Must See & Must Do
Table Mountain
Address: Tafelberg Road, Cape Town
Tel: 021 424 8181
This is a definite must! The views from up there are breathtaking. If you don’t make it up the mountain you haven’t experienced Cape Town! But make sure you go on a clear day, as the cable car does not operate if there is a cloud cover or very strong winds.
You can also walk up from the cable car station if you'd like to choose the strenuous route!
After you have taken a stroll along the “table top” you can sit down and enjoy a meal at the self-service restaurant, go abseiling or just watch the adrenaline junkies have fun abseiling the highest commercial “long-drop” in the world at 112 meters.
The Cape Winelands
Website: www.cape-winetours.com
Tel: 072 089 0112
Email:
capewinetours@telkomsa.net
We’ve blended and bottled for your pleasure and enjoyment, the finest selection of premier wine estates. Together with historic attractions and comprehensive information, our complete package for the wine tourists leaves you with a memorable aftertaste.
Cape Wine Tours is a specialist wine tour operator providing a service not only for the wine connoisseur but the amateur wine taster alike.
Our set route and value for money tour has become so popular that bookings are taken several days in advance. (We recommend you book early to avoid disappointment.)
Cape Wine Tours can also provide tailor made tours suited to your personal needs and wishes ensuring that you get the most from your visit to the Cape Winelands.
We can also assist you in the importing of South African wines abroad utilising our specialist courier services.
Self drive packages throughout the Cape wine regions are also available. We would be happy to arrange accommodation, if required, and make suggestions on any other tourist sites you may wish to view along the way, ensuring your visit to our wine regions is memorable.
Cape Wine Tours can also arrange team building days and conferences for the corporate market.
At the southern tip of Africa, where two mighty oceans meet in the shadow of landmark Table Mountain, lies the fairest Cape in the world. Known locally as the Mother City, Cape
Town is the gateway to the South African winelands and one of the great wine capitals of the world. Here the cultures of Africa, Europe and the East have met and mingled for over 350 years, shaping a city both ancient and modern, rich in l colourful history and culturally diverse. South Africa's vineyards are mostly situated in the Western Cape near the coast, and we do our main tours to Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
Please contact Nox Rentals on +27 (0)21 424 3353 and we will gladly arrange a wine tour on your behalf.
Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Tourist Information
Address: 36 Market Street, Stellenbosch
Tel: 021 883 3584
It is definitely worth your while to take a stroll through this historic little town before heading out to the winelands. It lies in the Jonkershoek valley surrounded by the magnificent Groot Drakenstein Mountains. It is the country's second oldest town, after Cape Town, founded in 1679 during the period of control of the Dutch East India Company.
As an academic university town the sidewalks are bustling with cafés in the French tradition, farm stalls, quaint little tea gardens and delis, and boasts a vibrant day and night life.
Red wine fans can make a point of tasting the regions famous cultivar – Pinotage. It is a South African hybrid of Pinoit Noir and Hermitage, and it originates from this region, and still accounts for 36% of all plantings. Go and taste your heart out!
Spier, although not Stellenbosch's most authentic wine farm, is considered a must by many tourists due to its many offerings. It has a magical African restaurant called Moyo (meaning “soul” in Swahili), which offers a sumptuous daily buffet and live performances showcasing Cape Town’s cultural talent. (Booking ahead crucial).
Spier also has a beautiful picnic area around a lake, a Cheetah Outreach Centre (where you can actually touch a cheetah), a wine centre with one of the oldest wine cellars in the country, a golf course, horse rides, other restaurants, a craft market and a mini-amphitheatre.
Boschendal is a more authentic farm, and come highly recommended. It lies on the R310 road between Stellenbosch and Franschoek. Here you can relax in the cool shade of the massive Oak trees and enjoy your wine tasting and possibly a spot of lunch. Picnics are also available to be enjoyed on the beautifully maintained lawns.
These are just two of the many farms that welcome visitors. Contact tourist information, or talk to your guide about the best options for you.
Franschhoek
Franschhoek Tourist Information
Address: Hugenot Road, Franschhoek
Tel: 021 876-3603
In the beautiful valley of Franschhoek (translated into English as the French Corner as this was where many of the French Huguenots settled in 1688 and put their wine-making skills into practice) you will find many splendid wine farms. The one and only main road which takes you through the town, has signs all along it pointing out the way to the estates.
