Signature

Signature South Africa | Winelands & Wild Shores

Activity

Culture

Overview

Trace a journey through sculpted landscapes, regional produce, and meaningful encounters

This is South Africa at its most sensory: ocean air, wild coasts, and regional flavours. Led by your handpicked Signature Guide, begin in Cape Town, then follow the southern edge where wind-shaped shorelines give way to vineyard-clad slopes and the vast stillness of the Karoo interior. Along the way, reconnect with wild flavours alongside coastal foragers, join marine specialists on a sea safari, and shape your own story in Hermanus on our distinctive Signature Day. This is South Africa revealed through those who know it best — shared slowly, thoughtfully, and with purpose.

Venture to the very heart of each destination on our Signature Collection, where every journey is shaped by our unrivalled local connections and insider expertise. Step beyond the ordinary with private invitations, rare encounters, and experiences few will ever share. So when someone says, “I’ve been there,” you’ll simply smile, knowing you’ve experienced it differently.

Signature Day: Experience our distinctive Signature Day, choosing between included activities such as a township-led cultural encounter, coastal wildlife exploration to see whales, or a guided wine journey through Hemel-en-Aarde

Signature Stay: Stay at Rosenhof Country House, a restored 1852 Karoo homestead offering elegant suites, rose gardens, and family-run hospitality, part of this trip’s refined accommodation portfolio

Signature Guide: Let your handpicked Signature Guide lead you to the country’s soul — sharing their home, heritage, and heart

Key Information

Trip Code: LSG
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: South Africa
Carbon Footprint: 89.6kg CO2e per person per day

Signature Exclusive Inclusions

Elegant, hand-picked hotels and a Signature Stay in Rosenhof Country House, a restored 1852 Karoo homestead
All breakfasts, six lunches and eight dinners, featuring restaurants that capture the authentic cuisine of South Africa
Your preferred Signature Day experience, selected and prebooked ahead of travel
Named Signature Guide with outstanding knowledge and guest satisfaction
Complimentary transfers on arrival and departure, plus comfortable transport throughout (private vehicles)
Gratuities for local support staff so every detail of your journey feels effortless

Don't Forget To

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations.

Signature Experiences

Signature South Africa | Winelands & Wild Shores

Search for wild produce with coastal foraging experts, identifying edible seaweeds and plants before sharing an ocean-inspired lunch together

Explore indigenous Fynbos flavours inside a botanical cellar, guided by a culinary specialist, before a renosterveld walk and experimental tapas lunch

Join a private stargazing session with expert astronomers to navigate Southern Hemisphere constellations

Cruise the waters of Dyer Island with marine experts, observing whales, dolphins, seals, penguins, and sharks within a protected ecosystem

Itinerary

First Destination: Cape Town
Next Destination: Hermanus

Accommodation:The Winchester Boutique Hotel
Meals included:Dinner

Accommodation:The Winchester Boutique Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Rosenhof Country House
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Rosenhof Country House
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Harbour House Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:Harbour House Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Accommodation:Harbour House Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: Cape Town
Next Destination: Hermanus

Our journey begins in Cape Town, fondly known as the Mother City, where a private transfer brings you to The Winchester, your Atlantic-side hideaway in Sea Point. Fresh sea air sets the tone, with the promenade and open sea just across the road.

Take time to settle into the hotel’s black-and-white interiors and tranquil courtyard. Those arriving early may join an optional storytelling walk from mountain ridge to sea, tracing Cape Town’s layered histories with an award-winning travel writer (available to prebook on request).

As evening draws in, we gather for a welcome reception and dinner at Aubergine restaurant, set within the former home of Sir John Wylde, the first Chief Justice of the Cape of Good Hope. In this historic property, built in 1830, we enjoy seasonal dishes, South African wines, and moments to connect with each other – a taste of things to come.

Accommodation:The Winchester Boutique Hotel
Meals included:Dinner

Follow the curve of the Cape Peninsula along Chapman’s Peak Drive – widely regarded among the world’s most scenic coastal roads – to the Cape of Good Hope. A guided walk on the Lighthouse Keeper’s Trail traces cliff-edge paths shaped by wind, sea, and stories of shipwrecks and beacons.

Signature Experience: Explore the coastline through its wild flavours alongside expert foragers, stepping into the intricate world of intertidal rock pools. Learn to identify native seaweeds and coastal plants, gaining insight into their nutritional value, medicinal properties, and nuanced culinary uses. Afterwards, settle in for an ocean-inspired lunch, where the day’s foraged finds are thoughtfully prepared and shared together.

Return to your hotel for time to unwind, then gather for dinner, watching the light fade along the promenade.

Accommodation:The Winchester Boutique Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving Cape Town, we journey into the Cape Winelands, where open valleys and distant peaks signal a slower rhythm.

