Winelands Explore Full Day Tour: Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch
Description
Oenophiles and nature lovers alike are in for a treat on this private exploration of the Cape Winelands. Not only do you visit three esteemed wine farms for fine wine tastings and phenomenal pairing in the Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek regions; the extraordinary scenery along the way will transport you back to yesteryear to reminisce among white gabled buildings and impressive manor houses flanked by soaring mountain ranges. Firstly you'll visit the cheese haven of Fairview for a master tasting of their wine with local produce. Continue to Franschhoek with a stop at Plaisir wine estate for an insight into farm-to-fork organic farming and tastes of their best wines. Visit the self-proclaimed culinary capital of South Africa, Franschhoek for a lunch stop and end your meander along the Winelands with wine tasting at the heritage-rich Muratie vineyard estate before heading back to Cape Town in late afternoon.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Leave Cape Town behind and head off by luxury minivan to the Stellenbosch wine region – famous for its Mediterranean climate and fertile soils that help to produce millions of litres of wine each year. With your expert guide, hop back in your minivan and continue your journey northwest to the Paarl wine region, home to leading wine producers like Fairview. Stop at the Fairview Wine Estate, trying out several of their famed white wines and cheeses. As this is a private tour, your itinerary for the day is flexible and you can chop and change as you please. So, take it slow and be sure to meander along the way, staying a little longer if you please or even popping in at quaint looking stops along the way. Our suggestion is an early start at the cheese haven of Fairview for a master tasting of wine with cheese and olive oil that will open both your mind and palate to tastes that you didn't think were possible.
On the journey towards the quaint town of Franschhoek, stopover at Plaisir de Merle, nestled at the foot of Simonsberg Mountain. Founded by Charles Marais in 1693, the estate's history is steeped in winemaking tradition and French heritage. The manicured lawns, ancient oak trees, and panoramic vistas create a picturesque setting for wine enthusiasts. Step into the tasting room, housed in a charming 1823 barn, and indulge in some of the estate's finest wines while enjoying breathtaking views of the valley. Enhance your tasting experience with wine and confectionary pairings, including artisanal nougat or chocolate truffles. Plaisir Wine Estate's serene atmosphere and historic charm make it a memorable destination for wine lovers. Explore the estate's rich heritage and stunning landscapes as you sip on exquisite wines and immerse yourself in the beauty of the surroundings. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or simply seeking a tranquil escape, you'll love it here.
Lunch takes place in the gourmet capital of South Africa – Franschhoek – roughly 5 miles (8 km) away. Your private guide will point out the best sidewalk cafes and restaurants, and then leave you to enjoy lunch at your own expense. South Africa’s epicurean capital; Franschhoek, with its multitude of eateries is a must-do for gourmands and on weekends the local farmer’s market beckons with colourful stalls, tasty aromas and live music. You’ll have time to soak up the history of the French Huguenots who arrived in the Seventeenth Century, maybe catch an impromptu church choir performance in the street, shop for knick-knacks and bric-a-brac along the main street or savour a charcuterie plate and tasty local creations.
Your last stop of the day is a small Stellenbosch wine estate called Muratie, much loved by locals, with bags of charm. Its traditional cellars are typified by ramshackle walls and worn paintings -- adding to its rustic charm. Sample the estate’s fortified sweet port-style wine and locally produced chocolate (or similar*)– a winning combination! If you are not a fan of sweet wines the Muratie's classic white or red tasting is available as an alternative too. Relax on the journey back to Cape Town, where you’ll arrive in the early evening. - The exact itinerary is subject to change and may, on occasion, run in a different order. *Muratie's chocolate wine pairing experience will be discontinued by April 2024, and will be replaced with a similar value of wine tasting experience. - This private tour will run exclusively run for you. The itinerary is flexible and can be tailored to spend more time at the tour’s highlights that interest you the most or swop for alternative options.
This is a private tour running exclusively for you or your group. Do contact us during of after the booking process to let us know if you would prefer any changes to the tour and we can suggest an updated itinerary and cost estimate if there are any additional charges.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Hotel pickup & drop-off within 5km in Cape Town central or Stellenbosch. Pickup times are confirmed a day before the tour subject to your specific pickup address.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Customers who have not reached South Africa’s legal drinking age of 18 will not be served alcohol.
- Please note: Wine tasting or pairings are not included for children under the legal drinking age of 18 years. Extra meals or drinks are under the adult’s responsibility and is not included in price.
