We'll take you deep into the blood stream of the Mother City, to meet Cape Town's artists, musicians, fishermen, traders and storytellers. Then you'll travel east to Swellendam at the foot of the Langeberg mountains, where you'll check in to a beautifully preserved 18th-century farmhouse surrounded by orchards of fruit, nut and olive trees – the perfect base from which to explore the Western Cape's valleys of wine and roses.
Duration: 6 Nights / 7 Days
Route: Cape Town >> Swellendam >> Cape Town.
Tour Type: Self-drive with guided activities
Group size: 2-4 adults
Day 1
Arrive in Cape Town, and relax as we whisk you off to an intimate guest house in Green Point, close to the waterfront and City Bowl.
Day 2
Morning: Take a guided walking tour of Cape Town’s inner city, to get an insight into the different cultures that have shaped Cape Town over the centuries and the bubbling creative energy that defines the city today. You'll see why Cape Town has been awarded the title of Design Capital of the World for 2014, and go beyond the usual tourist trail to meet interesting and inspiring Capetonians: informal traders, boutique owners and project leaders working for a brighter future for the city. The walk ends with a cup of Fair Trade coffee or an indigenous Rooibos tea at a local café.
Afternoon at leisure. You can climb to the crest of Table Mountain, either by Cable Car (own account) or on foot via the rugged Platteklip Trail, for a breathtaking sunset view over the city, the Atlantic Ocean and Robben Island. Accommodation at Antrim Villa or similar
Day 3
Discover the magnificent landscapes of Cape Town's Atlantic coastline on a full-day tour to the legendary Cape of Good Hope. On this tour you'll enjoy enthralling coastal views from Cape Point and Chapman's Peak Drive, and meet all kinds of interesting locals, from the dinner-jacketed denizens of Boulders Penguin Colony to the fishermen of Kalk Bay, one of South Africa's oldest fishing harbours. Take a walking tour through the village and hear stories of local culture and history, before returning to Cape Town.
Day 4
Today is all yours to discover more of Cape Town. Why not take a Cape Malay Cooking Tour with our Fair Trade partners Andulela Experience? On this interactive guided walk through the colourful streets of the Bo-Kaap you'll learn about the culture and cuisine of the Cape Muslims, who came to Cape Town from Indonesia as slaves during the Dutch colonial period. Touch, taste and smell your way through typical ingredients at a local spice shop, and visit a halal butcher, before heading to the family home of a Bo-Kaap resident where you;ll participate in a hands-on, fun-filled cooking session before enjoying a full traditional lunch
Day 5
This morning pick up your rental car and drive east through some of South Africa's richest wine growing territory. Visit Franschhoek, a beautiful old town full of unspoilt Cape Dutch architecture and superb restaurants, then drive through the dramatic Du Toitskloof pass to stop in at Du Toitskloof winery, home to a pioneering enterprise bringing Fair Trade principles to winemaking. Here you can sample wines from the Fairhills label, which represents 22 independent farms from the local area, and promotes entrepreneurship and health education programs in the local community.
From here, continue east to Swellendam, the third oldest town in South Africa, at the heart of the Robertson Valley wine route. You will spend the next two nights in rustic splendour at the Jan Harmsgat Country House, built in 1724. With excellent wineries within walking distance and a cellar laden with 3000 selection, this is a perfect base from which to sample the local product.
Day 6
Today is free for you to explore the landscapes and wineries of the Western Cape. Drive the Robertson Wine Route, check out the Soekershof Botanical Garden (one of the best gardens in the Western Cape), soak in the hot mineral springs at Montagu, go antelope spotting in Bontebok National Park, or head south to Cape Agulhas, the southern tip of Africa.
Day 7
Return to Cape Town via Stellenbosch. Stop off at Spier, a luxurious winery and hotel that has put community empowerment on an equal footing with producing superb wines. Spier's supply chain is designed to give as much business as possible to local enterprises, and the company runs outreach programs in HIV/Aids education and day care services for afflicted children.
Drop your car at Cape Town airport. Alternatively, you can combine this journey with one of our other Cape Town tours: Ubuntu Cape Town, Cape Classic and Garden Route, or Cape Whales and Wildlife.
The Backpack Cape Town
The Backpack, an award winning hostel and South Africa’s original backpacker
Ubuntu Cape Town
"We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole World. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity"