Luxury South Africa Wine Tour in the Cape Winelands

On arrival in Cape Town, our representative will greet you planeside, assist you through immigration, customs, and baggage claim, then escort you to the Arrivals Hall where your private driver will be waiting to transfer you to Franschhoek, in the heart of South Africa’s Cape Winelands.

With its charming Cape Dutch architecture, many wine estates, and some of South Africa’s best restaurants, Franschhoek is an ideal place to begin your explorations of the Cape Winelands during your private luxury wine tour in South Africa. Check in to your 5-star boutique hotel, Leeu House, on Main Street within easy strolling distance of Franschhoek’s award-winning restaurants, art galleries, and boutiques. With just 12 rooms and suites, relaxing gardens, a private pool, mountain views, and country guesthouse feel, Leeu House is a quiet luxury oasis in South Africa’s “French Corner.”

The afternoon today is free to relax after your journey and begin exploring South Africa’s “French Corner” at your leisure. Enjoy dinner tonight in one of Franschhoek’s many fine restaurants, where we will be happy to make reservations.

Start your first full day in the Cape Winelands with a selection of fresh seasonal fruits, artisanal breads, and homemade gourmet dishes in the Leeu House Conservatory. The restaurant’s vegetables and herbs are picked fresh daily from their own gardens in nearby Leeu Estates.

Your private luxury wine tour in South Africa today features a full day of private wine tasting in the Franschhoek Valley. Start the morning with bubbles at a local producer known for outstanding Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines. The Franschhoek Valley is regarded as one of South Africa’s best wine regions for Méthode Cap Classique, with 24 producers in total.

Enjoy a private wine tour at one of our selected producers this morning, visiting their cellars to discover how South Africa’s national sparkling wine is produced, followed by a private tasting of several premium Méthode Cap Classique sparkling wines. After your private wine tasting, relax for lunch at the estate’s restaurant and enjoy a Cape Dutch inspired seasonal menu.

Your second private wine tour today will visit one of the oldest wine farms in the Franschhoek Valley. Learn about the estate’s place in the history of Franschhoek winemaking, visit their modern cellars vinifying Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier, then enjoy a private tasting of their limited-release wines, paired with locally sourced cheeses, estate-grown olives, and South African biltong.

Return to Franschhoek with your private driver in the late afternoon. Take the rest of the day at leisure to relax at your hotel, shopping and strolling in town, with dinner in one of Franschhoek’s excellent restaurants.

Today is free to enjoy Franschhoek and the wineries of the Franschhoek Valley at your leisure. As guests of Leeu House, your stay includes a complimentary private wine tasting at Great Heart Wine Boutique, a 100% staff-owned project initiated by the employees of Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines.

We highly suggest making today a choose your own wine adventure by taking advantage of the Franschooek Wine Tram. Departing from the Franschhoek terminal just a short walk from Leeu House, the Wine Tram follows an old railway line connecting 28 different estates in the Franschhoek Valley. Choose from hop-on hop-off Wine Tram tickets or an exclusive curated guided wine tour with premium food pairings throughout the day. Wine Tram tickets are included, according to your selection.

After a day of wine tasting the Franschhoek Valley, you might want to relax and rejuvenate with treatments at Leeu Spa by Healing Earth. For dinner tonight, we will make reservations for you in one of Franschhoek’s best restaurants.

Spend a leisurely final morning in Franschhoek before departing with your private driver to the wild and beautiful Cederberg region in the heart of the biodiverse Cape Floral Kingdom. Dotted with citrus orchards, ringed with spectacular mountains, Cederberg offers nature lovers a peaceful retreat to appreciate the Cape’s wildlife, wildflowers, and clear night skies.

Arrive at your oasis in the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains, Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat.

Your stay at Bushmans Kloof offers you a wide range of activities and experiences to discover the reserve’s animal life, plant life, and pristine natural environment.

Start your day in peaceful surroundings overlooking the wild landscape with a buffet breakfast of fresh products straight from the reserve’s own gardens, as well as hot dishes cooked to order. If you have a very early nature activity, enjoy fresh coffee and pastries before returning for a leisurely breakfast after.

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is a story of conservation and preservation. More than 200 animal species have been recorded on the reserve, along with 755 species of indigenous fynbos plants. The reserve also protects one of the world’s largest private herds of Cape Mountain Zebras, a species once on the verge of extinction. A wildlife reintroduction program as also successfully returned Red Hartebeest, Grey Rhebok and Ostriches, as well as smaller species like the Bat-Eared Fox, African Wildcat, Cape Fox, Caracal and Cape Clawless Otter.

On foot or in comfortable safari vehicles, the reserve offers numerous guided experiences for discovering the local flora and fauna, and hikers and cyclists can explore different trails of varying intensity. On the water, canoe the clear waters of the Olifants River tributaries that flow through the reserve or fly-fish for the indigenous Clanwilliam Yellowfish.

For evening meals, the reserve offers seasonal Western Cape cuisine with fresh produce from their extensive kitchen gardens. A wine cellar representing 700 South African producers, with an emphasis on the wines of the Cederberg region, completes the culinary experience.

In addition to its wildlife conservation work, Bushman’s Kloof protects over 130 unique rock art sites scattered across its 7500-hectare reserve. Dating as far back as 10,000 years, these artworks painted in ochre, sap, and blood depict the culture, history, and shamanic visions of the ancient San people, one of the oldest known cultures in all of Africa. Bushman’s Kloof has been designated a South African National Heritage Site because of these important paintings.

Led by a curator from the Bushmans Kloof Heritage Centre, take a guided walk to the San rock paintings for a glimpse into the daily life and cultural tradition of these ancient nomadic people. The Heritage Centre collection also includes original San jewelry, hunting equipment, dancing sticks, and musical instruments. There is even a medicinal herb garden where you can discover traditional botanical remedies used by generations of San and Khoihoi people in the Cederberg.

