6 Days South Africa - Cape Town - Heritage - Harvest Tour

Where the edge of the world meets the sea – that's where you find Cape Town, South Africa’s oldest and second-largest city, filled with endless highlights! From Robben Island and the Castle of Good Hope for history buffs, to Table Mountain and Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden for nature lovers. Boulders Beach with its clumsy penguin colony and Hout Bay with its lazy seals melt your heart, and for cultural highlights, you'd best head to the colourful Bo-Kaap for a free walking tour. Afterwards, the V&A Waterfront is your place to be: not just for food and wine, but also for a shopping spree and a tour on the Cape Wheel... or even a sunset cruise with an invigorating glass of champagne!

Activities:

Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch is a UNESCO-listed botanical garden on the slopes of Table Mountain, showcasing South Africa’s unique flora like proteas (the national flower!), strelitzias and fynbos. Don’t miss the Boomslang (meaning tree snake) Canopy Walkway; this 12-metre-high walkway takes you from the forest floor into the trees, providing spectacular panoramic vistas. You can also visit the art garden and go for a short, sign-posted hike! And if you get hungry, there are three on-site restaurants to choose from. Free guided garden tours are available on weekdays at 10 AM, 11 AM, and 2 PM (weather permitting).

Champagne Sunset Cruise in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
After an exciting day in Cape Town, it’s time to hop on a boat, watch the sun sink into the ocean and raise your glass of champagne to the Mother City's skyline. For about 1 hour, you marvel at Table Mountain and Lion’s Head covered in an extraordinary light and witness the city turn into a sea of lights. Please note that departure times change daily, meaning you can book your ticket in advance, but have to check the exact departure time on the day of your cruise. Before departure or upon return, explore the V&A Waterfront as it's THE place for shopping and fine dining. Get here early (or stay late!), spoil your taste buds and shop for exclusive gifts!

Accommodations:
Silver - City Lodge Hotel - VA Waterfront
Gold - Cape Heritage Hotel
Platinum - The Bay Hotel

After a short 45-minute drive from Cape Town, you find yourself in Paarl - a key player in the Cape Winelands, renowned for its wine terroir, fruit-growing heritage and rich history.

Activities:

Paarl
Paarl, founded in 1687, is South Africa’s third-oldest town. It's known for its rolling vineyards, protected by the mountains on all sides, making it a top wine destination. Set against striking granite, monolithic rocks (named paarl, Dutch for pearl), the region blends history, culture and scenic beauty. Start your day with a garden walk in the lush gardens of Babylonstoren, make a trip to the Afrikaans language monument way up in the mountains, or go on a family-friendly hike in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. Afterwards, you get rewarded for your efforts with wine (tastings galore!) and even chocolate and cheese pairings.


Babylonstoren cellar tour and wine tasting
Babylonstoren’s 94-hectare vineyard grows 13 grape varieties, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thriving high on Simonsberg’s slopes. Discover all the winemakers' secrets and join a 2-hour cellar tour (daily at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM) that starts in the vineyards, proceeds in the underground cellar tunnels and ends with a curated wine tasting of the farm's best vintages, accompanied with light farm snacks. From clay amphorae to concrete eggs, the cellar showcases some unique winemaking methods. Remember, tours must be booked in advance.

Accommodations:
Silver - Perle-du-Cap
Gold - Laborie Estate
Platinum - Adara Palmiet Valley Boutique Hotel

You bid Paarl farewell after breakfast and head out to historic Tulbagh for the next discovery. It's less than a 1.5-hour drive from Paarl, but we still encourage you to stop in the picturesque village of Riebeeck Castle on the way (after 45 minutes, you deserve that first coffee break!). After your stop, it's another 40-minute drive to Tulbagh.

Activities:

Tulbagh
Welcome to Tulbagh, the enchanting Valley of Abundance where history and wine go hand in hand. Tucked into a dramatic basin of majestic mountains, the Tulbagh valley is a standout wine region with a unique terroir: cool nights, moisture-rich soils, and a climate perfect for cultivating top-quality grapes. First explored by European settlers in 1658, Tulbagh saw its first farms established in 1700. After the 1969 earthquake, every historic building on Church Street was lovingly restored – creating the largest collection of National Monuments in one single street in South Africa. Don’t miss the heritage walk! And discover a few hidden gems among the centuries-old wine estates, some almost as old as the country itself.

Accommodations:
Silver - Saronsberg Vineyard Cottages
Gold - Rijk's Wine Estate and Guesthouse
Platinum - Tulbagh Boutique Heritage Hotel

Since this is the last day of your Western Cape itinerary, you might want to make the most of things before driving back to Cape Town. So head south to Stellenbosch via the Helshoogte Pass. Stellenbosch to Cape Town is another 52 kilometres, a 45-minute drive. In Cape Town, you can (and should!) pamper yourself on this last day with a first-class dinner, and start reminiscing about the wonderful days you have had in the Western Cape... And who knows? Maybe it's the end of your first but only the beginning of your second itinerary?!

Activities:

Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, or the Village of the Oaks, is a beautiful historical town lined with oaks and full of vineyards, which, unfortunately, is also regarded as the birthplace of Apartheid. Founded in 1679, it is South Africa's oldest settlement after Cape Town and during a Historical Walk, you can learn all about its fascinating and troubled history. On the bright side, the place is perfect for delicious lunches in one of the world-renowned historical wine estates like Lanzerac or Delaire Graff – where you taste the wines (of course!) and go to culinary Seventh Heaven surrounded by beautiful vineyards.

Historical tour of Stellenbosch on foot
Stellenbosch, the “village of the oaks” welcomes you with shady oak avenues, the picturesque Mill Stream and charming Cape Dutch architecture. Find out more about the inhabitants of three centuries, the three fires which destroyed the village and what has changed in all this time (and what hasn’t). Can you really meet angels at the Angel Factory and ghosts in the graveyard of the Moederkerk? And why is the town regarded as the birthplace of Apartheid? This historical walk will tell you. It leaves from the Stellenbosch Wine Route Office in Church Street at 9 AM, 11 AM and 3 PM (be there on time!) every day.

Accommodations:
Silver - City Lodge Hotel - VA Waterfront
Gold - Cape Heritage Hotel
Platinum - The Bay Hotel

All good things come to an end. This is your last day, and it's time to catch your flight home from Cape Town International Airport. Sad to leave…? Not to worry! You can also hop on a domestic flight to Johannesburg or Pretoria and add a few days to your holiday. How about meeting the Big Five (or Seven!) during a safari? Or relaxing at a picturesque beach? Let us know your wishes, and we will gladly organise a holiday extension to help you explore the other parts of South Africa.