Find Wally’s Cave: Cape Town’s Secret Cave

Looking for Wally’s Cave in Cape Town?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you!

Cape Town is a hiker’s dream city. With an 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 there is no legal path. Spellbound Travels is not responsible for injury or death that may occur if you attempt this hike. You can find a list of other incredible hikes around Cape Town below!

How to Get to Lions Head

To find Wally’s Cave, you’ll need to get to Lion’s Head.

It’s easy to find on Google and you can drive them and park outside the trailhead, however, I highly recommend taking an Uber if you can instead.

I only say that because there have been many instances when I’ve finished a hike and saw every car in the car park broken into, with shattered windows.

If you are driving, the best way to avoid this is to ensure nothing is left in the car. Even if you don’t think it’s valuable, people will break into your car for a used shoe – trust me, I’ve seen it happen!

Of course, you can’t always avoid your car getting broken into in Cape Town despite best efforts, which is why I prefer taking an Uber.

You can call an Uber or Bolt to the same place on the map to get to Lion’s Head.

Starting the Hike

The hike starts at the Lion’s Head trailhead.

Follow the head 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. Just always make sure you’re staying close to the mountain to avoid slipping!

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 was 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!

Views From Wally’s Cave

Wally’s Cave is right across from Kloof Corner so it has magnificent views of Table Mountain and you can sit along the rocks at the edge if you want to see the sunset over the ocean.

There’s something so special about being inside a cave that many people don’t have a chance to see. It’s especially beautiful during the golden hour when the light is shining on the mountain!

The Best Time to Visit Wally’s Cave

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.

What to Bring

While it’s not a long and/or strenuous hike, I’d bring:

• Water
• Camera
• Speaker
• Snacks – Skip the alcohol because you’ll need to be in the right state of mind to complete the hike safely.

Is There a Legal Path?

Unfortunately, no.

Due to the danger of hiking to Wally’s Cave it’s been permanently closed to the public.

SANParks employees regularly patrol the area and if caught, you will be forced to leave and pay a fee (the amount is unknown).

While they do regular maintenance on Lion’s Head, they don’t intend on repairing Wally’s Cave trail so I don’t recommend doing this hike anymore.

Instead, check out some of my other recommendations for hikes below!

Other Hikes You Should Try in Cape Town

Cape Town is home to the Table Mountain National Park, one of the best places to hike in South Africa!

You need to hike up Table Mountain! It’s a longer hike with many different paths you can take, ranging from 2-4 hours long.

I’ve always hiked up and then taken the Table Mountain cable car down on the way back! It offers a good balance of exercise and relaxation.

Another hike I absolutely adore is Kloof Corner!

It’s an easy 20-minute hike up to the viewpoint. It sits directly across from Wally’s Cave and is much more popular but one of my favourite spots for sunset.

Other Cape Town Blogs You Might Find Helpful

• Take a day trip to the wineries in Stellenbosch! Here are the best wineries in the area
• How I’d spend 7 days in Cape Town
• Check out another incredible hike in the Western Cape – Elands Bay Cave!
• The best activities for couples in Cape Town: 25 ideas

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 and YouTube as well!

Cheers,

Amy xx