Discover South Africa’s Vineyards, Selfdrive – 12 days

Travel Itinerary Idea

South Africa is one of the most diverse countries in the world: the ‘Rainbow Nation’ has 11 official languages, and its colourful population forms a patchwork of African, Asian and European culture. Whether browsing the Indian markets in Durban, enjoying a shisa nyama (barbecue) in Soweto, or tasting local varieties at a winery in Stellenbosch, visitors will encounter a warm welcome… However, the true lure of South Africa lies in its untamed wilderness. Home to the ‘Big Five’ of African wildlife (lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino), along with thousands of other species of plants and animals, big game safaris in nature reserves like Kruger Park and Hluhluwe National Park remain among the most visited places of interest. The landscape encompasses a range of climates and terrains, including deserts, mountains, plateaus, grasslands, bush, wetlands and subtropical forests. In addition, South Africa hosted the 2010 World Cup and is also home of the “Vuvuzelas”.

Suggested duration: 12 days

Theme: Food & wine

Difficulty : For all public

Visited countries: South Africa

Cape Town Airport

Cape Town

cape peninsula

Constantia Valley Tourism & Constantia Village Info Desk, Constantia Village Shopping Centre, Cnr Spaanchemat Road and Constantia Main Road, Constantia, Cape Town, 7806, South Africa

Robben Island, 7400, South Africa

Stellenbosch, South Africa

Franschhoek

Tulbagh, 6820, South Africa

Tulbagh, 6820, Afrique du Sud

Wellington, 7655, South Africa

Wellington

Matroosfontein, Cape Town, 7490, South Africa

Your tailor-made trip

Travelers reviews : 9,5/10

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Day 1 : Cape Town Airport

Meet and greet and assistance of our guide on your arrival, who will give you your travel documents. Car rental with unlimited mileage and super insurance cover with no excess in case of theft, accident or damages to the car. Collect your rental car and drive to your hotel in Cape Town.

Night at the Tree House Boutique Hotel in a Superior Sea view.

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Day 2 : Cape Town

Day at leisure to explore Cape Town, known to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world!

Suggestions:

Take the cable car and ascend the top of Table Mountain (weather permitting). The floor of the cable car rotates through 360 degrees during the ascent or descent, giving passengers a panoramic view of the city. From the top of the mountain at 1,000 meters above sea level, a boardwalk will enable you to get different view point of the city and the Atlantic Ocean.

You can also visit the following sites depending on your area of interests:

– The National Museum of South Africa founded in 1825. This museum houses many diverse collections from fossils dating back millions of years to the clothing worn by our ancestors in the last century. All these collections have a common purpose to highlight the biological and cultural diversity of our planet.

– The Zeitz MOCAA Museum: the biggest museum of African contemporary art on the continent and home to permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and more than 100 art galleries.

– The Company ‘s Gardens founded in 1652 by the Dutch pioneers who plan to establish a Cape refueling station on the boat ride to India. Walk in Company ‘s Garden, which now houses the St Georges Cathedral, National Library, National Gallery, artworks and beautiful gardens.

– The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of the finest botanical gardens in the world, located at the foot of Table Mountain. Founded in 1913 to protect the diversity of South African flora, the garden is unique as only indigenous plants are cultivated. This is a rare opportunity to see the fynbos, endemic plants in the region of the Western Cape. More than 7000 species of plants are grown in Kirstenbosch, including many rare and endangered species.

– The colorful Bo-Kaap district. The museum located in the historic district showcases the culture of immigrants from Malaysia. A visit to the museum and the neighborhood, with its colorful houses, cobbled streets and calls to prayer of the muezzin, can soak up the cultural diversity of Cape Town.

– The African Craft Market of Green Market Square in the middle of the CBD.

– The Castle of Good Hope, one of the oldest buildings in the country, which houses a collection of antiques (furniture, paintings, objects) that tells a lot about the life of Dutch settlers.

– The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is hosting a craft market, the aquarium Two Oceans and many restaurants. It is from this waterfront that boats leave to Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, as well as to navigate in the beautiful bay of Cape Town.

