Private Full Day Cape Winelands Tour of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl

DAY TRIP
  • About 8 hours

Description

Skip the crowded group tours and enjoy a more personalized experience of some of South Africa’s best wineries on a private tour of the Cape Winelands. Visit three wineries in Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek to sample their wines—as well as cheese and chocolate.

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 pairings with cheese and chocolate in the Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek regions; the extraordinary scenery along the way will also transport you back to yesteryear to reminisce among white gabled buildings and impressive manor houses flanked by the soaring mountain ranges.

Firstly you'll visit the cheese haven of Fairview for a master tasting of their wine with local produce. Continue to the historically rich La Motte wine estate for another tasting and insider view of their maturation cellar. On occasion and subject to availability, an alternative wine experience can be booked.

For lunch, you can experience the self-proclaimed culinary capital of South Africa, Franschhoek and end your meander along the Winelands with sweet port-style dessert wine and chocolate pairing at the heritage-rich Muratie wine farm before heading back to Cape Town late afternoon.

Itinerary

Start with a morning pick-up from your accommodation in Cape Town.

Set off in the fresh morning air to the south-western slopes of the Paarl mountain range, to awaken your senses to spectacular views and even better wines. Your first stop of the day offers a uniquely curated pairing of wine and artisanal cheese and olive oil to get your taste buds raring. Fairview by name and fair view by nature, this commercial winery boasts an onsite cheesery that churns out delicious artisanal cheeses. The farm offers stunning country gardens and a relaxed but thoroughly modern tasting experience. Laughter and chatter fills the room as knowledgeable staff guide you through the process, impart their wine wisdom and provide gourmet tips on the perfect pairings.

Continue on to the quaint town of Franschhoek where you’ll be spoiled with a tasting at the prestigious La Motte Wine Estate. You’ll enjoy a tasting with a front row seat to observe the working and maturation cellars through vast glass panes. Surprise your palate with tastes of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and more, as well as the limited volume premium Pierneef Collection, consisting of varietal wines and innovative blends. On occasion and subject to availability, an alternative wine experience at Dieu Donné, Boschendal or Haute Cabriere can be booked.

As lunch nears, 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 delicatessen creations.

Just north of Stellenbosch tucked in a picturesque corner of the Knorhoek Valley lies one of South Africa’s oldest wine farms, Muratie, dating back to 1685. Wine tasting in historic Muratie, the very winery that made the first Pinot Noir in South Africa, shows yet another contrast to end off your day… as does their perfect pairing of port and chocolate. Wine lovers cosy up in the estate’s old wine tanks during the tasting experience as decadent chocolates are perfectly paired with ports. The marriage is simple but effective and aims to harness the similarities (where both chocolate and port share the same fruity flavours) or exploit their differences (sweetness versus bitter) and excite the palate.

Good to know

  • This is a private tour
  • This itinerary is flexible and can be tailored to spend more time at the tour's highlights that interest you the most. Private tours offer your own exclusive private tour guide and vehicle during the transfer sections of the tour, but any included activities or attractions visited may join others already booked *Pairings may differ from suggested guideline above, and the itinerary guideline can on occasion be in a different order with different styles of tasting or pairings

Included

  • Private Tour: This trip will run exclusively for you.
  • Local Guide: Led by a local English-speaking professional tour guide
  • Transport: Transfers to included tour highlights
  • Pick-up & Drop-off service
  • Fairview Cheese & Wine Master Tasting
  • La Motte Wine Tasting
  • Muratie Port Wine & Chocolate Pairing

Excluded

  • Insurance
  • Meals + Drinks not mentioned (you can purchase meals + drinks on tour)
  • Gratuities (optional)

Bring

  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat

Wear

  • Comfortable clothing and shoes

Secure Payments
Safe, simple payment. We never store your credit card details.
Easy Cancellation
Full refund on cancellations up to 24 hours before activity starts.
Friendly Help
We're available 24/7 to make sure your experience is amazing!

Looking for more of the best tours, activities and experiences?

Surfing Hiking Kayaking Diving Cycling Trail running Mountain hike Transfer Safari light Quad biking Day trip Outdoor sports Ziplining Wildlife encounter Motorcycle ride Wine pairing Wine tasting Food tasting Boat trip Half day trip Winelands safari History & Culture Cooking Snorkeling Evening trip Dining experience Safari Scenic drive Nature walk Scuba diving Train ride Horse ride Tubing Adrenaline sports Animal interaction Multi day tour Animal farm Market hopping Wellness Segway trip



January, 2020

Our guide Nev was such a wonderful guy with lots of humor, kindness and flexibility. We really enjoyed the whole trip even in three days. My favorite was walking with elephants at the sanctuary and kayaking at the river, which not all the other tours offer. I’m so happy with my decision joining this trip!! Thank you so much.


March, 2020

Absolutely fantastic tour. We did the 3 day adventure tour. Round trip from Cape Town. Very busy tour and loads of driving but our tour guide Ureil was fantastic and very informative!


March, 2020

This trip was so fun! My mom and I decided to go with this company after our Airbnb host said his previously hosts said only great things about Hotspots2C. Our guide “Issac” picked us up on time and we took a four hour drive to the first safari. The place was clean and the food was great! We saw so many cool animals we were amazed. We were then taken to the second safari which is the buffelsdrift game lodge and stay in their beautiful tents. Worth every penny! We saw three large hippos swimming in the lake in front of us and then went to spend time with the elephants. We then went on another safari ride where we saw more animals! It was definitely a trip to remember. My mom and I will definitely be back next time. Thank you to our amazing guide Issac and to the rest of the staff!


