Cape and Wine, Drive'n'Dine Cape wine tours

This is a module everyone is sure to enjoy. Drive through mountain passes and over rolling hills and visit fertile valleys, vineyards and picturesque towns. Cape Town is the gateway to the leading South African wine territory. It is a beautiful border area with magnificent views and winding mountain passes. This area is nurtured by mountain springs which come together to create magnificent valleys and which are a source of fresh water for flowers and fruit, such as grapes. The success of South African wines is based on, among other things, the low price, excellent quality and great taste of its wines.

Along the way on this Cape wine tour there will be plenty of opportunities to stop, rest, taste wine and to enjoy the vineyards. Spend the night in small scale accommodation with all necessary facilities in the towns of Tulbagh and Stellenbosch. This Cape wine tours module will provide you with an excellent impression of the Cape and surrounding wine territories. The overnight stays can also be booked in reverse sequence.

Drive from Cape Town through the rolling hills and mountains and along vineyards to the picturesque University town Stellenbosch. This town has been an important centre for South African wine production for over 300 years. During your visit you'll also be able to enjoy Cape-Dutch architecture in neighbourhoods with oak-lined streets. Some of the best red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage and Shiraz come from this area.

You'll stay in a cosy Stellenbosch guest house. Breakfast is included.

Tip: Interested in a unique dining experience during your Cape wine tour? We can reserve a table for you in a private gazebo in the Moyo restaurant located on the Spier estate. This open air restaurant has several 50 metre long buffets with the most delicious dishes. Best of all, it's an all you can eat buffet! You won't forget this dining adventure anytime soon. At the guest farm's reception area you can reserve a taxi and go on to enjoy the most amazing wines during dinner. If you prefer, you can also enjoy a fun picnic here with a nice bottle of your favourite wine.

Total distance on day 1 of the Cape wine tours is approximately 50 kilometres or 1 hour.

Leave Stellenbosch in the morning and drive to Franschhoek, which may not be more than a village; however it is located in one of the most beautiful valleys in the Cape vineyards. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and vineyards can be found in nearly every other street. This is a wonderful place to enjoy a large (French) lunch with one of several wines that are produced in this area. Your only problem will be choosing from the abundance of delightful small restaurants in town. The town can easily be explored on foot. Be sure to visit the information centre on main street, they can provide very detailed information on the region. The Boschendal estate is an excellent place to visit. Its' beautiful mansion is open daily, however on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday you will not be able sample or purchase wine.

Continue on your Cape wine tours journey towards Paarl. It's located in the fertile Berg River Valley at the foot of the Paarl Mountain. This town was built in 1720 and was named after the huge pearl-looking rock on top of a nearby mountain. After rainfall or during sunshine, the protruding granite boulders sparkle like pearls. Visit the KWV Emporium: the Kooperatieve Wijnbrouwers Vereniging (or Cooperative Wine producers Association); the largest wine cooperation in South Africa. Some of the best wines in South Africa are produced here. The Paarl Mountain nature reserve is also definitely worth a visit. When in season, you'll find more than 15 different kinds of Protea's here (South Africa's national flower).

Tonight, spend the night in Tulbagh, a small wine area with vineyards planted next to fruit orchards and fields of grain. The town is surrounded by the Witsenberg Range and features many beautiful examples of 18th and 19th-century Cape-Dutch architecture. There are also excellent small restaurants in this area, many of which operate from restored homesteads. Spend the night in our cosy guest house; breakfast is included.

Total distance on day 3 is approximately 100 kilometres or 1,5 hour.

Tulbagh is an example of a typical Cape-Dutch town. 18th and 19th century houses are scattered throughout the town. Although many houses were restored after a 1969 earthquake and are therefore 'new', Church street is still definitely worth visiting. It's a good example of a street with many of these restored houses.

Aside from visiting all of the wine farms in the area of Tulbagh, you can also visit the 'Old Drostdy Museum'. Here you'll find old Cape furniture, household supplies and even old record players. This area also lends itself well for walks through the picturesque scenery, bird watching, horseback riding and mountain biking. In the afternoon you'll arrive in Cape Town after the wine tours.

Total distance on day 4 is approximately 125 kilometres or 2 hours.