Things to do in

Franschhoek

Depart Cape Town by coach and head directly to the Franschhoek valley to join the Franschhoek hop-on hop-off wine tram and bus. The Franschhoek Wine Tram offers a choice of two hop-on hop-off lines (Orange or Purple) to choose from, operating in opposite directions. Each route visits eight wine estates showcasing a separate part of the Franschhoek Valley, including Noble Hill, Babylonstoren, Backsberg, Vrede & Lust, Plaisir de Merle, Allee Bleue, Boschendal, and Solms Delta. Realistically, you will be able to visit 5-6 estates in one day.  Enjoy transportation by a combination of tram and tram-buses around a loop. Each stop is at a different wine estate, allowing you to hop on and hop off at any of the estates. The tram or tram-buses pass each stop once an hour, so you can explore at your convenience to move from one estate to the next. Each of the lines has a wide selection of wine estates to visit, from boutique to marquee estates and each offers a unique perspective on the Franschhoek wine experience. At 4:00 PM, head back to the motor coach for your transfer back to Cape Town.

You will be picked up at your accommodation between 9:00 and 9:30 AM by a tour guide/driver in a luxury minibus and head off on an all-inclusive, full day Cape winelands tour. Follow the Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek wine route in all its splendor and enjoy lunch surrounded by vineyards. You’ll enjoy wine tasting at up to 5 wine estates, and will also visit monuments, enjoy a town orientation tour in Stellenbosch and explore the town of Franschhoek. Travel along the scenic N2 and stop at DeMorgenzon wine estate in Stellenbosch for the first wine tasting of the day. DeMorgenzon is unique in that they have musical speakers scattered across the vineyards from which soft classical music can be heard. They also produce one of the best Chenin Blanc wines in the region. From there, proceed to one of the oldest towns in South Africa, Stellenbosch, for a town orientation tour. Continue to Marianne Wine Estate in Paarl to experience biltong and taste their wines. Marianne believes that pairing different types of biltong with red wine enhances the flavors of their wines. Continue to Fairview Vineyards and Goats Cheese for a cheese and wine tasting. Purchase your favorite cheese and condiments from the deli, as well as wine from a choice of 3 ranges in the tasting room. As you follow along this route you’ll stop in front of Drakenstein Prison to see the Nelson Mandela monument. This prison is where Nelson Mandela spent his last days of incarceration before his walk to freedom. Next you’ll have a chance to explore the town of Franschhoek, known as the food and wine capital of South Africa. It is home to some of the finest restaurants and wine estates in the country. Learn about the French influence on the Cape winelands and explore a bit of the town itself. Take a break for lunch (at your own expense) and later visit the Mont Rochelle wine estate owned by Sir Richard Branson. Your last wine tasting for the day will be at Delaire Graff, known as the jewel of the Cape winelands. Afterwards, you’ll head back to Cape Town and be dropped off at your accommodation.

Taste the local culture with this cellar tour. All wine tastings are paired with customized cheese, chocolate and cured meats. Visit 4 different wine estates in both regions: famous farms and some hidden gems known only to locals. Learn how wine is made, how to taste wine, what foods and wines pair best, and what bottles to order at restaurants. Enjoy a delicious light lunch served in the middle of the wine lands overlooking the Franschhoek valley.  Benefit from a diverse range of wine styles, local treats of cured meats paired with selected wines, artisanal chocolate and stroll down the beautiful main road of Franschhoek.

Attention wine lovers! Get ready to embark on a breathtaking journey through the winelands of the South African Cape. Learn all about the process of making fine wines, from the vineyard to the bottle, and visit the historical towns of Stellenbosch, Franschoek & Paarl. Stellenbosch/Zewenwacht The Stellenbosch winelands, just 20 minutes away from the city of Cape Town, offer a superb scenery, completely different from the landscape of the Cape peninsula. Numerous grapes are grown in the region, such as Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Pinotage, and the Méthode Cap Classique (local champagne). Stellenbosch is a small but vibrant town with a very famous university and numerous activities like wine cellar tours and tastings. You will have the opportunity to purchase wines to bring back home to enjoy continue enjoying the region's wonderful vintages even after your visit. (1h 45min) Franschoek/Marianne Wine Estate Franschoek ("the French Corner") is an old Huguenot village. With its numerous streets and estates with french names, the town will disorient you, making you wonder whether you have been transported to France in another era. You will be completely enchanted by the town's charm and its very peaceful environment. You will get the chance to taste the region's delicacies, cheeses, and its best wines. Experience a unique and leisurely way to see the Franschhoek Valley as you journey through rolling vineyards in an open-side tram. (2h) Drakenstein Prison Drakenstein is a low-security prison between Paarl and Franschhoek. The prison is famous as the place where Nelson Mandela spent the last part of his imprisonment for campaigning against apartheid. (10min) Paarl/Laborie The town of Paarl offers a fascinating window into Afrikaner culture and tradition. As a former haven of the Huguenots pioneers who came from Europe at the beginning of the 17th century after the Edict of Nantes, the town boasts a monument dedicated to the Huguenots. You will also be able to visit the town's vineyards where you will taste the region's finest wines. (1h)

