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Highlights of South Africa's Winelands

Activity

Culture

Overview

This is South Africa’s world-renowned wine region, like you’ve never seen it before

Experience the premier wine region in South Africa on a full-bodied exploration packed with fun, adventure and, yes, excellent wines. With the expert guidance of a local tour leader, you’ll explore the vineyards and mountains outside Cape Town on foot, e-bike, funicular, kayak and even on the iconic wine tram! Of course, there’s plenty of time to indulge your inner oenophile, stopping in historic wine estates, while our base for the adventure, the Protea Hotel Dorpshuis in Stellenbosch, provides a place to relax and unwind.

Key Information

Trip Code: AWD
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: South Africa
Carbon Footprint: 50.0kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Group arrival and departure transfers available

Highlights

Join experts to taste local wines and tour magnificent wine estates
Feel the rush of hiking to the top of Lion’s Head peak for beautiful summit views
Ride the iconic wine tram through the world-renowned vineyards of Franschhoek
Enjoy an easy-going e-bike ride through rolling vineyards
Dive deep into Cape Malay culture with a cooking masterclass in Bo-Kaap
Explore the beautiful Cape Peninsula by funicular and kayak (optional)

Itinerary

First Destination: Stellenbosch
Next Destination: Stellenbosch

Meals included:Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Stellenbosch
Next Destination: Stellenbosch

Begin your adventure in Stellenbosch, where more than 150 wine estates sprawl under the watchful gaze of Stellenbosch Mountain.

Around 6pm, say howzit to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big South African welcome over a group dinner at the hotel restaurant.

Want to explore Stellenbosch further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Meals included:Dinner

There’s no more immersive way to enjoy the beautiful scenery and stunning vineyards of Stellenbosch than by bike. Making things (almost) effortless, we jump on e-bikes for a guided tour of the region. Over half a day, we cycle past boutique farms and award-winning vineyards, tackling rolling trails as we go.

Along the way, we enjoy two wine tastings in our favourite wine estates, sampling premium wines and enjoying a laidback lunch in one of them.

The rest of the day has been left free to unwind at the hotel, perhaps with a dip in the pool or another sampling of those local wines.

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Join your tour leader for a thrilling day exploring the best of the Cape Peninsula. We start at Boulders Beach, where we spend time gazing over the protected rookery of African penguins. Next, we head to Cape Point Nature Reserve, keeping an eye out for eland and red hartebeest, before taking the Flying Dutchman funicular through dense fynbos to the upper lighthouse for panoramic views over the Cape of Good Hope, the iconic Diaz Beach, coastal cliffs and endless sea.

We then enjoy the Chapmans Peak Drive (Chappies to those familiar with it), for one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world. Over 5.5mi (9km) and 114 curves in the road, we can gaze over the rocky coastline and sandy bays below.

At the end of the day we have an optional kayaking tour to explore the pristine waters of Hout Bay, with mountains on one side and the vast ocean on the other. Guided by a qualified kayak leader, this optional activity is a great way to enjoy the serenity of life on the surface, stopping at various checkpoints and exploring the harbour.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dive deep into traditional Cape Malay cuisine today, known for its fruity, mild and full-bodied flavours. And there’s no better place to do this than the Bo-Kaap district of Cape Town, an area characterised by steep cobblestone streets and brightly painted houses.

We learn the history of the Cape Malay people from our tour leader as we stroll to a home, before we learn the secrets of Cape Malay cooking from our host, attempting to fold samosas, while also sampling delish dishes.

After, we head to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on the slopes of Table Mountain. Here, we wander the trails, seeing some of the 7,000-plus southern African plant species that form a gorgeous natural display.

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

We’re off to Franschhoek today, labelled the wine capital of South Africa, to tour the picturesque vineyards on the legendary wine tram.

This hop-on, hop-off experience provides an entertaining and leisurely way to explore the Franschhoek Valley.

The combination of tram and tram bus transports around a loop, allowing us to jump off at some of the oldest and most-distinguished wine estates in the world, while also discovering the history of the region and wine cultivation.

Meals included:Breakfast

Strap on your hiking boots to scale Lion’s Head, which is sandwiched between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. The three-hour hike spirals up the mountain, providing us with fantastic views over Cape Town and the Twelve Apostles, a dozen buttresses on Table Mountain.

After returning to the bottom, we head back to the hotel for a farewell dinner together, a chance to relive some of our top moments from the trip.

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Our trip draws to a close today after breakfast and we begin our return journeys home. Of course, if you’d like to continue your South African adventure, you can speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, deposit-only payments, and full ATOL protection available.

Call us on 0203 733 5948

Your Group, Your Adventure

Want to choose your travel companions? Gather your family and friends and let us create a Private Adventure just for you.

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Accommodation

Protea Hotel Dorpshuis & Spa Stellenbosch

Within the Stellenbosch wine region, this Victorian hotel provides the perfect base for our adventures. It’s surrounded by vineyards and mountains, while the hotel itself combines vintage and modern styles to provide a relaxing place to unwind when you’re not out exploring.

