Cape Town and the Winelands

Walk to Freedom and Robben Island

Cape Town

Learn about apartheid in South Africa on this unique Walk to Freedom tour. You’ll hear Nelson Mandela’s story on Robben Island and visit the townships where residents were gravely affected by apartheid laws. You'll also get the chance to talk to the people who live in these communities today.

This full-day tour starts at 9.00am on the site of District Six, one of the old residential areas of the city. This once busy, multi-racial community was destroyed during apartheid when the government ordered mass evictions and sent people to townships miles outside of the city centre. Next, visit Langa, a typical black African township where you’ll be greeted by a community site guide who lives here and will show you around, perhaps even introducing you to their family.

The tour continues with a visit to Bonteheuwel, a former mixed heritage township where you’ll learn how people were classified as ‘non-white’ during apartheid and separated into different areas. The final stop is at Gugulethu, where you will visit the Gugulethu Seven Memorial which commemorates the deaths of seven young black activists killed by police in 1986 and the Amy Biehl Memorial, who was a young American student and anti-apartheid activist who was murdered here.

At about midday, you will be dropped at the V&A Waterfront where you can grab a bite to eat before boarding the boat to Robben Island. This part of the trip is run by the official Robben Island Museum and is split into two legs, a one-hour bus tour of the island and a tour of what used to be the maximum-security prison, led by a former political prisoner. You’ll get to see Nelson Mandela’s cell representing an incredibly important moment in South Africa’s history.

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My Cape Town City Tour

Cape Town

Discover Cape Town on this day trip, where you’ll experience everything from Table Mountain to Bo-Kaap street food and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

The day starts with a cable car ride up Table Mountain where you’ll enjoy views over the city to the coastline and Robben Island. Your guide will point out the mountain’s exotic fynbos and wildlife such as the rock hyrax. After taking the cable car back down, the tour continues in Bo-Kaap, which was originally home to slaves from Malaysia and Indonesia who were brought over by the Dutch in the 1760s. The area is famous for its colourful houses and offers a mix of history, culture, music and flavour. Taste some samosas and vetkoek, a type of doughy bread that can be filled with jam, cheese or curry. From here, you’ll visit the nearby Company Gardens, where many of the Cape Malay people worked, supplying Dutch ships with fresh fruit and vegetables.

Next, you’ll be driven to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens which has thousands of species of plants and trees set over 528 hectares. There are themed areas to explore, such as a fragrance garden and greenhouses, canopy walkways and lawns where summer concerts are held. Then you have a choice of two options for the remainder of the day, visiting either the Groot Constantia winelands or Kalk Bay.

Groot Constantia is the oldest wine farm in South Africa. Here you’ll enjoy a three-course lunch and wine tasting session at Simon’s Restaurant, in the stunning vineyard. Alternatively, you can go to Kalk Bay for lunch at Harbour House, which overlooks the ocean and is known for its fresh seafood. Boulders Beach lies Just 20 minutes from Kalk Bay, where you’ll finish the tour by observing a colony of cute African penguins.

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Walk to Freedom and Robben Island

Cape Town

Learn about apartheid in South Africa on this unique Walk to Freedom tour. You’ll hear Nelson Mandela’s story on Robben Island and visit the townships where residents were gravely affected by apartheid laws. You'll also get the chance to talk to the people who live in these communities today.

This full-day tour starts at 9.00am on the site of District Six, one of the old residential areas of the city. This once busy, multi-racial community was destroyed during apartheid when the government ordered mass evictions and sent people to townships miles outside of the city centre. Next, visit Langa, a typical black African township where you’ll be greeted by a community site guide who lives here and will show you around, perhaps even introducing you to their family.

The tour continues with a visit to Bonteheuwel, a former mixed heritage township where you’ll learn how people were classified as ‘non-white’ during apartheid and separated into different areas. The final stop is at Gugulethu, where you will visit the Gugulethu Seven Memorial which commemorates the deaths of seven young black activists killed by police in 1986 and the Amy Biehl Memorial, who was a young American student and anti-apartheid activist who was murdered here.

At about midday, you will be dropped at the V&A Waterfront where you can grab a bite to eat before boarding the boat to Robben Island. This part of the trip is run by the official Robben Island Museum and is split into two legs, a one-hour bus tour of the island and a tour of what used to be the maximum-security prison, led by a former political prisoner. You’ll get to see Nelson Mandela’s cell representing an incredibly important moment in South Africa’s history.

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My Cape Peninsula Tour

Cape Town

Discover the Cape Peninsula on this private scenic day trip, at your own pace, which includes the option of vineyard lunches, penguin encounters and kayaking with seals. This tour is a great way to get out of the city for a day and explore the Cape’s incredible nature, wildlife and scenery.

The tour starts with a 30-minute scenic drive down the peninsula to Cape Point, one of the southern-most points in Africa. You can either walk from here or take the Flying Dutchman funicular railway to the Cape Point Lighthouse for the best views over the coast.

For the second portion of the tour you have three options. The first is to stop at Boulders Beach, which is a breeding site for African penguins, followed by lunch at Cape Point Vineyard, a mountainside estate with views over Noordhoek Beach. Alternatively, you can visit Hout Bay, where you’ll take a short boat trip to Seal Island which is home to a colony of Cape fur seals. You’ll have time to observe the seals from the boat before heading back to Hout Bay for a seafood lunch. The last option is perfect for adventurous travellers as it involves a kayaking trip from Simon’s Town to view the penguins.

Whichever tour you choose, you’ll make your way back to Cape Town in the afternoon via Chapman’s Peak Drive. This spectacular curvy road twists alongside the ocean and the 12 Apostles Mountain Range. You’ll drive by the popular sandy beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton before being dropped at your hotel in Cape Town. This tour is a great way to get out of the city for a day and explore the Cape’s incredible nature, wildlife and scenery.

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Wine Tram - Hop on & off and Curated Wine Experience

Franschhoek

Immerse yourself in the stunning landscapes of the Franschhoek Valley on the elegant Wine Tram. On rails where trains once carried farm produce to market, reproduction double-decker trams based on a 1920s design from Blackpool now carry passengers through lush vineyards against a backdrop of mountains to long-celebrated wine estates.

The Hop-on Hop-off Experience gives you a choice of eight lines served by tram and open-air tram-bus, which opens at 9.30am, each connecting eight estates. Once you’ve picked your line, the next decision is which and how many estates to stop at: visitors say four is the ideal number. Within the limits of the timetable, you’re free to stay for as long as you like at each one, enjoying everything from wine tastings and cellar tours to art galleries and family-friendly gardens, depending on the particular stop, not forgetting a long lunch at one of the many fabulous restaurants.

For those looking for a more structured day, the Curated Wine Experience is a grown-ups-only treat for the senses. Starting at 10.30am, your gourmet adventure includes visits to three world-renowned estates accompanied by a specialist wine guide and a three-course lunch at a top restaurant. Along the way, you’ll enjoy premium tastings and pairings, a cellar tour and an enjoyably informative stroll among the vines and end the day (at around 5pm) with a far better understanding of Franschhoek’s wine culture.

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