb, especially if it’s humid.

Eventually, the forest thins out, and you’ll pop out into sunlight and onto white beach sand (yes, really). Just over the last ridge, you’ll see the Hely-Hutchinson Dam.

Image: climbing.co.za

The Summit: Dams, Sand, and Silence

The summit of Skeleton Gorge doesn’t take you to the cable station or classic city-side views — it takes you to something much more unique. The top of Table Mountain is flat up here and full of surprises.

• Hely-Hutchinson Dam: A huge, dark reservoir with a white sandy shoreline. Take a break, sit down, have a snack.
• Beaches on top of a mountain? Yes. This soft, natural silica sand was formed from the mountain’s sandstone.
• Quiet: Most tourists don’t come this way. If you start early, you might be completely alone at the top.

The Descent: Down Nursery Ravine

Don’t go back the way you came, that’s boring and brutal. Instead, make a loop and head down Nursery Ravine.

How to Find It:

From the dam, walk back slightly until you see the metal hiking map on a stone pillar. Cross the wooden bridge and turn right. Follow the sign to Nursery Ravine.

What to Expect:

• Initial climb: There’s a small uphill section to get to the correct path.
• Rocky trail: It starts off flat with big views over False Bay and the southern suburbs.
• Steep descent: Then it drops fast. Lots of big stone steps. Your knees will feel this.
• Into the forest: You’ll plunge back into dense greenery before rejoining the Contour Path.
• Back to start: Turn right at the Contour Path and head back the way you came, either to Cecilia or through Kirstenbosch.

Image: climbing.co.za

Important Tips for Hiking Skeleton Gorge and Nursery Ravine

• Start early: You’ll be in shade for most of the way up, but the descent can be hot and exposed.
• Wear grippy shoes: The rocks and ladders can be slippery.
• Bring water: At least 1.5L, more if it’s warm.
• Snacks are essential: That dam is the perfect snack stop.
• Navigation: The trails are well marked, but downloading an app like AllTrails helps.
• No dogs allowed: Since it’s inside Kirstenbosch and SANParks land, leave your furry friends at home.

Bonus Options

• Want a longer hike? From the dams, continue across the top to Maclear’s Beacon (the actual summit of Table Mountain) and down via Platteklip Gorge.
• Want to avoid paying Kirstenbosch fees? Start and end via Cecilia Forest. Just make sure you navigate correctly to find the gorge turnoffs.

Final Thoughts

The Skeleton Gorge & Nursery Ravine loop is one of the most varied, beautiful, and rewarding hikes on Table Mountain. It’s challenging, yes — but if you’re hiking fit and ready for a full-body workout in a magical setting, this is the one.

You’ll see ancient indigenous forest, scramble up wild gorges, relax next to a mountaintop dam, and descend with sweeping views over the Southern Suburbs and False Bay. It’s a hike you won’t forget.