Signature Experience: Step inside a botanical cellar to experience the distinctive flavours of South Africa’s indigenous herbs from the Cape Floristic Region. Guided by a culinary Fynbos specialist, explore rare botanicals and their refined culinary expression, then walk the surrounding renosterveld before sharing an experimental tapas lunch that honours these ancient plants and their enduring vitality.

Continue to Franschhoek for an evening among vineyards and mountain backdrops. We dine at Miko Restaurant, where thoughtfully prepared dishes celebrate contemporary Cape produce and cuisine.

Accommodation:Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Travel into the semi-arid landscapes of the Klein Karoo, pausing at Sheilam Cactus Nursery for a private tour of the garden and greenhouses with the third-generation owner.

Lunch follows at The Barn on 62 in Montagu, a characterful restaurant set in a small Breede River Valley town. Continue to Oudtshoorn to settle into Rosenhof Country House, our Signature Stay, a historic restored Karoo homestead framed by fragrant rose gardens and furnished with elegant antiques.

Signature Experience: After dinner at the hotel, enjoy a private stargazing session with expert astronomers, using specialised telescopes to observe Southern Hemisphere constellations and deep-sky highlights. Surrounded by the stillness of the semi-desert, the Klein Karoo is a place where the night sky comes alive.

Accommodation:Rosenhof Country House
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today reveals the Klein Karoo through those who shape it. Begin on a fifth-generation mixed farm near De Rust, where the owner shares how resilient farming has evolved to sustain land, livelihoods, and community.

Continue through Meiringspoort’s dramatic gorge for a short walk to its waterfall, then pause in Klaarstroom for coffee and conversation with local hosts.

Lunch unfolds in Prince Albert, accompanied by traditional Riel dancers, before crossing the UNESCO-recognised Swartberg Pass, its winding gravel road opening onto vast mountain horizons and fynbos-rich slopes. The day closes with a Karoo-led dinner, celebrating regional flavours and hospitality.

Accommodation:Rosenhof Country House
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leave the Karoo and travel toward the coast, arriving at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa and the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

After a seafood lunch near the lighthouse, a guided walk along the Rasperpunt Trail reveals the highlights of Agulhas National Park: shoreline fynbos, sweeping coastal views, and the Meisho Maru Shipwreck.

Continuing through historic coastal villages, we reach Hermanus and check into Harbour House Hotel, set just moments from the old harbour.

This evening, enjoy a private dinner in the Cypress Room at Burgundy Restaurant, paired with stories that trace the fishing heritage of Hermanus.

Accommodation:Harbour House Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is your Signature Day, where you can select an authentic, curated experience to connect deeply with South African culture. You could:

Join a specialist guide in Zwelihle township, meeting local entrepreneurs and artists, with tastings of home-style dishes and traditional brews.
Trace the Hermanus coastline on a private guided tour, combining seasonal whale viewing, penguins at Stony Point, and walks through botanical gardens.
Follow the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with a local wine guide, tasting cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay before a leisurely lunch among the vines.
Take a whale-watching boat trip, led by a whale specialist, with close-up marine encounters and expert interpretation (a private boat operates for our group).

Dinner this evening is enjoyed back at the hotel.

Accommodation:Harbour House Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Signature Experience: Join marine specialists on an award-winning cruise around Dyer Island – nicknamed the Serengeti of the Sea for its rich marine biodiversity and breathtaking wildlife spectacles. With our expert guides, we have the chance to encounter the Marine Big Five – whales, dolphins, penguins, seals, and sharks – while also learning from a penguinologist how research and rescue efforts protect African penguins, now critically endangered, within this complex marine ecosystem.

Return to Hermanus with time to rest or browse local galleries, before we gather at Fisherman’s Cottage for a farewell dinner this evening. Here, Chef Michael Broughton leads an interactive and elevated potjiekos session before sharing the meal together, with dishes inspired by the Overberg coast.

Accommodation:Harbour House Hotel
Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a last breakfast overlooking Walker Bay, the morning is yours to linger. Watch for whales from the terrace in season, stroll the cliff path one final time or enjoy a slow coffee in town as you reflect on coastlines, farms, and cellar doors now stitched into memory.

When you are ready, your private transfer returns you to Cape Town International Airport for onward flights. This chapter may close, but South Africa’s shores and winelands remain ready to welcome you back.

Alternatively, open a new chapter of discovery by speaking to your Signature Collection travel expert about extending your stay.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

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Accommodation

Experience the best of South African hospitality

Every aspect of the Signature Collection is meticulously planned to take you deeper into the destination. That means your accommodation is a refined showcase of local hospitality, whether you’re staying in a pioneering luxury hotel or enjoying privileged access to a characterful stay designed to fully immerse you in the local culture.

