Cape Town is known for Table Mountain, its beautiful beaches, energetic nightlife, and colorful culture. However, there is one aspect of the Mother City that might be the alpha in the pack.
That aspect is of course the wine culture, as Cape town has some of the best wine routes in South Africa.
There are plenty of gorgeous wine farms that host wonderful wine tasting experiences. That being said, one could start feeling overwhelmed by the number of wine farms and how to get to them.
Luckily, there is the option of using a wine tram/ wine route to get to where you want to go. Continue reading to find out about the wine tram to Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.
Franschhoek Wine Tram
When deciding to go wine tasting in Cape Town, it is almost a given that you would choose Franschhoek as one of your destinations. The amazing scenery and incredible wines will leave your cravings feeling very satisfied.
The hop-on-hop-off wine tram from Cape Town to Franschhoek gives you two route options to choose from. You can either choose the orange route or the purple route. There are eight wine estates to visit in each route, but realistically, you will only visit about 5-6 routes in a day.
Each stop is a different estate and the tram allows you to hop on or hop off, depending on where you want to visit. The tram stops at the estate hourly, so you really can explore at your own pace. The tram also provides guided commentary and onboard wine tasting.
The routes have unique experiences in store, no matter which one you choose. The price of the trip is between $30-$35 (R303,00), excluding the prices of the wine tasting and lunch.
Franschhoek Wine Tours
If you are looking into different experiences with regards to visiting the area of Franschhoek, there are many tours that you can choose from.
If you prefer a tour that’s more intimate, you can go on a private wine tasting day tour. Experience the glory of the Franschhoek vineyards whilst also tasting some incredible wines.
This tour takes you to estates like the luxurious Delaire Graff wine estate and Mont Rochelle, to name a few. The tour is around $127-$132 (R1990,00) and includes wine tasting, cheese tasting, and additional transportation in the price.
If you enjoy a bit more unique and interesting experience, you might enjoy the e-bike winery tour. Grab your helmet and ride your e-bike through vast vineyards and alongside historic architecture.
The trails are not just awe-inspiring, they also take you to 2-3 wineries where you can enjoy tasting wine at each stop. The tour is guided and provides interesting information about the history of the area.
The tour is $55-$60 (R885,00) and includes a private wine tasting in a vineyard, but not the wine tasting at the visited estates.
Franschhoek wine farms
When it comes to Franschhoek wineries/farms, there are plenty of absolutely amazing wine farms to choose from. And each has its own unique experience, style, and flair.
Here is a list of different wine farms in Franschhoek:
- Allèe Bleue Estate
- Leopard’s Leap
- Boschendal Wine Estate
- Eikehof
- Glenwood Vineyards
- Haute Cabrière
Stellenbosch Wine Route
The wine tram tour that goes to Stellenbosch is a very good choice if you want to visit plenty of wine farms/estates. The tour takes you on a journey where you visit about eight wine farms.
All the wine farms expect the visit, so there’s no need to make previous reservations.
The wine tram is suitable for children as well. So, while the parents enjoy a lovely glass of Stellenbosch wine, the kids can play on the large vineyard grass fields.
There is an array of different Stellenbosch wine tours to choose from. Whether you decide to go drive to different wine farms or go by tram to on specific wine routes, you will surely experience Stellenbosch wineries at their best.
The tour is around $14-$18 (R260,00) for adults (excluding wine tasting and food prices) and $3-$7 (R90,00) for kids
Cape Town Wine Tours
Now that we have looked at both Franschhoek and Stellenbosch tours, which are some of the best wine tours in South Africa and the most well-known wine tours in the Cape Town area, let’s take a look at what the actual city of Cape Town has to offer besides paragliding off Signal Hill.
One of the most beautiful areas in Cape Town has to be Constantia. From the lush streets to the gorgeous hiking trails, Constantia has a lot to offer visitors. And one of the things Constantia has to offer is, of course, a wine-tasting tour!
The tour visits award-winning wineries such as Groot Constantia. At this wine estate, you can learn about the vast history of this South African winery. The oldest estate in South Africa also lets you take a walking tour of the facility, visiting the cellar and manor.
When you visit the different wine estates, you also get a chance to visit the museum in Groot Constantia.
Boela Gerber, the winemaker for Groot Constantia was awarded as the best winemaker in South Africa in 2016 and the estate won best wine estate in the same year.
Enjoy a wonderful lunch served from an à la carte menu at the Constantia Glen vineyards. Here you can also enjoy tasting around 5-7 wines.
This tour’s price is around $220-$224 (R3418,00) and this includes transportation, wine tasting, free entrance to the museum, and a one-course meal.
Cape Town Vineyards
There are a lot of vineyards to visit in Cape Town. Some of them you can actually just go visit to have lunch or go wine-tasting at. There really is a huge selection of incredible vineyards to choose from.
Here is a small list of some of the vineyards you could visit in Cape Town.
- Steenberg Vineyards
- Dorrance Winery
- Vergelegen Estate
- Waterkloof wines
- Cape Point Vineyards
- Buitenverwachting
Final Thoughts on Wine Tram and Tours in Cape Town
You truly cannot go wrong when choosing a tour to go on or a farm/vineyard to visit. Each of them has their own unique way of doing things and making wine, you’ll never get the same experience twice.
The type of wine you like and the scenery you wish to see that day is probably the only thing that could have an influence on your decision. However, Cape Town is more than able to accommodate any type of need you may have with regards to wine farms.
Now go ahead and pick your tour!
