Current as of: May 23, 2025 - 11:43
Highlights of South Africa's Winelands Trip Notes
- Ways to Travel: Guided Group
- Destination: South Africa
- Programmes: Culture
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Activity Level:
2 out of 7 - Easy & Moderate
- Ages: 16+
- Trip Code: AWD
Trip 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.
At a Glance
- Accommodation: 6 Classic nights (Protea Hotel Dorpshuis & Spa Stellenbosch)
- Travel by private minibus
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
Is This Trip for You?
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.
Adult min age: 16
Min group size: 4
Max group size: 16
Itinerary
Land Only
- Start City: Stellenbosch
- End City: Stellenbosch
Land Only Itinerary
Adventure starts in Stellenbosch
Begin your adventure in Stellenbosch, where more than 150 wine estates sprawl under the watchful gaze of Stellenbosch Mountain.
At 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 by arranging dinner at the hotel restaurant.
Want to explore Stellenbosch further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Hop on e-bikes for a gentle vineyard tour
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.
Meet penguins, take the Flying Dutchman funicular and kayak on a Cape Peninsula tour
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.
Finally, we hop into kayaks to explore the pristine waters of Hout Bay’s, with mountains on one side and the vast ocean on the other. Guided by a qualified kayak leader, we enjoy the serenity of life on the surface, stopping at various checkpoints and exploring the harbour.
Cape Malay cooking masterclass • Tour Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
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.
Ride the iconic wine tram to world-leading wine estates
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.
Summit Lion’s Head for stunning city views • Farewell dinner
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.
Adventure ends in Stellenbosch
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.
Food & Drink
Food on this trip is very similar to the kind of food you are used to at home, though 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.
Transport
We use a minibus for this trip, while also kayaking, cycling and taking the wine tram to extend our explorations.
Weather & Seasonality
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.
Joining Instructions
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 in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
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.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Stellenbosch
Location end: Stellenbosch
What To Take
Essential Equipment
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Backpack for the daytime
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Camera
- Water bottle
- Fleece top for cooler days and nights
- Waterproof
- Warmer clothes for winter
Water included
Plastic bottles are a big issue in many countries where recycling isn’t yet widely available; they often end up in landfill or get burned. Both processes are harmful to the environment and we would like to reduce our impact here. For your trip, we provide an alternative to single-use plastic bottles to reduce the plastic used. This means that safe drinking water will be available throughout; all you need to do is bring a bottle to refill along the way. Please add this to your packing list.
Practical Information
Visa
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.
Vaccinations and Health
South Africa
There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.
Malaria prophylaxis is essential if travelling in the greater Kruger area; seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which tablets to take. The rest of South Africa, including the Garden Route, has a low risk of malaria.
Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is also a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim.
Local Time
South Africa's time zone: Africa/Johannesburg (UTC +02:00)
Electricity
South Africa's electricity: Plug types M (three round pins), N (three round pins) and C (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz
Money
South Africa's currency: South African rand (ZAR)
ATM Availability
ATMs are fairly widely available throughout this trip but not necessarily every day so please advise your leader in advance if you want to use one.
Extra Expenses & Spending Money
For meals not included, dinners cost on average 340-510 rand (US$20‐US$30) per person and lunches are around 135-220 rand (US$8-US$13). For other incidentals, allow about 170 rand (US$10) per day.
Tipping
Our local staff are paid fairly for their work; however, tipping is part of the culture in South Africa.
For suggestions on how much to tip, we recommend:
- Tour leader: 180 rand (US$10) per day
- Drivers: 100 rand (US$5.50) per day
- Hotel staff: 80 rand (US$4.50) per day
- Restaurants: 10% of the bill
Sustainability and Impact
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 though 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.
Important Information
Optional activities and excursions
If you would like to join an optional activity or excursion outside those listed in the itinerary, your leader may be able to assist with selecting a provider. However, Exodus has not assessed the safety standards of activities or excursions that are not listed in the Trip Notes. All optional activities or excursions are undertaken at your own risk.
Water safety
This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.
Important Information
Your safe participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity.
By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
Seatbelts
All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.
How to Book
- Check availability: Go online to check availability, or contact us by phone or email.
- Secure your place: You can provisionally hold a place on this trip, usually for between three and seven days.
- Complete your booking and payment
When you’re ready to book, go to our website for online bookings, book over the phone or you can complete a booking form (available online or on request by calling us). We accept all major credit and debit cards, or you can pay be cheque.
After booking
You will receive your booking confirmation letter and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements.
Full joining instructions, including local emergency numbers and details of how to reach the start point, will be sent to you approximately two to three weeks prior to departure. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier, please contact our office or your travel agent.
Trip Note validity
These Trip Notes are valid from the “Current as” date on page one. They will occasionally be updated after booking and before departure; if there are any updates that significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary, customers will be written to separately. They will also receive a link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes with their Final Joining Instructions before travelling.
The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. Where differences exist between the Trip Notes and our current brochure or website, the Trip Notes supersede the brochure and website. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes; to enjoy them you should be prepared to be flexible where necessary. Occasionally, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. This may be for a variety of reasons – climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.
Licensing
Exodus is fully licensed and bonded as a tour operator. We hold Air Traffic Organisers Licence (ATOL) number 2582, issued and bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We are also bonded to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and we are members of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) and ABTA – The Travel Association. This means you can book your Exodus holiday with confidence, as all money paid to us for your trip is fully protected.