Signal Hill

About Signal Hill

Signal Hill, which connects Kloof Nek to Lion’s Head, in the distinctive shape of a lion’s rump, is one of the most famous spots in Cape Town for sundowners. Views from the 350m high summit are nothing short of spectacular, particularly at night, and picnic dinners with accompanying drinks is something of a capital pastime.

Did you know? South Africa’s Astronomical Observatory makes its crescent moon observations from here, as it’s an excellent place for spotting the most difficult crescents.

In the evenings Signal Hill is a little like ‘lovers lane’ - popular with couples who are up there to enjoy the lights and the romance of the Table Mountain backdrop, particularly during summer when Table Mountain is lit at night.

Signal Hill separates the City Bowl from the suburb of Sea Point, and its name is indicative of its function as the site for the noon gun, which is fired every day, a little lower than the viewpoint on Signal Hill, at Lion Battery.

Table Mountain National Park stretches all the way from Cape Point to Signal Hill - in a sense it marks the boundary of the park and, in the past, flags were hoisted here to let Capetonians know that a ship was approaching the harbour.

Reaching the viewpoint is as easy as driving up Kloof Nek Road from the city and then taking a right at the top of the hill. A couple of kramats, or sacred shrines, lie on Signal Hill and, during the day, this is a popular launch site for model aeroplanes and paragliders.

From Signal Hill you can also go on and walk up Lion’s Head, a popular mountain walk that is particularly beautiful to do when there is a full moon.