Cape Winelands Tours with Beyond Touring
Our trips into the Cape Winelands involve a journey into a whole other world from the bustling streets, hotels, and beaches of Cape Town. The serene majesty of the old mountain towns, with their iconic Cape Dutch architecture and country pace of life, greet you at the entrance to one of the Cape’s finest gems. Steeped in history, and ridiculously picturesque, each vineyard on our route has its own story to tell and world-renowned wines to offer.
Like you, we are passionate about creating long-lasting memories, and South Africa is host to so many spectacular views, tastes, and experiences that the challenge is how to combine all three. Let us do the work on this one because, when it comes to the Cape Winelands, we think we have the answer. From places that time forgot, to stately and tree-lined avenues, whether you come back from one of our half or full-day tours, you will know you have been somewhere truly special. With the Indian Ocean on one side and mountains on the other, even just the approach to the Winelands showcases some of the most charming perspectives in South Africa’s landscape. And, of course, let’s not forget the red, white, and rosé grapes that have given South Africa its reputation for award-winning wines and leading artisan vinicultural methods.
Through years of experience, our Cape Winelands tours are designed straight to show this region off to the best effect. Stellenbosch, our first stop, is home to our oldest university (‘South Africa’s Oxford’), surely one of the loveliest university towns in the world, and you’ll have a chance to savor the history and galleries of its oak-lined streets before our first vineyard stop. A favorite is the 164-hectares Jordan hillside vineyard, which specializes in classic varieties suited to the different soils and slopes of the land. It boasts breath-taking panoramic views that stretch over False Bay and Stellenbosch towards the Mother City’s Table Mountain.
Road Trip through the Cape Winelands
From here, we head over the Helshoogte Pass to the idyllic Huguenot town of Franschhoek. Nestled in the mountains and famous for its food as well as its wine, it acts as a perfect lunchtime stop. Enjoy a luxurious wine tasting before experiencing the culinary treats in one of Franschhoek’s award-winning restaurants. Afterward (for those coming on the full-day tour), we go further through the mountains into Paarl, whose fertile valley was the site of some of the first Colonial-era farms in the region, as far back at the 1600s. Known for the surrounding granite domes from which it takes its name, our vineyard tasting in Paarl is a great way to end our wine pilgrimage, before returning you to whatever you have planned for that evening in the great Mother City.
Cape Town is less than an hour from this sleepy world of quiet grandeur, and even the journey there can be mesmerizingly beautiful. In the heart of summer, the prospect of standing under the shaded stoep of an old farm, while tasting world-class wine and enjoying the mountains, makes it a place we never get tired of visiting. And in the winter, log fires remind you that you are in farm country, where the hospitality is warm and relaxed. There are many places to go in the Cape, and many experiences to be had. A day trip to the Cape Winelands is the perfect accompaniment to any holiday, as fine wine is to a delicious meal.
Our guides are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and with an attention to detail, dedicated to creating good memories for you while maintaining a reputation that has led to us becoming one of most established private tour and transfer companies in the Western Cape. Welcome aboard!
South Africa consistently captivates the hearts of all who visit, view all our Southern African travel packages with our partner, Albatros Travel Africa.