There’s an antique lounge to curl up in after a fun day, plus a dipping pool for when you want to cool off. The Oak Leaf restaurant serves a classic South African buffet for breakfast and, if you really want to treat yourself, there’s a spa offering rejuvenating facial and body treatments.

Room upgrades: On selected departures you can upgrade to a suite with a garden view and separate lounge – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Extend Your Trip

Exclusive Add-ons

Cape Town Hotels

With its iconic Table Mountain backdrop, world-class food scene and vibrant waterfront, additional nights in Cape Town can make your adventure feel even more extraordinary. Here are a few of our favourite hotels to inspire your stay:

Bay Hotel: Set along the palm-lined shores of Camps Bay, this stylish beachfront hotel offers elegant rooms with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. With multiple pools, a relaxed coastal atmosphere and easy access to cafés and restaurants, it’s perfect for unwinding after your tour.

V&A Hotel by Newmark: Located in the lively V&A Waterfront, this contemporary hotel blends historic charm with modern comfort. Spacious rooms, harbour views and direct access to shops, dining and attractions make it an ideal base for exploring Cape Town.

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel: A luxury retreat at the foot of Table Mountain, the Mount Nelson offers lush gardens, refined rooms and classic afternoon tea on its iconic pink terraces. Its serene setting, exceptional service and rich heritage make it one of Cape Town’s most memorable places to stay.

This is just a glimpse of what’s possible. Speak to your sales representative, who can guide you through the options and arrange everything for you.

Essential Information

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Itinerary: To maximise your enjoyment of the adventure, the tour leader may change the order of the days, ensuring the best possible conditions and weather for the activities.

Legal note: All group members joining this tour are asked to sign an indemnity form at the start of the trip. It’s a requirement of the South African Tourism Service Association, of which our local supplier is a member. As a client of Exodus Travels Ltd, your rights under the Package Travel Regulations (1992) are unaffected, and Exodus remains liable for the actions of our sub-contractors.

Key information

Start hotel: Protea Hotel Dorpshuis & Spa Stellenbosch, 22 Dorp St, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, 7599
Phone: +27 21 883 9881
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing around 6pm in the evening.
Airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 35 minutes’ drive from the airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport to the hotel, which you can join at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Flying via Johannesburg
If you are travelling on flights via Johannesburg, please note that you will need to collect your baggage in Johannesburg, even if your bag has been checked all the way through to Port Elizabeth (and even if you are told you do not need to pick it up). After collecting the bag, you are required to clear customs, and you should then drop it off at the bag drop for the onward flight. This only applies to the outbound flight – you do not need to do this at the end of the trip on the return flight.

Catching your return flight

There’s one group transfer to the airport, which you can join at no extra cost. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.

South Africa

Travellers from the UK, US and most (though not all) EU states normally do not need a visa to enter South Africa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthAfrica.html

Please note, all travellers to South Africa who require a visa need at least two consecutive blank pages in their passport (ie a left- and right-hand page) to enable an entry visa to be issued.

Additionally, any child under 18 travelling to South Africa needs to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate with the names of both parents. If a child under 18 is only travelling with one parent, they will also have to have an affidavit, no less than three months old, from the absent parent confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

On this trip there may be the opportunity to try local meats such as ostrich, kudu or eland. Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for on this trip – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared.

Summer is from October to April and the average daytime temperature is 25C-30C (77F-86F). The average night-time temperature is 10C-20C (50F-68F). Winter is from May to September and average temperatures are colder. In general, however, the Cape Town climate is quite mild. Summer is typically dry and warm, but the southeasterly wind can blow up to 43mph (70kph) at least a few times a month. This helps to cool things but can be a little unpleasant if one is walking in exposed areas. Most of the rainfall is in winter but it is frontal rain off the Atlantic. Therefore, it can rain solidly for two days, and in between there will be warm, sunny days. It is fairly common to experience tabletop clouds on the higher mountains. Our programme is flexible enough to accommodate any major changes in weather and still make it enjoyable.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

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Highlights of South Africa's Winelands

Activity Level

Comfort Level

Activity

Overview

This is South Africa’s world-renowned wine region, like you’ve never seen it before

Key Information

What's Included

Highlights

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, deposit-only payments, and full ATOL protection available.

Your Group, Your Adventure

Accommodation

Protea Hotel Dorpshuis & Spa Stellenbosch

Extend Your Trip

Cape Town Hotels

Essential Information

Key information

Getting to the start hotel

Catching your return flight

South Africa

Reviews

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Highlights of South Africa's Winelands

Activity Level

Comfort Level

Activity

Overview

This is South Africa’s world-renowned wine region, like you’ve never seen it before

Key Information

What's Included

Highlights

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, deposit-only payments, and full ATOL protection available.

Your Group, Your Adventure

Accommodation

Protea Hotel Dorpshuis & Spa Stellenbosch

Extend Your Trip

Cape Town Hotels

Essential Information

Key information

Getting to the start hotel

Catching your return flight

South Africa

Reviews

You may also like

Cape Town and the Garden Route - Premium Adventure

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The Adventure Begins Here