Other activity suggestions during your stay in Cape Town (please consult us in advance for booking):

– A Township tour (1 half-day)

– A culinary tour of the city (1 half-day)

– A cycling tour of the city (between 3 hours and 1 day)

– Shark cage diving to encounter the Great white (1 day)

– An evening discovering the origins of the Cape Town jazz

– An helicopter flight above the city and the peninsula (between 12 and 60 minutes)

– An abseil of 112m on the Table Mountain (1 half-day)

– A paragliding experience on the Atlantic coast

– A sunset cruise on board of a catamaran including sparkling wine

– A craft beer & culture tour in Woodstock Mathieu will share his extended knowledge and passion for South African wines, right here in the heart of Cape Town. You will be offered tastings of 6 selected wines; consisting of 1 sparkling wine, 2 whites wines and 3 red wines.

During the Wine Masterclass we will be talking about:

The 3 wine tasting steps:

Appearance: The analysis of the color, what does it tells me…

Nose: How to find all those flavors and why are they different and similar at the same time…

Palate: Identifying acidity, roundness and after taste and finding your own taste, why do you like a certain type of wine…

The history of wine in South Africa.

The first harvest was made in 1660 and the French Huguenots arrived in 1688… what happened after and where are we now?

The wine making process.

Good basic knowledge on how each wine is made (white, red, rose and sparkling ), from the harvest to the bottle. Reading a South African wine label.

Night at the Tree House Boutique Hotel in a Superior Sea view.

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Day 3 : Cape Town - Cape Peninsula

Day at leisure to discover the Cape Peninsula and the legendary Cape of Good Hope.

Suggested itinerary:

You can start this discovery with a little stop in the small fishing village of Hout Bay. This fishing village is a cosy little hamlet surrounded by mountains to the North, East and West and the Ocean to the South. It is home to bustling craft markets, antique shops, a beautiful beach and a thriving fishing community. The harbour is also where many boat cruise departs from to Duiker Island. This small island is home to thousands of Cape Fur Seals and local bird life. The boat ride lets you see the Cape Peninsula from a new perspective.

You can thereafter proceed and enjoy the twists and turns around the famous Chapman’s Peak scenic drive. Chapman’s Peak Drive is renowned for its spectacular 180° views of the Cape Peninsula as well as its 114 twists and turns. Viewpoints and picnic spots are scattered throughout its 9km length and its dramatic views have made it a favorite spot for photographers.

You enter the Cape Point Nature Reserve to reach the tip of the Cape Peninsula where you enjoy a dramatic view point located in a 17,750 hectare nature reserve. Looking out over the shining sea from the Cape Point Lighthouse truly makes you feel like you are standing at the edge of the world. The rich diversity of the nature reserve, part of the Table Mountain National Park, makes it home to a stunning array of animal and plant species.

After leaving Cape Point Nature Reserve you travel up the other side of the Cape Peninsula on the way to Simon’s Town and Boulder’s beach. Simon’s Town has been an important naval base and harbor for over two centuries and you can still see some historic naval vessels anchored just off-shore. Boulder’s beach is home of a colony of African Jackass penguins since 1985. These small citizens have been charming residents and tourists ever since.

A seafood lunch is highly recommended in this area but you can also have lunch in the Cape Peninsula Nature Reserve’s restaurant.

As you head back towards Cape Town along the False Bay coastal road; you travel through Fish Hoek a little town with a long history. From Fish Hoek you drive past Muizenberg, another seaside town. The warm waters and long stretch of beach make this a popular spot for holidaymakers and there are a wide variety of activities, like kite boarding and surfing, for the adventurous.

Night at the Tree House Boutique Hotel in a Superior Sea view.

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Day 4 : Cape Town - Constantia Valley Wine Route

Day to discover Constantia and around.

The Constantia Valley truly is Cape Town’s Vineyard.

It is a region with a winemaking history that dates back to 1685 and which boasts 8 award-winning wine estates, Groot Constantia, Steenberg Vineyards, Constantia Uitsig, Klein Constantia, Buitenverwachting, Eagles Nest, Constantia Glen and Silvermist Vineyards. All are within 15 kilometres of the city centre.

Nestled beneath the Table Mountain National Park and commanding vistas of the Constantiaberg and Table Mountain ranges, Constantia is the ideal place to relax in nature with a nice glass of wine, by staying close from Cape Town’s city center.