- This private tour will run exclusively run for you. The itinerary is flexible and can be tailored to spend more time at the tour’s highlights that interest you the most or swop for alternative options. Do contact us during of after the booking process to let us know if you would prefer any changes of the tour and we can suggest an updated itinerary, and cost estimate if there are any additional changes.
- The exact itinerary is subject to change and may, on occasion, run in a different order.
- Personal and comprehensive travel insurance is recommended and not included in this tour.
- If some wines, farm or wine pairing options are unavailable during certain times of the week or season, we reserve the right to offer a similar type or value alternative.
- *Muratie's chocolate wine pairing experience will be discontinued by April 2024, and will be replaced with a similar value of wine tasting experience.
Reviews(102)
I was lucky enough to experience this wine tour having booked through Viator. It lives up to the 5 star reviews. It was faultless from start to finish. Our Guide Gigi (his nickname meaning gentle giant) was an absolute star, full of knowledge and interesting and exciting stories throughout the day. We also got to enjoy some fabulous food and wine in spectacular settings! What a treat... Definitely a bucket list tick box for anyone keen to explore the area in a day.
What a fantastic review! We're super happy to hear that your wine tour experience lived up to the 5-star reviews! Gigi is an absolute gem, with his gentle demeanour and so much local knowledge. And isn't it just magical when the best-of-the-best food and wine gets enjoyed in spectacular settings? We're honoured to have been a part of your bucket list experience, and here's to many more adventures in the future! PS - Your travel with us support our #tour2cchange movement. A portion of your trip's funds contributed to meaningful community projects through our non-profit 2Cchange. Keep'on adventuring - from Team Hotspots2c
Amazing driver GG. So knowledgeable and friendly. Winery stops were beautiful and informative. We would recommend this tour to families in a heartbeat.
Our guide was great, very positive about South Africa and knowledgeable about wine. We were very delayed due to an accident on the motorway and didn’t get to do all the wine farms on the schedule, but Paul made it a special day nonetheless. Lots of lovely wines, a diversion to Plaisir highly recommended.
Thank you for your lovely feedback on the Winelands Explore Full Day Tour: Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch! It’s great to hear Paul’s positive energy and wine knowledge helped make the day special despite the delays. We appreciate your understanding around the unexpected traffic disruption, and we’re glad you still enjoyed the experience and great wine stops along the way. By joining us, you’ve also supported our #tour2Cchange initiatives, contributing to local community and conservation projects. Always keep exploring... From, Team Hotspots2C
This day trip to the Stellenbosch region was fabulous. Started at the Fairview Wine Estate where wines were paired with cheese. Delicious! Franschhoek Town was next where we walked the town filled with wine stores, art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Pretty town and so many options for lunch. Took the Wine Tram (great idea so you could go from one winery to the next without driving)! We stopped at the Rickety Bridge Farm...so much fun to try so many wines. This Winery was started by Paulina De Villiers in 1797. Last stop was the rustic wine farm of Muratie. Dessert wines paired with chocolate. Unbelievable experience, with an exceptional tour guide for the day! Highly suggest this private guided tour.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback on the Winelands Explore Full Day Tour: Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch! It’s fantastic to hear you enjoyed the variety of wine farms, pairings, and the charm of Franschhoek. Sounds like a perfect day out, from cheese and wine tastings to the wine tram and unique farm stops. We’re also pleased your guide made the experience even more memorable. From, Team Hotspots2C
We thoroughly enjoyed our Winelands tour with Liezel. She was very informative and kind. Klein Goederust winery was charming, Babylonstoren gardens were breathtaking and The tasting we had at Fairview was unmatched. We had such a lovely day.
Thank you for your lovely feedback on the Winelands Explore Full Day Tour: Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch! It’s wonderful to hear you had such an enjoyable day exploring the region. We’re so pleased Liezel’s knowledge and kindness added to your experience, and that the wine farms and gardens made it extra special. From, Team Hotspots2C
Our Guide was informative and interesting. The vineyards were all different so we had a variety of experiences.
