Cape Winelands Tours

Choosing a Cape Winelands tour

The Winelands are less than an hour inland of Cape Town, and the first thing to settle is which valley. Stellenbosch has the largest concentration of estates and the widest range of styles. Franschhoek is smaller and more compact, and is where the wine tram operates. Paarl is quieter and takes in Babylonstoren and the Drakenstein valley. Many full-day tours combine two of the three; half-day tours rarely manage more than one.

The second decision is private versus shared. This catalogue holds a lot of both. A shared small-group tour follows a fixed route between three or four estates. A private tour lets you choose the estates and linger, which matters more here than in most categories because tasting is unhurried by nature.

The third is wine-only versus combined. A significant share of these products pair wine with something else - a Big Five safari at a private reserve, a cheetah or wildlife stop, a cycling route between farms, or a food pairing. If wine is the point of the day, a combined tour will give you fewer estates than the title suggests.

Tasting fees are sometimes included and sometimes paid at each estate. That is set by the operator, so check it on the booking page rather than assuming.