Draw your own inspiration from San culture and the reserve’s natural spaces. Painters and photographers will appreciate the ever-shifting light that plays on the dramatic Cederberg Mountains. Writers will find solitude and silence in the ancient landscape. Today is also a perfect opportunity to detox, de-stress, or just pamper yourself in the relaxing Spa at Bushmans Kloof.

After dinner, end your day with a one-hour guided astronomical experience under the stars. Your guide will lead you on a journey through the constellations, integrating the skylore, cultural traditions, and spirituality of the San people’s beliefs about the night sky.

Savor a final morning at Bushmans Kloof before meeting your private driver for the transfer to Cape Town. Today, your private luxury wine tour in South Africa continues back towards Cape Town. Along the way, visit Stellenbosch for a private Cape Cuisine food tasting tour.

On arrival in Stellenbosch, meet your expert local guide to begin a private walking tour of the old town. Discover the old town Stellenbosch with your local guide, who will share stories about the town’s history and culture as you taste the traditional food and drinks of the Cape. Sample traditional culinary specialties at tasting stops along your route, including a heritage lunch platter and a trilogy of Cape desserts. Your private food tour will include wine tastings of selected South African winemakers from the Stellenbosch region.

Following your private food tasting tour in Stellenbosch, continue to Cape Town and check in to your 5-star hotel accommodation at the award-winning Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, located along Cape Town’s most stunning stretch of coastline.

The remainder of the afternoon and evening are free for you to enjoy Cape Town on your own. Relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities or take the complimentary shuttle to Cape Town’s waterfront, where we will be happy to recommend local restaurants and make reservations.

Start your first full day in Cape Town with breakfast on the ocean-facing terrace of Azure restaurant. Daily breakfast at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa offers a wide selection of dishes made with locally sourced produce and seafood. Savor a lavish spread with locally smoked salmon and trout, delicate charcuterie, freshly shucked oysters, artisanal cheeses, and an irresistible selection of viennoiserie—all served alongside a generous cooked breakfast.

With your expert local guide, ascend to the top of Table Mountain for a spectacular perspective on the Mother City far below. Your private guide today will help you discover Cape Town’s many sides and stories, from its apartheid era struggles to the founding of a new democracy, to present day efforts at urban wildlife conservation, and more.

After your full-day private guided city tour, the evening is yours to enjoy Cape Town’s many fine restaurants. We will be happy to make recommendations and reservations.

Today, your private luxury South African wine tour explores the lesser-known Overberg wine region in the southern zone of the Western Cape. After breakfast, meet your driver and private guide in the hotel lobby for a full day discovering winemaking and coastal nature in the Overberg.

Historically, the Overberg was known for fruit tree orchards and sheep grazing more than winemaking, but over the past 20 years the Overberg has become one of South Africa’s most up-and-coming wine regions. This southern section of the Cape benefits from Antarctica’s cooling winds, funneled into the Overberg’s fertile valleys to create cool-climate growing conditions. Your private wine tour in the Overberg this morning is an opportunity to taste some of South Africa’s best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Reach the Overberg mid-morning and arrive at one of our selected wine estates in either the Elgin Valley, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, or Botriver. Be welcomed for a private tour of the vineyards and winemaking operations to appreciate the terroir and personal stories behind this bourgeoning South African wine region. Following your visit to the estate, enjoy a private wine tasting of their cool-climate wines, and then a relaxing lunch at the winery, with additional pairings.

After your morning wine tour and wine tasting, travel along a spectacular stretch of the Cape Whale Coast to discover the Overberg’s marine habitats. Charming seaside towns like Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, and Hermanus offer marine life encounters with penguins, dolphins, and Southern Right Whales.

Return to The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa in the late afternoon and spend your evening at leisure relaxing at the hotel or dining out in Cape Town.

Dive into Cape Town’s unique Cape Malay cuisine this morning during a private hands-on cooking class. After breakfast at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, meet your driver and transfer to Cape Town’s colorful Bo-Kaap neighborhood. Join your culinary host Gamidah Jacobs for a short walking tour of Bo-Kaap to learn about the neighborhood’s roots dating back to the 1760s, when it was established as housing for enslaved people brought to South Africa from Malaysia and Indonesia. Mosly Muslims, they became known as the Cape Malays, leaving a cultural and culinary legacy that distinguishes Cape Town to this day.

At home with Gamidah Jacobs, your private Cape Town cooking class will teach you how to make traditional Cape Malay dishes like roti, curry, sambal, samosas, chili bites, and cardamom tea. In addition to sharing her Cape Malay recipes with you, Gamidah will share stories from her life and her experiences growing up in Cape Town’s Muslim community. This private cooking class is a memorable culture exchange and culinary experience on your last full day in South Africa.

After your private cooking class and lunch with Gamidah Jacobs in Bo-Kaap, transfer back to the hotel with your driver or to another Cape Town neighborhood of your choosing. The afternoon is free to visit more of Cape Town on your own or to relax at the hotel until this evening’s sunset cruise.

As a beautiful bookend to your private wine tour in South Africa, enjoy a sunset sailing cruise tonight aboard the 58ft gaff-rigged schooner Spirt of Victoria. Bask in beautiful views of Cape Town, the mountains, and the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean as you sail across Table Bay and back. Toast your South African adventures with a glass of Méthode Cap Classique from the on-board bar.

From your sunset cruise, either stay in the V&A Waterfront for dinner or return to your hotel for dinner at Azure.

Savor your final morning in South Africa with breakfast overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Say a reluctant goodbye before check-out and private transfer Cape Town airport.