If you spend enough time in Mother City, the word “Kloof Nek” will start to appear frequently in your vocabulary. The locals have no trouble pronouncing it, and in some ways, it’s similar to the yellow brick road in that if you follow it, you’ll eventually arrive at your destination. Especially during rush hour when the road via Sea Point becomes rather congested, Kloof Nek is the easiest way to leave the city, over Table Mountain, and reach the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean.
It’s also the quickest way to get from Camps Bay to the city centre via the mountain, Kloof Nek Road, and Buitengracht Street. Additionally, it is one of Cape Town’s steepest roads. From the city bowl, take it straight up to the top where five roads converge. From there, you can choose to go left to the cableway, right to Clifton or Lion’s Head, or straight ahead into Camps Bay.
At Kloof Nek, the Pipe Track begins. This hike is well-liked perhaps because it’s among Table Mountain’s simpler hikes and since it mostly follows the Camps Bay side of the mountain without much in the way of steep hills. It’s convenient to travel to and ideal to do after work as the sun sets on this side of the mountain because it’s near to the city. The walk follows a pipe, as suggested by its name, which was once a water conduit but is no longer in use. You also have stunning views of Camps Bay.