THE WINELANDS SPECIALIST TOURING

Discover the very best of Franschhoek – from the history of the valley, to its fine boutique wine farms, craft breweries, galleries, heritage & architecture, gardens, shopping and more – your day can be uniquely crafted to your specific interests.

After a pickup from your hotel, we start the day with an orientation and introduction to the village, discovering the fascinating history of Franschhoek, and visiting some of the best local galleries on foot.

Galleries include Everard Read, the oldest art dealers in South Africa, their custom-designed gallery space is in a heritage building and they share a beautiful sculpture garden with the kitchen garden of La Petite Colombe restaurant next door. The gallery shows some of the finest of South Africa’s contemporary artists in a variety of media. Ebony, has two elegant gallery spaces in Franschhoek, showcasing classic and contemporary fine art combined with exclusive, local design and Is Art, is a stylish architectural space featuring regular exhibitions by local artists in one half and fascinating individual pieces curated by Ilse Schermers in the other.

After a morning coffee stop at Terbodore coffee roasters, where they hand roast their coffee beans and create their own special blends unique to Franschhoek, the rest of your day can be tailored to your specific interest, be that fine wine, craft beer, art or gardens. If your focus is on great wine, you will visit up to three wine farms, or for beer enthusiasts, we have access to a selection of craft breweries. Art enthusiasts can delve deeper into the fantastic collections on three of the nearby wine estates, and there’s something special for keen gardeners, shopping devotees and nature lovers too!

Wine enthusiasts will be treated to visits to some the finest, hand-picked estates – the small, exclusive, offthe-beaten-track wineries, producing exceptional wines, catering for those looking for something unique. Each one produces a variety of cultivars and depending on your preferences, can focus on those producing classic whites, such as chardonnay and Semillon, or the full-bodied reds, shiraz, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, or enjoy the wonderful Method Cap Classique’s of the valley.

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If you are more of a beer connoisseur, your day can be tailored to include visits to two craft breweries producing local ale, lagers and Weiss beer.

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If you are interested in continuing with your art adventure, your interest will be piqued by visits to some of the estate-based galleries in the valley, including one of the oldest farms with magnificently renovated buildings and a permanent host to the heritage collection of Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, amongst others. In contrast you could also visit a beautifully landscaped estate whose sculpture garden features specially selected works from world renown artists like Anton Smit while they also showcase an extensive selection of artworks including paintings, drawings, original prints, ceramics, photography and traditional beadwork.

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A short distance from the village is the magnificent Babylonstoren estate. A must visit for those with a keen interest in gardens. Their extensive fruit and vegetable garden has great botanical diversity and their numerous farm shops sell a fascinating range of goods.

In between farm stops, catch your breath and take in the beauty of the valley from the Berg River Dam, a spectacular viewpoint that very few people get to see.

A visit to the iconic Nelson Mandela statue at Drakenstein prison can also be included. This is the site where Mandela was released in 1991, with the eyes of the world watching, after spending 27 years in prison, to go on to become the country’s first democratically elected president.

Lunch at a local restaurant (for own account) can be pre-booked based around your preference for either a lighter, casual bite or a gourmet, fine-dining option – Franschhoek is referred to as the Gourmet Capital of South Africa and the possibilities are endless.

Afternoon snacks are served at the best look-out point in Franschhoek with epic aerial views.

Discover the best of the Cape’s distinguished wine regions on this immersive one-day tour.

After a pickup from your hotel, we head along the scenic coastal route and enjoy spectacular views of False Bay before travelling through the small towns of Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond. Our first stop is the quaint seaside town of Hermanus where, during whale season (from July to November), there is a good chance of spotting the Southern Right Whales who come to breed and rear their young in the bay.

We then head away from the coast to the highly regarded maritime district of Walker Bay. Cooled by Atlantic breezes, carpeted in vineyards and surrounded by fynbos mountains, the Hemel-en-Aarde, near the beautiful coastal town of Hermanus, has over the past few years become recognised as a destination for wine and food enthusiasts, especially of Burgundy-style pinot noirs and chardonnays. Boasting a mere 15 wineries, its terroir – clay soil and the cool south-easter that acts as a vortex, cooling down the vineyards – imparts a unique flavour to wines, which are often compared with those of Burgundy. Each winery in the Hemel-en-Aarde produces small amounts of highly individual, terroir-driven premium wines that carefully express the winemakers’ personalities and we’ll stop at one of the premier estates before heading on to Bot River. This unspoilt, down-to-earth little village produces small quantities of exceptional wines and is definitely for lovers of the road less travelled. This is where we stop for coffee, experience real country hospitality, and taste the great wines of the area.

From Bot River we head along the N2, up the Houw Hoek pass to the beautiful Elgin Valley. Historically known for its apple and pear production, the valley is fast making a name for itself in the wine world. Recent years has seen a number of orchards being turned to vineyards by passionate winemakers, who have recognised Elgin’s uniquely cool climate as the perfect environment to create characterful aromatic whites and distinctive, elegant reds. Every wine farm in the Elgin Valley is family owned and you will be treated to wine tastings at one of the pioneering estates in the area.

Elgin Railway Market is the perfect place to stop for lunch (for own account). Housed in a converted apple warehouse, this bustling market has great vendors selling local produce.

Or, if you are a brandy connoisseur, a tasting and tour of the Oude Molen distillery in Elgin can be arranged. Their Cape Brandies are some of the very best.

Finally, we return to your hotel via the Franschhoek Pass for more spectacular views to end the day.

This tour can also be done in reverse – from Hermanus to Franschhoek OR combined with a transfer to or from a hotel in the Hermanus area at no extra charge.

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