- Exploring South Africa's coolest city and sipping your way through the Cape Winelands vineyards
- A city farm and a countryside manor offering two equally wonderful locations and lifestyles
- Table Mountain, private guided tour of Cape Town with a local, a jazz dinner and wine route adventure are all included.
- Smartphone app with sat nav, car, useful addresses, on-site Concierge, our usual additional services
Contact one of our specialists + 44 (0) 20 3958 6120
Cape Town and the Wine Route
Your Trip
The first thing to note about going to the Western Cape is the direct overnight flights to Cape Town and the minimal time difference, meaning you can dive right into your South African adventure. We will work with you to select the perfect hotels, with recommendations including an elegant old Dutch farmhouse, a Mediterranean-inspired villa and a rustic but authentic boutique guesthouse. Having hired a car you will have full autonomy over where to go and what to do but we will make some recommendations along the way and can plan guided tours and experiences. For the purposes of this sample itinerary we have included a jazz evening in Cape Town, private winery tours and tickets for Table Mountain. Our local Concierge will also be on hand at all times to help make sure everything goes smoothly and to give some insider tips.Route
Flight to Cape Town
When you land into Cape Town you will be welcomed and assisted through the airport before being transferred to the historic centre for a five-night stay. Push through the wooden doors into the beautiful garden and escape as if by magic from the hustle and bustle of Kloof Street. This white building is a former 19th century farm, and today's guests will be struck by its Provencal-style surroundings. With rustic simplicity and discreetly sophisticated facilities as well as cheerful, beautifully detailed and comfortable, it's the perfect place to rest both body and mind. It is the ideal place to return to after a long day of exploring, and to recharge the next morning with a fresh organic breakfast. Cape Town, with its many cafes and restaurants, has the rest of your meals covered. Be sure to check out the host's impressive collection of jazz and soul records, too.
Cape Town
Today you will head into Cape Town with a private guide and spend the day like a local. Explore the city with someone who knows it inside and out so you can seek out all the hidden gems on offer. Nothing is pre-planned so talk about what you'd like to see, and a route will start to materialise – that's planning done the South African way. It's an exciting way to tap into the city's rhythms and to experience it from the inside, not just as a passing tourist. This is also a great opportunity to pick up some first-hand tips for the rest of your trip. You will also collect your hire car today.
Cape Town
The hotel is located in the historic centre, allowing you to easily pay a visit to Bo-Kaap, Cape Town's Malay neighbourhood, to see the brightly coloured houses, as well as nearby De Waterkant which was part of the same area before the 1950 Group Areas Act. Today, this whole area represents the city's new urban values. Another flourishing neighbourhood is Woodstock. Pay a visit to the Old Biscuit Mill and its Neighbourhoods Market, the creative hub at The Foundry or the Woodstock Brewery, which is stealing a march on the craft beer scene. Below Lion's Head lies the suburb of Gardens, which originally served as a vegetable garden for the Dutch East India Company, while Company's Garden is as a beautiful reminder of the area's utilitarian roots. You'll also find designer studios and stores, galleries, boutiques and chic restaurants in this part of the city. The Gardens Shul, the oldest synagogue in South Africa, is also in this district as well as the Iziko South African National Gallery, featuring collections that reveal an entirely unknown side of modern art.
Cape Town
Today you can summit Table Mountain in its infamous cable car. Your cable car ticket is valid for seven days, so you can choose when to visit this legendary mesa (table topped mountain). Those in the know get there early in the morning to avoid the crowds, while the crowds themselves are still eating breakfast. Even before reaching the summit, you get great views of the city and the bay, and the cable car pods even rotate during the climb. Once you reach the top, the views are breath-taking, and there are several paths of varying difficulties if you want to take a wander to try and spot some rock hyraxes (over-sized guinea pigs), the mountain's main residents, before taking the cable car back down. If you're feeling particularly energetic, we can arrange for you to walk the entire way up, with a guide, along a well-known route. When legs are weary and throats are parched, head to the basement of Saint George's Cathedral (1901-1978) where you’ll find The Crypt, one of Cape Town's most iconic jazz clubs. Evenings spent there are always memorable and full of good vibes.
Cape Town
At the tip of Cape Town's rocky peninsula lies the Cape of Good Hope, one of the area's main attractions. A common misconception is that it's the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, but this is actually further east, at Cape Agulhas. The peninsula is protected as a designated national park, with scenic Chapman's Peak Drive running along its west coast. Fynbos, a type of vegetation characteristic of the region, covers the soil and a wide variety of birds take advantage of the area's flowers, including the graceful Cape sugarbird and southern double-collared sunbird. Common elands, zebras and blesboks are also often spotted. On the coast at False Bay, walkways at Boulders Beach allow visitors to approach the colony of African penguins without disturbing them. From June to November, southern right whales also frequent the bay, among other marine mammals. We'll even deliver a fresh picnic to you in the morning to take with you on this unmissable day out.