Suggestions:

-Start the day by zip lining, mountain biking or horse riding in the Constantia Valley.

-Have lunch at Beau Constantia and enjoy a stunning view of the Constantia valley.

-Spend the afternoon enjoying nice wine tastings, at Constantia Glen and/or Groot Constantia.

Night at the Tree House Boutique Hotel in a Superior Sea view.

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Day 5 : Cape Town - Robben Island Option

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is South Africa’s most visited destination, attracting millions of visitors every year – and for good reason. Whether you are looking to go shopping, dine at top restaurants, party at local nightspots, visit tourist attractions and museums or investigate the city’s historic harbour, you can find it all here. The construction for the harbor began as early as 1860, when Prince Alfred tipped the first stones for the breakwater, hence the attraction’s name: Victoria & Alfred after Queen Victoria of England and her youngest son Alfred.

Our suggestions for the day are:

A Robben Island tour is a must when you are visiting Cape Town. It is a fascinating half-day trip to the former penal colony where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his life and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many leading members of South African political parties like the PAC and ANC were incarcerated alongside him. The tour guides are likely be ex-political prisoners. This gives you the opportunity to hear a first-hand account of prison life on Robben Island that makes it a truly priceless experience.

Visit the Zeitz MOCAA Museum : the first and biggest museum of African contemporary art on the continent with permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and more than 100 art galleries.

Visit the V&A Wharf market.

Visit the Two Ocean’s Aquarium: with more than 3000 marine creatures on view, including sharks, turtles and penguins, enjoy a sensory experience with kelp, shells and anemones at the Touch Pool. The Two Oceans Aquarium is one of the finest aquariums in the world. The aquarium showcases the unique marine life of the Atlantic and Indian oceans which lie on either side of the Cape of Good Hope.

Night at the Tree House Boutique Hotel in a Superior Sea view.

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Day 6 : Cape Town - Stellenbosch Wine Tasting

Drive to Stellenbosch, a university town in the wine region of the Western Cape.

Estimated travel time: 50 minutes.

South Africa is a very good wine producer and most of it comes from this entire region of the Western Cape. A visit to the wine route through the valleys of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek is must in your visit of the country.

Our suggestions:

Discover the town of Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa after Cape Town, which has beautiful well maintained buildings with typical Cape Dutch style streets (the name given to the Cape architecture inspired by the Dutch).

Visit the cellars of some wine estates of Stellenbosch and do some wine tasting. You will find South African wines produced from grapes such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, but also Pinotage, a uniquely South African grape, a mix of Pinot Black and Cinsault.

Enjoy an outdoor gourmet picnic in one of the region’s beautiful wine estates.

Our favourites:

– Grande Provence, for its MCC tasting (South African ‘champagne’ named Method Cap Classique).

-Babylonstoren for its magnificent gardens and Green House restaurant located in a beautiful and shady atrium.

-Marianne Wine Estate for its excellent red wines including the renown Floréal which was picked for Nelson Mandela’s 90’s birthday at Buckingham Palace.

 

Night at the De Zalze Lodge in standard room.

De Zalze Lodge, located in Stellenbosch, enjoys a breathtaking view of the mountains and overlooks the lush vineyards. In order to fully enjoy your stay, you can enjoy some activities such as a wine tasting, a bike path or relaxing by the pool.

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Day 7 : Franschhoek - Stellenbosch

Day to discover Franschhoek village and around. Franschhoek is wellknown for its vineyards which produce excellent wines. Wine lovers will have a great time and will have the opportunity to taste a high-end selection. This is mainly due to the influence of the Huguenot winegrowers who settled in this valley in the 17th century. You will be spoiled for choice, all properties are very easily accessible.

Our suggestions:

– For South African wines tasting, we recommend La Motte, La Grande Provence and Boschendal, well-known vineyards for the quality of their wine.

– For a gourmet picnic in an estate, we recommend Solms Delta or Mont Rochelle. Also, La Petite Ferme is a good restaurant with a wonderful view on Franschhoek valley.

– Franschhoek is also perfect for hiking and cycling with beautiful view points over the valley.

