Full Day Cape Winelands Tour

South Africa's fertile valleys are world-famous for their crisp white wines and classic French-style red wines. However, the area is also a treasury of rustic beauty and sprawling estates shaded by giant oak trees. Join us for a tour of this beautiful countryside through the principal wine routes of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, with a stop en route for lunch.

Our day starts with a pick-up from your hotel in central Cape Town, before travelling to Paarl, where you will be struck by the beauty of the valley, the pristine blue sky, the rolling vineyards and the 'Pearl of Paarl' set high above the valley. We enjoy a wine tasting and cellar tour at one of the local estates.

From Paarl, we'll continue north-west to the beautiful village of Franschhoek, near the Drakenstein Mountains founded in 1688 by French immigrants fleeing the Huguenot religious persecution in Europe. A memorial in the town commemorates the arrival of these early settlers who helped develop the wines sought after by Napoleon, Bismarck and royalty such as Edward VII, the Prince of Wales. Here we will stop for lunch (on own account) and another wine tasting at a vineyard.

We'll then head to Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa and the historic heart of the country's wine region. In 1679, Dutch East India Company governor Simon van der Stel recognised the fertility of this long valley on the banks of the Eerste River as perfect for vineyards. The rest is history, which has been carefully cultivated in this town. A gracious blend of 18th-Century Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings is evident on Dorp Street, where massive oaks still shade original water furrows. Enjoy a final wine tasting before returning to Cape Town.