Oppelskop hike Cape Town is a moderate loop hike with stunning mountain views

If you are looking for a moderate hike, with some intensity and an easy way down, we strongly suggest the Oppelskop hike Cape Town. It is a looped hike that starts along Tafelberg Road just before the barricades. The signs make it super easy to find, and there is plenty of parking, especially if you start early (before 7 am). Just to note, when you start, the sign will be for Devil’s Peak. Only once you start going upwards will you encounter specific directions for Oppelskop.

Oppelskop hike Cape Town

Since it’s a loop, you can start either way. We suggest using the path that requires climbing stairs at the beginning. Even though it is intense, you can make gains quite quickly and depending on your pace, you will get to the flat route within 30 mins to 1 hour. It feels much better to do this tough bit at the beginning, when your energies are high, rather than in the second half of the hike.

Once you merge there, its a flat path to the saddle or push on to Oppelskop Peak, where you can rest and enjoy the stunning views of the mountains. We took tea and some biscuits to enjoy a much-needed break here. Once done, you can take the path downward that starts with a steep decline, but also levels out more, and it’s easy peasy from there.

For this section, if you have hiking poles, they’re quite useful. Alternatively, Saleha finds it easier to come down the same way you would Lions Head – crawling haha.

The hike took us about 90 minutes; depending on your pace, you can take up to 2 hours. The views are absolutely stunning throughout, but especially at the peak. Oppelskop used to be a fire lookout way back when, and the remnants of that still remain. As you descend, you’ll notice the sun direction changing because you will be going around the mountain in some areas.

As always, it’s useful to have the AllTrails map on you just to make sure you’re going in the right direction. You can find it here.

If you’re looking for hikes in the same area, check out Woodstock Cave or Lion’s Head at night! Alternatively, you can just search ‘hikes’ and you’ll see all the different ones we’ve recommended + their guides.

Bookmark this for your the next time you’re looking for something fun to do! Want more travel recommendations, both in and outside South Africa? Follow us @afor_adventures or subscribe to our food & travel blog – always honest, always helpful.