January, 2020

It was one of the best experiencies I had in South Africa. The whole trip was the highlight of my visit to Cape Town. The attractions were awesome, the car comfortable, the group friendly, not to mention our guide, Nev, who was kind, helpful and fun all the time. For sure, we couldn’t have asked for a better guide to this remarkable trip!! Congrats, Hostspot and Nev!!


April, 2021

I was in the 5 day Garden Route and Addo tour and enjoyed every minute of it. TK was the perfect guide, always informed and available whenever we needed him. I would definitely recommend it!


February, 2022

The overall experience was amazing. My partner and I had a limited time in Capetown and wanted to experience the wildlife so abundant in Africa. The transportation, the accommodations and the game safaris were outstanding. The customer service from the Hotspot team was amazing. They went the extra mile to make sure we had the best overall experience. We would absolutely recommend them to anyone visiting Capetown and seeking unique experiences such ad wine tasting, gaming safaris, cruises in the bay, etc.


March, 2022

This two-day safari trip was great! I had a pickup from Stellenbosch, and had a nice introduction to the rest of the group by our guide TK. Het took the time to get to know each member of the group and checking for their preferences (we were a group of four solo travelers) It was a long road to botlierskoppark, but our guide understood the balance between silence and giving some explanation on the surroundings. The 6h travel was ideally divided in blocks of 2h with nice rest stops.
At arrival in botlierspark our lunch was ready to serve, which we pre-ordered in the minivan thanks to TK's organization skills. Our 4x4 safari started immediately after lunch, guided by wildlife ranger James, we were lucky that we didn't had to share the vehicle with other groups. This private setting gave James the opportunity to do whatever we wanted, which was great! Thanks to James eagle eyes, we managed to see four out big-Five. James could see a lion or a baby rhino from kilometers away! Although the drive was rough, as expected on a safari, I really enjoyed. We didn't had a specific bush walk, James wanted to emphasize on seeing as much as animals as possible, but he allowed us to go out the jeep and pose for pictures with giraffes or rhino's!
After this magnificent experience, we had a drive to our hostel in Oudtshoorn, were we enjoyed the Ostrich BBQ prepared by Mario the owner of the Uthando Hostel. Although we were exhausted of the day, we had a late night next to the camp fire and the unique atmosphere a hostel can bring.
The following day we left after a nice breakfast towards buffelsdrift game resort. We opted in on the walk with the orphans elephant which was an amazing experience, we had close contacts with the animals and were informed well about their background and living conditions. They are used to human contact and show different behavior then wild animals, but are for sure not used as a circus act.
A final activity was a bush ride throughout buffelsdrift park, and especially compared to the day before this was not that special. The names describes it well, a gentle ride through the park, while encountering some boks or girafs... It was a very family proof activity.
Ofcourse we needed to head back to Stellenbosch/Cape Town, another 6h drive over the very scenic route 62. Our guide TK adjusted the paste again to the suggestions of the group, with a nice lunch break and if needed some bathroom stops.

In summary, I think the long drive is worth the effort. Of course depending on the animals and even the wildlife ranger, the botlierskop park is a nice safari for those who want to catch a glimpse of the game in South Africa.


February, 2022

The trip was very well organized and planned. We had a lot of fun. it was amazing. A big compliment to our driver Issac. He put so much effort into making sure we are all always satisfied. He stops wherever you want. tries to take every hotspot with you and even if you want something that wasn't actually planned on the route. thank you isaac we will miss you very much. your jokes and your good mood. especially your knowledge. he knew everything, no matter what you wanted to know about the places or the country. We are so happy. we have often booked trips in many countries, but rarely or never experienced a guide like Isaac. thank you really!! due tour was well planned. everything was explained to you and the price is 10000% justified for the performance. we will certainly recommend you and thank hotspots2c.


March, 2023

An amazing experience. Left feeling like we had an experience of everything south Africa has to offer, rich history, amazing food and great activities. Our guide, Mr Nev was a great talker. Very informative and a good amount of personal stories really made the trip so special. Try and get a tour with him as the guide of possible. The 4 ⭐ option was well worth the extra $


February, 2023

We had so much fun, and learned a lot about South Africa during the 5-day tour.
Our guide was TK, and he was the best we could have asked for: knowledgeable, friendly, trustworthy. His explanations and stories made this tour so special for us.
The tour had a good mix of activities, from adventures through sightseeing to great food. Recommended!


November, 2022

Great company! With and even better tour guide (Mr. Nev). My fiancé and I did a 3 day tour garden route and safari. It was the perfect amount of activity and time to do a lot of things. I enjoyed picking Mr. Nev’s brain and all the facts he knew. He even made sure there was time to stop at pull offs and enjoy the scenic view. Great company with great organization and communication


November, 2022

An unforgettable trip through South Africa with great experiences. I would do this trip again and again and find it very impressive how well one was helped and explained.
Kudos go out to TK, one of the best tour guides I have ever experienced. TK was able to answer every question and made sure everyone was comfortable and everything was good. Many hours are spent in the car on this trip and you can still do what you feel like.
We were more than satisfied and will be happy to come back.


Show more reviews


Medium Cancellation Policy

The guest can cancel free of charge until 48 hours before arrival. The guest will be charged the total price if they cancel in the 48 hours days before arrival.

Terms & Conditions

The beauty of Table Mountain, Lions Head and the Atlantic Sea Board coastline from the comfort of our kayaks is unrivalled. Dolphins, seals, penguins, Sunfish and occasionally whales frequent our Cape Town.

View Conditions


DAY TRIP
R2,050 per person
57 reviews
R2,050 per person
Book Now