– Enjoy a panorama route with your car driving through the Franschhoek pass.

You then return to Stellenbosch where you spend the night.

Overnight stay at De Zalze Lodge in standard room.

De Zalze Lodge, located in Stellenbosch, enjoys a breathtaking view of the mountains and overlooks the lush vineyards. In order to fully enjoy your stay, you can enjoy some activities such as a wine tasting, a bike path or relaxing by the pool.

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Day 8 : Stellenbosch - Tulbagh

Departure for Tulbagh Valley. The charming little town of Tulbagh is located in the valley of the same name and surrounded by the magnificent mountain ranges of the Western Cape and delightful vineyards.

Estimated travel time: 1h30.

A visit of the wine route through the Tulbagh Valley is an essential stopover in your visit of the country.

Our suggestions:

Discovery of the historical centre.

The city is full of history, discovered in 1658 by European settlers, who quickly established farms and houses in the lush valley. Walk the main streets and explore the district which is simply fascinating. The museum church dates back to 1743, testifying to the secular nature of this city. Church Street is famous for being the street with the most national monuments (32 buildings) in the country. You can appreciate the very typical architecture of the monuments.

Horse riding

Horseback riding tours take you through the valley and the city, as well as through vineyards and farmland. This allows you to explore Tulbagh at the slow pace of your horse.

Visit of the Moniki chocolate factory

The famous Moniki chocolate factory is located on the picturesque Schoonderzicht farm, which offers you a breathtaking view of the valley. Chocolate tastings are organized, inviting you to enjoy samples of these world-class sweets, accompanied by a choice of different drinks. You then immerse yourself in the flavors of chocolate flavored with Amarula, chili, whisky and others.

Explore the valley’s wine estates

Located in the Winelands of Cape Town, Tulbagh is home to a number of renowned estates that produce wonderful varieties of wine. The soils and climate (which can be extreme) are both well adapted to produce excellent grapes that make very good red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. Tastings and cellar visits are recommended for those who wish to discover the stages of wine-making in South Africa.

Night at Tulbagh Heritage Boutique Hotel in a Fynbos Room.

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Day 9 : Tulbagh Valley Wine Route

Day at your leisure to explore further the hidden secrets of Tulbagh Valley.

Night at Tulbagh Heritage Boutique Hotel in a Fynbos Room.

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Day 10 : Stellenbosch - Wellington

Drive to the charming village of Wellington. Wellington is surrounded by orchards, wine estates, buchus plantations and olive groves.

Estimated travel time: 45 min.

The region is the recipient of an impressive array of national and international accolades for their wines. The Wellington Wine and Spirits Route has many quality producers.

Hiking trails, bird and wildlife watching, Unimog expeditions, mountain biking, 4×4 routes and abseiling are just some of the outdoor activities to be enjoyed on the mountainous terrain and in the picturesque surroundings.

More French Huguenots have settled here than anywhere else in Cape Town and the valley was once known as the Val du Charron.

Visit the Wellington Museum with its various cultural exhibitions, or the Ouma-Granny house which offers a window on life in Wellington in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Wellington is literally the cradle of the contemporary South African wine industry, supplying up to 85% of the country’s grapevine cuttings, commonly known as stokkies. Once better known for its vital role in the spread and supply of this phylloxera-resistant grafted root-stock, Wellington has become a recognized and innovative player on the South African wine scene and a leading wine destination.

Suggestions:

– Alkmaar Wines

-Wines

-Bosman Family Vineyards

-Jacaranda Wines & Guest farm

-Doohof wine estate estate

-Bosman Family Vineyards

 

Night at the Grand Dédale in a Luxury loft room with breakfast, snack buffet in the afternoon and a selection of drinks included (soft drinks, beer, estate wines and some spirits).

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Day 11 : Wellington Wine Tasting

Another day at leisure to enjoy the Wellington’s Wine Route and visit the cellars of the estates in its surroundings.

Night at the Grand Dédale in a Luxury loft room with breakfast, snack buffet in the afternoon and a selection of drinks included (soft drinks, beer, estate wines and some spirits).

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Day 12 : Wellington

Drive to the Cape Town International Airport to board your international flight home.

Estimated time: 1h

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