How much are Table Mountain National Park fees for international visitors?
Table Mountain National Park charges a daily conservation fee at a small number of pay points, not for the whole mountain. SANParks' rates page sets three price levels by where you are from:
| Pay point | International adult | International child (2–11) | SADC national adult | SA citizen or resident adult |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Point (Cape of Good Hope) | R515 | R250 | R225 | R110 |
| Boulders penguin colony | R245 | R120 | R110 | R55 |
| Silvermine, Oudekraal, Newlands, Tokai picnic and braai area | R200 | R100 | R90 | R44 |
These prices apply from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026. The fee year runs from 1 November, so if you are visiting from November 2026 onwards, check the rates page again before you budget.
The South African rate needs proof: SANParks accepts a South African ID document or card, a South African driving licence, or a South African passport, each showing an SA ID number.
How much is the Table Mountain Cableway?
The Cableway is not a SANParks gate. SANParks' own fee document notes that the Table Mountain Cableway and Kirstenbosch are operated independently and set their own fees, so neither a conservation fee nor a Wild Card covers the cable car.
The Cableway's price list, valid from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, is:
| Ticket | Online | Ticket office |
|---|---|---|
| Adult return | R475 | R530 |
| Adult one-way | R300 | R330 |
| Child (4–17) return | R230 | R270 |
| Child (4–17) one-way | R165 | R180 |
| Fast Track return | R1,200 | Not listed separately |
Children under 4 ride free. The student rate (R320 return) needs a valid international or local student card and is sold only at the ticket office; the senior rate needs a South African ID.
What happens if the Cableway closes for wind?
The cable car stops running in bad weather such as strong wind, and the Cableway posts the day's status on its home page. On 23 September 2026 it listed the cableway as open, with first car up at 08:30, last car up at 18:00 and last car down at 19:00, and a notice that after recent wind closures only ticket-holders would be let in when it reopened, with no Fast Track upgrades.
That notice is the strongest argument for buying online. The Cableway says its tickets are valid for seven days from the date you select, and that online tickets can be rescheduled or upgraded within that period. Refunds are requested through your Webtickets profile or by emailing the barcode to refunds@tablemountain.net.
Is a Wild Card worth it for a Cape Town trip?
The Wild Card is SANParks' annual pass. For foreign visitors, the International All Parks Cluster costs R4,680 for one person, R7,310 for a couple and R8,745 for a family, with prices valid from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, and it includes Table Mountain National Park. The Wild Card FAQ says a family card can hold up to seven people: two adults and five children, or one adult and six children.
Compare that with what a Cape Town visit actually costs in conservation fees:
| Traveller | Cape Point + Boulders once | Wild Card price | Visits needed to break even |
|---|---|---|---|
| One adult | R760 | R4,680 | About 6 |
| Couple | R1,520 | R7,310 | About 5 |
| Two adults, two children (2–11) | R2,260 | R8,745 | About 4 |
Almost nobody visits Cape Point and Boulders four to six times on a holiday, so the Wild Card only makes sense when the same trip also includes other fee-charging parks, such as a safari park later in the itinerary. The card does not cover the Cableway either way.
Worked example: a family day on the peninsula and the mountain
Two adults and two children aged 6 and 9, all foreign visitors, plan one day at Cape Point and Boulders and one Cableway trip:
- Cape Point: 2 x R515 + 2 x R250 = R1,530
- Boulders: 2 x R245 + 2 x R120 = R730
- Cableway, online: 2 x R475 + 2 x R230 = R1,410
- Total: R3,670. Buying the Cableway tickets at the office instead (2 x R530 + 2 x R270 = R1,600) raises it to R3,860.
If the eldest child were 13 instead of 9, the Cableway price would not change, but that child would pay the adult conservation fee, adding R265 at Cape Point and R125 at Boulders.
Gate times at Cape Point and Boulders
SANParks' entrance gates page lists Cape Point entry from 06:00 with exit by 18:00 in summer (October to March), and 07:00 to 17:00 in winter (April to September). Boulders opens at 08:00 and closes at 17:00 in winter; in summer opening is between 07:00 and 08:00 and closing between 18:00 and 19:30, depending on the month. SANParks says times can change without notice, and every visitor completes a gate registration and indemnity form.
Driving the peninsula yourself is the usual way to combine both gates in a day; see renting a car in Cape Town for licence and toll rules, and Cape Town Airport to the city centre if you are still planning your arrival.