Cape Town is a hiker’s dream city! With endless number of hikes right at your backdoor, it’s never a dull moment. After spending a few months in Cape Town, I heard about Wally’s Cave. I knew immediately that I needed to discover it for myself so I rounded up a group of friends to attempt the hike. Many Google searches came up short when researching how to find it but we eventually struck gold so if you’re hoping to find Wally’s cave for yourself, you’re in the right place!
*DISCLAIMER: This route is dangerous and should only be attempted in groups and by experienced hikers*
When to Hike & What to Bring
When I did this hike, we went for sunset. It was beautiful but the one drawback was having to leave before it got dark so we could get back safely. It’s a short hike that takes roughly 45 minutes (depending on how long it takes you to find it), so make sure if you do go for sunset you allow enough time on your return. If you’re doing this hike for the first time, midday would probably be your best bet. That way you’ll have plenty of time and daylight to find it and enjoy the cave.
While it’s not a long and/or strenuous hike, I’d recommend bringing:
- Water
- Camera
- Speaker
- Snacks – Skip the alcohol because you’ll need to be in the right state of mind to complete the hike safely.
Starting the Hike
The hike starts at the Lion’s Head trailhead. Follow the path as you usually would when hiking Lion’s Head. Things start to take a turn when you round the corner and come across the first set of ladders. Look closely for a sign that says no entry to the left of the ladder.
Follow the footpath where the sign is. It will take you around the mountain as you walk towards Table Mountain. If you’ve done Kloof Corner, you’ll see that spot as you follow this path. It’s a pretty obvious trail but you’ll know you’re going the right way if you see this old broken bench! 👇🼠Be careful on the path, as it’s fairly narrow and on the edge of the mountain.
This spot on the trail is a great place to stop and get a few photos. Here are some that I think turned out really well!
How to Find Wally’s Cave
Once you turn the corner and see the ocean, don’t go far! I was incredibly confused as to where the cave was when I first walked around the corner because it’s not exactly visible. Thinking it might be above us, I was looking for paths to hike upward when it was actually below the trail we were on!
While there are no specific markings to find a route to climb down, if you carefully peer over the edge, you might be able to see some of the cave poking out. Then you’ll see big rocks that you can scale down to get to the same level as the cave. These rocks are roughly 10-15 meters from when you turn the corner.
Once you get down to that level, you have to walk left for a few meters and you’ll see the cave! It’s right across from Kloof Corner so it has amazing views of Table Mountain and you can sit along the rocks at the edge if you want to see the sun set over the ocean.
Final Thoughts
Although it may not be the easiest to find Wally’s cave, it’s certainly worth the adventure! If you attempt this hike, remember to do so in a group and be careful when climbing up and down the rocks.
Want to see more? Check out my video on TikTok to see more of the route we took and you can follow my current adventures over on Instagram as well!
Cheers,
Amy xx
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