Cape Town - Wellington
Today you will drive to Wellington for a two-night stay in a Cape Dutch manor, built in 1712. Vineyards surround the house which has a breath-taking mountain backdrop and the manicured gardens and bright white colour of the house add to the incredible setting. The interiors feature a sophisticated 18th-century style, creating a comfortable, light, open and open space. The chef serves up a variety of tasty seafood and game dishes in either the dining room or on the spacious veranda. Feeling a bit chilly? Head for the fireplace in the tearoom. Want to do some exercise? Time for a few laps in the swimming pool, or head to the spa and indulge in a treatment. There are many outdoor activities on offer, too, including hiking, golf and clay pigeon shooting.
Wellington
Today you will embark on a tour of the wine-growing areas and indulge in some wine tastings. Spend the day with a wine expert discovering South Africa's most beautiful vineyards. Meet with growers, visit the facilities and enjoy tastings at three of the major wine-growing areas – Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Southern African wines have become renowned around the world since they were made available on the foreign market following the end of apartheid. Among the red varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinotage (a hybrid created in Stellenbosch in 1925) dominate. Among the whites, Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Crouchen stand out.
Wellington - Cape Town - return flight
Drive to Cape Town Airport and return your hire car. From here you will catch your return flight home, via Johannesburg, which will land the following day.
A la carte
Cape Town from Above by Helicopter
Victoria and Albert Waterfront; the City Bowl; Cape Town's Green Point Stadium; Clifton's four beaches; the beaches at Camps Bay; the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range and Llandudno's wild coastline; Hout Bay; Chapman's Peak Drive on the Cape Peninsula; the stunning Noordhoek Beach; and of course, Table Mountain. These are the sights to soak up from the six-seater helicopter during your 25-minute flight. It's a truly amazing ride, with an expert guide to provide commentary.Optional
Inside the Kitchen at the Mount Nelson Hotel
Opened in 1899, the Mount Nelson is one of the finest colonial-era hotels. Rudi Liebenberg, one of the leaders of the farm-to-fork movement, has given the hotel's traditional South African repertoire a new and youthful makeover. Dine at the Chef's Table, overlooking the ovens, and discuss the menu with the chef himself. South African ingredients and cuisine at their best, with a view to match.Optional - Dinner
Learn to surf
Known for its iconically colourful beach huts, the steady waves at False Bay's Muizenberg Beach make it an ideal surf spot for beginners. With an instructor by your side, lie down on the board, tackle a wave and stand up, all while trying to maintain your dignity. Falling over is fairly inevitable the first few times, but don't let that stop you from catching the surfing bug and having fun.Optional - Half day
Riding on Noordhoek Beach
Noordhoek's white sandy beach on the western side of the Cape Peninsula is truly stunning, and perfect for riding. Spend a dreamy half hour breathing in the ocean air, taking in the views of the blue water with Chapman's Peak in the background and listening to sound of horses' hooves on soft sand. Along the way, check out the wreckage of the Kakapo steamer, which was stranded here at the beginning of the 20th century. This activity includes a private guide.Option - Half day
Architectural Cape Town
Cape Town's architecture, ranging from Cape Dutch houses to contemporary buildings and various local coastal styles, features an astonishing array of shapes and different designs. Street art and graffiti have a strong presence in the city, originally linked with the anti-apartheid movement, especially in the more urban areas of Cape Flats. Many graffiti artists have left their mark in Salt River, too. Go beyond traditional tourism boundaries and explore the city's architecture and iconic tags with a private guide.Option - Half day
A Rough Idea of Price
- Return flight to Cape Town with a scheduled airline
- Airline taxes and fuel surcharge
- Welcome and assistance on arrival at Cape Town Airport
- Private airport/hotel transfer on arrival
- Seven-day hire of a compact car
- Directions accessible from our app, which is also loaded with your itinerary, hotel details, and useful addresses
- Assistance at Johannesburg Airport
- Five-night stay in Cape Town in a double room with breakfast
- Tour of Cape Town with a private guide; round trip ticket on the Table Mountain cable car; jazz dinner at The Crypt; picnic lunch on the peninsula
- Two-night stay in Wellington in a double room with breakfast
- Tour of the wine-growing areas and tastings with a private guide
- An international Wi-Fi router
- Our local Concierge service
Our local concierges
Travel diary app
UK airport lounge
Perfect picks
Modify your itinerary
UK departure assistance
CO2 absorption