Hi Maggie.. A big cheers to you for taking the time to share your experience on here and giving us a top mark rating!🥂 It's always great to hear that our guide was not just informative but interesting too during your private Taste the Cape Winelands Explore day tour. Thanks for mentioning our selection of estates to visit and that you agree with us that each of these curated vineyards visited was chosen delivered a variety of unique experiences, making your day full of wine-wow-moments. Your positive feedback means the world to us, and we're genuinely grateful to that you've not only joined our journey, but our #tour2cchange movement too. Just by choosing to explore with our tours, a part of your tour funds helped contribute to the non-profit 2Cchange's list of charity projects. Feel free to visit our website's /change page for more info and updates on the projects we supported on behalf of you. Safe travels and here's to many more adventures! Keep exploring, from Hotspots2c - Africa Select Journeys
Our guide Gerhardus Pretorius was an enchanting, knowledgeable, and accommodating. We had a wonderful experience visiting Fairview and thoroughly enjoyed its Master Tasting. We then got a delightful taste of Franschhoek. Afterwards we visited Babylonstoren Gardens where we indulged in a delightful Chardonnay/MCC Tasting and a couple of delicious platters for lunch. Our final stop was Muratie for a Chocolate & Wine Tasting. We loved the setting, wines, and the chocolates. A ride through Stellenbosch revealed a lovely university town. We highly recommend this tour and our guide Gerhardus Pretorius.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback on the Winelands Explore Full Day Tour: Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch! It’s fantastic to hear you enjoyed such a rich and varied day, from tastings to exploring Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. We’re especially happy to hear guide Gerhard made the experience so memorable with his knowledge and thoughtful approach. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him. We truly appreciate your recommendation of our tours! Let us help keep you exploring, From: Team Hotspots2C
We scheduled a one day Winelands Explore of Stellenbosch Franschhoek Paarl Regions with Hotspots2c and had a fabulous day! Our guide TK was outstanding!! He was knowledgeable, friendly and ensured our day ran effortlessly. We had a wonderful lunch at Reuben's in Franschhoak which was delicious! Thank you to Hotspots2c and TK for making our wine tasting in South Africa such an amazing day!
Thanks Shario, we're glad to hear that you had a fantastic time on your Winelands Explore Private Tour. It sounds like TK, your guide, played a significant role in making your day memorable.. and we agree, its our local, knowledgeable and friendly guides (and our trip planners in the office) that make our seamless trip experiences possible. Thank you for sharing your experience, and I hope you have many more amazing adventures in the future! If you have any more travel plans or need any recommendations, feel free to ask. Cheers, from team Hotspots2c
What a fabulous day and experience we had courtesy of Hotspots2c! Our guide (JP) was brilliant, very knowledgeable about wines and made sure that we were thoroughly looked after at every vineyard we visited - absolutely nothing was too much trouble, and the vineyard at Muratie with its own history an experience in itself. And the wines - superb!!!!! This trip was one of the highlights of our South Africa holiday with very happy memories of a fantastic day and I would absolutely recommend Hotspots2c to anyone considering one of their tours. A great time had by all.
Cheers, thanks for this 5-star review. Super delighted to hear about your exceptional day out exploring the Winelands with us! By the sounds of it, JP - your local guide, truly made sure your experience was top-notch; sharing his wine knowledge and best tastings of each vineyard visited. We also love the unique history and wines at Muratie... we focus on visiting these niche wineries with their own vibe to create unforgettable proudly live-like-local memories. Thank you for recommending Hotspots2c, your positive feedback means the world to us. By choosing to explore with us, you've also contributed to supporting community projects through our non-profit, 2Cchange. A portion of your tour fees goes toward funding selected local charity projects. We're confident that South Africa's wonders have left you with a desire to return. There's so much more to explore, and we'll be here, ready to assist and committed to offering tours that allow you to see more, do more, and feel good. Keep those happy memories close, see you again soon - from team Hotspots2c
TK is amazing! Really enjoyed the full day tour with him and all the places were really great! A must-do whenever you’re in Cape Town.
Hi Glenn_B, thanks so much for sharing your wonderful experience with TK as local tour guide on our wine tour. We're so pleased to know that you had a great time exploring the Winelands with us. Your recommendation means a lot to us and just for choosing to tour with us - your booking helped us support community projects through our non-profit, 2Cchange. A portion of all our tour fees help fund selected local charity projects with our #tour2Cchange initiative. We're looking forward to welcoming you back to South Africa soon - there's so much more to discover and explore. Rest assured, we'll be here, ready to assist and committed to offering tours that allow you to see more, do more, and feel good. Always keep exploring, from team Hotspots2c
