Water guidelines
Dehydration is a leading cause of rescue callouts in Cape Town. The mountain gets hotter than the city, and the wind strips moisture from your body rapidly.
How much to carry
Summer (Oct – Mar)
Minimum 2.5 to 3 litres per person for a half-day hike (e.g., Skeleton Gorge or Lion's Head). Add more for full-day routes.
Winter (Apr – Sep)
Minimum 1.5 to 2 litres per person. You still sweat heavily climbing, even in the cold.
Natural water sources
Do not drink from mountain streams.
Treat all natural water sources in Cape Town as unsafe for direct consumption. Even pristine-looking streams on top of Table Mountain can carry waterborne pathogens, and lower streams are affected by runoff.
If you must use stream water in an emergency, it must be boiled or treated with water purification tablets first.