For a different dining experience follow the road all the way down to the end to the T-junction, and where the Huguenot Monument is, take a left towards the Franschhoek pass and look out for a sign to the left to the Haute Cabriere Cellar Restaurant which is nestled into the mountain. Here you will be able to feast on global cuisine in half or full portions, sip on the glorious juice of the Haute Cabriere grapes and enjoy the spectacular views of the whole valley.
Another wine estate worth mentioning is La Couronne which is on the opposite side of the valley to Haute Cabriere. Keep a look out for signs to the right along the main road. The views from La Couronne are also spectacular and the food and wine is just to die for...
A great way to end off your day in Franschhoek is to pop by Chamonix wine estate for a fun afternoon of Schnapps tasting.
Paarl
Paarl Tourist Information
Address: 216 Main Street, Paarl
Tel: 021 872 3829
This wine farm village was named after Paarl Rock which shines like a pearl (paarl in Afrikaans) after the rain. Paarl also has an extremely important place in the history of the Afrikaans language. The struggle to gain recognition for Afrikaans as a written language was directed and carried out from Paarl. In remembrance of this, the Afrikaans Language Monument was erected in 1975, making it the only language monument in the world. You will see it from the N1 road poking out from Paarl rock to your left.
From here you can carry on to Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve where you can experience magical views from the top of the 50 million years old granite boulders. It has spectacular views, lovely picnic spots and some very enjoyable walking trails.
The perfect place experience the Cape's best brandies is the KWV Wine Emporium. KWV is probably the most famous wine coming out of Paarl as it is South Africa's leading exporter of premium products of the vine. The cellar complex is one of the worlds largest and as such is very impressive to see the wood barrels lined from floor to ceiling.
A fantastic little wine farm which produces a unique range of cheese and internationally acclaimed wines is Fairview. Here you will also find goats climbing up and down the famous goat tower, enjoying the view and your company.
Another great wine farm to visit is Nederburg. They do great picnics and wine tastings.
Constantia
For something a little closer to Cape Town try the Constantia Wine Route. A mere 15-20 minutes from the city centre and nestled in the Constantia valley these are some of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. The original Constantia farm which was developed in 1685 has since been divided into a number of smaller farms each with their own unique character and all producing excellent wines.
Groot Constantia is the oldest of these farms. As well as wine tasting, there are interesting displays of items from early years and the manor itself is a beautiful example of Cape Dutch Architecture. There are two restaurants where you can enjoy a leisurely meal or take to the lawns for a picnic.
Klein Constantia is located at the foothills of the Constantiaberg Mountains with spectacular views across the valley towards False Bay. It is family owned and has wine tasting and sales and cellar tours by appointment.
Buitenverwachting produces many of South Africa’s top award winning wines and the Buitenverwachting Restaurant is rated as one of the best in South Africa. As well as wine tasting and sales light meals and picnics are offered on the lawns beneath old Oak trees.
Also nearby are the Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg wine estates, both worthy of a visit and both having top class restaurants.
Cape Point
Cape Point Nature Reserve
Tel: 021 780 9526
Two Oceans Restaurant
Tel: 021 780 9200
This magnificent nature reserve is located at the South-Western most tip of Africa. Walk or take the funicular to the lookout point for a panoramic view of False Bay and the South-Western edge of Africa, while taking a breath of the freshest air in the world – straight from the Antarctic. This section of the Cape Peninsula is also known as The Cape Of Good Hope - a historical point on the trade route between Asia and Europe.
After enjoying the million points of view, you can enjoy a meal at the Two Ocean's Restaurant. If you aren't starving, and can wait an hour for food, it is worth saving your lunch for one of the restaurants on either side of the peninsula, that are not quite as swamped with bus loads of tourists.
Particular recommendations of ours are Polana or Harbour House Restaurant (both in the Kalk Bay Harbour) on the Eastern Peninsula, or Mariners Wharf in Hout Bay on the Western Peninsula.
A little bit of trivia: With the cold Benguela current on the West coast and the warm Agulhus current on the East coast, Cape Point is perceived to be the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Geographically, Cape Agulhus is the joining point of the oceans but this massif is the most spectacular.
Cape Point is very easy to get to. Just follow the coastal road all the way along the Atlantic Ocean down south. It is very well sign-posted.