Spend a day exploring the food and wine capital of South Africa, Franschhoek Valley. Enjoy a convenient pickup from your accommodation in Cape Town and head to the Franschhoek Wine Tram Station. Choose from a selection of routes, each one visiting a variety of wine estates and showcasing a different part of the picturesque Franschhoek Valley. Curate your own wine-country adventure using the convenient hop-on hop-off system. Take a cellar tour, sample local wines, or enjoy a gourmet lunch, you get to choose how long you spend at each spot. Choose from the following lines: Purple/Orange Lines: (Sat) • Solms-Delta • Allee Bleue • Boschendal • Plaisir de Merle • Vrede en Lust • Noble Hill • Babylonstoren • Backsberg Green/Blue Line: (Sun, Mon, Sat) • Grande Provence • Rickety Bridge • Franschhoek Cellar • Pigcasso • Maison • Mont Rochelle • La Bri • Holden Manz Red/Yellow Line: (Wed, Fri, Sat) • Le Lude • Maison • Eikehof • Lynx • Paserene • Grande Provence • Rickety Bridge • Franschhoek Cellar Grey/Pink Line: (Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat) • Haute Cabriere • Holden Manz • Grande Provence • Rickety Bridge • Leopards Leap • Chamonix • Dieu Donne After your day in Franschhoek, meet your driver back at the tram station and head back to your accommodation in Cape Town.

Join this guided tour to explore the 3 wine regions of Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch. Be treated to chocolate, a wine tasting, and a cellar tour at Rheboksloof wine farm near Paarl. Drive through Paarl and then enjoy a photo stop at the Drakenstein Prison. Arrive at Franschhoek and spend some time exploring the town on your own. Enjoy lunch or indulge in an extra wine tasting. Afterward, take a scenic drive over the impressive Helshoogte Pass to the picturesque town of Stellenbosch. Have a walk around Stellenbosch before heading off to Simonsig. Take part in an afternoon wine tasting with a cheese platter at Simonsig in the Stellenbosch region before heading back to Cape Town. Your wine guide will highlight points of interest along the way and will be on hand to answer any questions you have about the route or wine farms.

Uncork the Cape winelands and get drunk on its rich history, culture, and scenic vistas on a full-day trip with a guide who takes the terror out of terroir. Your journey begins in the Paarl wine region, famous for its cheese and wine tastings and great views. You’ll then meander to the Franschhoek wine region – a historic French enclave and granddaddy of South African viticulture with stunning mountain views. Then on to student-settled Stellenbosch for home-cloned Pinotage and award-winning farms. Also included is a delicious a la carte lunch with vegetarian options. From full-bodied tales with complex twists – like a 1688 French-run slave farm turned 21st century community driven wine project - to light and fruity fables, Bruce and his guides will keep you entertained. Travel along Cape Town's high roads and back roads tasting and learning about South Africa’s bubbly Cap Classique, heady ports, sweet dessert wines and plenty of red and white wines.

Meet your guide at Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek, a village with centuries-old vineyards and historic regional architecture. Learn how to ride your e-bike, adjust the seat post, and grab a helmet. Cycle through the countryside following picturesque trails and roads. Take in the breathtaking scenery while avoiding the main roads. Visit 2–3 wineries and cycle through vineyards, tasting wine at each spot. Take pictures of lovely Franschhoek Village and the surrounding mountains from different angles. Listen as your informative guide fills you in on the rich history of the area.

Depart from the convenient meeting point in Stellenbosch by e-bike for the first part of the exciting trip to Franschhoek. Cycle along mostly jeep tracks and mountain bike trails over the Helshoogte Pass, a route used by the first Dutch and French families who settled in the Olifantshoek valley in 1688.  Enjoy fantastic views and sites along the way and learn about small mission stations and local people living in the Banghoek Valley. Get a chance to spot eland and blue wildebeest as you cycle along multiple mountain streams in the Banhoek Conservancy. Enjoy a mouthwatering lunch and wine tasting on a Franschhoek wine estate and have time to explore the beautiful town of Franschhoek. The tour concludes with transport by vehicle back to Stellenbosch.

Depart Cape Town and travel by luxury Mercedes Benz C-Class or Hyundai H1 towards the wine estates of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands. Travel along the N2 highway to the wine estate of DeMorgenzon, where you will stop for your first tasting at an award-winning winery and producer of one of the best Chenin Blanc wines in the region. (Wine tasting fees not included) Next, stop in Stellenbosch for an orientation tour of the town. Continue to the Marianne Wine Estate in Paarl and sample some biltong (dried meat) during a wine tasting at a winery that believes it enhances the flavors of their red wine. (Wine tasting fees not included) Travel to Fairview Wine and Cheese for a cheese and wine tasting and the chance to purchase your favorite cheese and condiments as well as wines from a choice of 3 labels. (Wine tasting fees not included) Make your way to the food and wine capital of Franschhoek, stopping at Drakenstein Prison to see the monument to Nelson Mandela along the way. Upon arrival in Franschhoek, visit the French Huguenot monument en route to the wine estate of Haute Cabrière. Taste their version of champagne, known as "MCC" ("Methode Cap Classique"). End your wine tasting tour at the Delaire Graff wine estate in the "jewel" of the Cape Winelands. (Wine tasting fees not included) Enjoy lunch (at your own expense) at one of the recommended restaurants, such as those at the Delaire Graff or La Petite Ferme wines estates or any of the many eateries in Franschhoek suitable for a light lunch. Return to your accommodation at the end of the day, or get dropped off at a restaurant in time for dinner.