Below are the accommodations we use on this adventure:

Cape Town: The Winchester Boutique Hotel (nights 1-2)

Signature South Africa | Winelands & Wild Shores

Set along the Sea Point promenade overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, The Winchester combines a heritage façade with contemporary monochrome interiors and a quiet courtyard at its heart. Rooms balance clean lines with soft textures, breakfast unfolds in light-filled spaces, while the promenade offers an early morning coastal walk just steps from the door.

Franschhoek: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa (night 3)

Signature South Africa | Winelands & Wild Shores

In the wine valley of Franschhoek, this elegant retreat pairs Cape Dutch lines with mountain views and lawns edged by vineyards. Bedrooms feel restorative, with muted tones and natural textures, while the spa is set among ancient oaks. Evening meals at Miko showcase regional produce, and sunrise across the valley sets a peaceful tone for the onward journey.

Oudtshoorn: Rosenhof Country House (nights 4-5)

Signature South Africa | Winelands & Wild Shores

Your Signature Stay is a 19th-century homestead renovated with warm woods, antique pieces, and a quiet rose garden, perfectly capturing the country calm of the Little Karoo. Rooms are individually styled and spacious, with fireplaces or terraces. After days exploring mountain passes and farms, the courtyards, lounges and pool create a restful evening enclave, perfectly paired with Karoo cooking and clear night skies.

Hermanus: Harbour House Hotel (nights 6–8)

Signature South Africa | Winelands & Wild Shores

Overlooking the Old Harbour, this breezy coastal base is within steps of cafés, galleries, and the famous cliff path. Rooms are modern, bright, and designed to echo the surrounding shoreline. Breakfasts extend onto the terrace when the weather is calm, and the infinity pool frames Walker Bay, an especially memorable setting during whale season.

Enhance your stay: Personalise your experience with curated room upgrades and additional nights tailored to your travel plans.

Essential Information

We have graded this trip Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page.

Driving times: The longest travel time takes place on Day 6 (approximately 4hr 15min). Day 4 also includes a longer journey (around four hours total). All other transfers are under two hours and travel by private vehicle throughout.

Prebooking activities: An immersive adventure of your choice awaits on the Signature Day. This activity is included – all you need to do is prebook your chosen experience at least 60 days before departure through our Signature Collection travel experts. Additionally, an optional walking tour can be prebooked if you arrive early on Day 1.

As with all adventures in the Signature Collection, we take care of your arrival and departure transfers, allowing you to fully relax and immerse yourself in the local culture.

Arrival airport: Cape Town (CPT)
- Your adventure begins with a welcome reception at 6pm on Day 1 at our first accommodation.
Departure airport: Cape Town (CPT)
- Your adventure concludes after breakfast on the final day.

Complimentary transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Complimentary transfers should be booked with your Signature Collection travel expert at least two weeks before the tour starts.

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.

This journey is designed to deepen your connection to the country through its food and drink.

This journey reveals South Africa through its ingredients, regional stories and the people who shape them.
In Cape Town, refined dining in historic spaces introduces the city’s layered influences. Along the peninsula, coastal-foraging specialists reframe your understanding of wild flavour. In the winelands, Fynbos becomes a lens into scent and terroir, while the Karoo offers farm-to-table rituals rooted in resilience and tradition. By the Overberg coast, seafood, potjiekos, seasonal vegetables and simple desserts anchor a warm final evening together.

South Africa’s southern regions experience broad seasonal shifts:

Summer (Dec–Feb): Warm days, cooler evenings by the coast and long light ideal for coastal walking.
Autumn (Mar–May): Crisp mornings in the winelands, mellow afternoons for vineyard visits and mountain passes.
Winter (Jun–Aug): Cooler temperatures, occasional rain, and peak whale-watching along the Hermanus coastline.
Spring (Sept–Nov): Fresh breezes, blooming fynbos and comfortable walking conditions.

Each season brings its own atmosphere, shaping light, colour and the pace of the days.

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.

We also weave Signature Legacy moments into your itinerary, so the positive impact of your trip lasts long after your stay. These are moments to remember which help people and nature thrive, ensuring you build a harmonious, positive connection with the places you visit.

On this journey, you can:

Walk the shoreline with a specialist guide, identifying edible seaweeds and responsible harvesting. An experience that deepens understanding of coastal ecosystems through taste, touch, and observation.
Visit Hermanus’ Zwelihle township with a local guide, gaining insight into daily life. Meet makers and small business owners, share home-style dishes, and hear first-hand stories shaping the community’s future.
Learn directly from conservation specialists at Dyer Island and the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary. Observe penguin behaviour and see how rescue and rehabilitation work is helping protect this critically endangered species.