How hard is Elephant's Eye?

Elephant's Eye is graded moderate and typically takes about 2 hours over 5 km. Difficulty grades are set by the reserve or operator, not a national standard — read the safety note on the listing before you go.

Are dogs allowed at Elephant's Eye?

Dogs are allowed at Elephant's Eye. Check the listing for leash or permit rules — some reserves need a SANParks My Activity permit or restrict dogs to one section.

Where do you park for Elephant's Eye?

Silvermine Gate 1 / East, off Ou Kaapse Weg.

Silvermine, Cape Town · Western Cape

Elephant's Eye cave, Cape Town

Distance5 km
Grademoderate
Time 2 hours
DogsAllowed
Map Directions
Official Conditions
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The Twelve Apostles mountain range above the Atlantic seaboard, Cape Town — Cape Town region · representative photograph, not this specific trail

Elephant's Eye is a large cave in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park, reached on a path that stays largely flat before a steeper, rockier climb in the last stretch to the cave mouth. The cave opens onto views across Tokai toward Muizenberg and False Bay. Dogs need a SANParks My Activity permit and a short lead near the drops. There is no cellphone signal in this section. Confirm the current conservation fee on the SANParks TMNP rates page — we do not copy a rand figure. Official Silvermine page: sanparks.org table-mountain Silvermine attractions.

Elephant's Eye cave Cape Town

Elephant's Eye cave Cape Town is this Silvermine cave in Table Mountain National Park, reached from Gate 1 / East off Ou Kaapse Weg. The listing is about 5km and two hours. Confirm the current route and conservation fee on SANParks.

Questions

How hard is Elephant's Eye?: Elephant's Eye is graded moderate and typically takes about 2 hours over 5 km. Difficulty grades are set by the reserve or operator, not a national standard — read the safety note on the listing before you go.
Are dogs allowed at Elephant's Eye?: Dogs are allowed at Elephant's Eye. Check the listing for leash or permit rules — some reserves need a SANParks My Activity permit or restrict dogs to one section.
Where do you park for Elephant's Eye?: Silvermine Gate 1 / East, off Ou Kaapse Weg.
Where is Elephant's Eye cave Cape Town?: Elephant's Eye cave Cape Town is in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park, reached from Gate 1 / East off Ou Kaapse Weg. The listing is about 5km and two hours, mostly flat with a rockier last stretch. Confirm the current route and conservation fee on SANParks.

Spot an error or a closed path?

Trail facts change. Tell us what you saw and we'll check it against the reserve.

Nearby on the map

From this pin: Silvermine Reservoir Picnic Site (same gate); Silvermine Waterfall Trail 3.1 km; Groot Constantia Estate Picnics 5.3 km; Constantia Nek - De Villiers Dam Circuit 7.0 km.

Silvermine Reservoir Picnic Site

Silvermine, Cape Town · same gate

Silvermine Reservoir (the dam at Gate 1): a SANParks picnic beside the water in Table Mountain National Park.

Picnic
Dogs OK

Silvermine Waterfall Trail

Silvermine, Cape Town · 3.1 km away · easy

A gentle, mostly flat path to a seasonal waterfall in the Silvermine section of Table Mountain National Park.

Dogs OK
Gate 2 opens 08:00 and closes 18:00 year-round.

Groot Constantia Estate Picnics

Constantia, Cape Town · 5.3 km away

Estate lawns at South Africa's oldest wine farm, with picnic baskets supplied by the on-site restaurants rather than bring-your-own.

Picnic
Dogs OK

Constantia Nek - De Villiers Dam Circuit

Constantia, Cape Town · 7.0 km away

A busier, relatively safe loop from Constantia Nek past a mountain dam.

Dogs OK

Hike at your own risk. Trail conditions change — weather, fire damage, water crossings and rockfalls can make a route unsafe with little or no notice. Distance, difficulty and other details here are compiled from public sources and may be outdated. Always verify current conditions with the relevant park or reserve authority before setting out, and hike within your own ability.