The Cape Winelands offers a host of incredible experiences for families, tourists and everyone in between to enjoy. With a plethora of stunning, award-winning mainstream and boutique wine farms, there is no shortage of amazing outdoor activities to enjoy.
In this post, I share some of my favourite, quick-fire outdoor activities for young and old to savour in the Cape Winelands.
1. Go horse riding at Boschendal
Boschendal Estate offers guided horse rides that take you around the farm, allowing you to soak in the beauty of the Franschhoek Valley. These rides are available throughout the day and they cater to both children and adults.
Horse riding at Boschendal is one of the most relaxing outdoor activities I have ever experienced in the Cape Winelands. I loved exploring the farm on horseback as we rode from the paddocks to the Werf, through the gardens and back. (Pro tip: Why not book a picnic pre- or post-ride to make your day extra special?)
Boschendal’s horse team is so passionate and devoted to the horses and ponies and the animals are excellently looked after. All the horses are calm and gentle.
Also, it’s important to add that all tack and riding gear is provided – including your riding helmet and saddle. Just be sure to wear comfortable clothing (I find active leisurewear works best for me) and sturdy, closed-in shoes when riding.
2. Enjoy a seasonal picnic in the winelands
Many local wine farms offer incredible picnics to enjoy during late spring and summertime. Picnics are great for couples, friends and family, or even solo travellers.
(If you are looking for a winter picnic, both Spier and Boschendal offer wintertime picnics – although, naturally, these are weather-dependent.)
I love wine farm picnics – it’s something I have been enjoying each year for the past ten years and it really feels like the quintessential food and wine experience for summertime in the Cape Winelands. Some of my favourite wine farm picnic offerings include those offered by Boschendal, Spier, Vergelegen, Mont Rochelle, Warwick, and Alluvia.
My only tips are to book well in advance (most picnics require a minimum of 24-48 hour advance booking) and if it’s summertime, lather on the sunscreen or bring a good sun hat as shade is not always guaranteed!
3. Visit Adene's Farm Flowers
There are only a few flower farms dotted around South Africa. One of the most popular, well-loved flower farms is Adene's Farm Flowers.
Situated in the Breede River Valley, close to some famous winemaking regions like Slanghoek, Robertson and Montagu, Adene's Farm Flowers is run from a beautiful working fruit and flower farm. Since 2016, Adene has been supplying shops and florists with gorgeous flowers – but in recent years, she has decided to open her family farm up to the public for her endlessly popular Open Days.
The Open Days generally run from mid-December to the first week of April and are only held on weekends from 08h00 - 12h30. For more precise dates, check Adene’s website or social feeds.
The five hectare plot is home to some 50 000 flowering dahlias, 4000 hydrangeas and other blooms. I visited a few years ago at the tail end of summer and it was the most glorious experience – wandering through a sea of flowers from one green house to the next.
On the farm, there is also a small but lovely coffee shop that sells drinks, fresh cakes, treats, and other tasty eats to enjoy post-flower exploring. (With the humidity and steps, you definitely work up an appetite!)
4. Cycle around Spier Wine Farm
One of the more fun outdoor activities I have enjoyed in recent years in the Cape Winelands is none other than a brisk cycle around Spier Wine Farm, Stellenbosch.
Available to hotel guests only, Spier Hotel offers beautiful Qhubeka Bicycles that you can use to explore the farm.
During our Spier Hotel stay, we enjoyed cycling from the hotel reception area to another part of the farm and I must say, it was great fun!
Once you have worked up an appetite, why not indulge in the breakfast buffet or dine at the hotel restaurant (or one of the other on-site culinary options)? Better yet, you can head for a relaxing spa treatment or even take a dip in the hotel pool!
Tip: If you’re not a hotel guest or prefer a more challenging riding experience, Spier also has a great MTB trail to enjoy; however, you do require a day permit for this trail. Click HERE to read more about it.
5. Hike in pristine nature at Plaisir de Merle
Many of the Cape Winelands’ wine farms, like Boschendal, La Motte, Knorhoek, and Plaisir de Merle, offer gorgeous hiking trails for visitors to enjoy.
While I have a few wine farm trails still remaining on my bucket list, I am happy to say that I have ticked Plaisir de Merle’s full 14 km-trail off it! Originally, this scenic trail began as an MTB trail, although, in recent years, the estate has extended its use to both trail runners and hikers.
This 14 km-long loop trail starts and ends at the Plaisir de Merle Trail Centre. It provides hikers with the most stunning walk through fynbos, alongside flowering proteas, over hills, through valleys and even over streams.
To say that the views along the way are incredible is a gross understatement: the whole Franschhoek Valley stretches out before you in all its glory.
If you get tired at any point of the hike, you are welcome to turn back. But, if you are of moderate to good fitness and are accustomed to slightly longer hikes, the full 14km hike is well worth it!
While hiking, please be conscious and considerate of the MTB riders. Step aside to let them pass and be careful going downhill, as they can zip past you at alarming speeds!
6. Float through vineyards on a Segway at Spier
If you have never heard of Spier’s famous Segway tours, then you are missing out. For adrenaline junkies, outdoor adventurers and even humble travellers like me, these Segway tours are the perfect mix of outdoor fun blended with sustainability lessons, scenic nature, and, of course, plenty of blushes and laughter!
Spier has a selection of different Segway tours to choose from: The Spier Segway Tour, Spier Wine Farm and Vineyards Glide, and Spier Sunset Tour.
We tried the one-hour Segway tour and loved it! Even if your balance sucks like mine or you’re a nervous ‘segway driver’, the guides make sure you have a blast and conquer all your segway overbalancing fears in the process!
For the standard, one-hour tour, you get a whistle-stop tour that shows you Spier’s vineyards and insightful natural farming practices, set to the impressive backdrop of the towering Helderberg Mountains.
Included in your tour is compulsory safety training, your safety helmet and some complimentary photos and videos too (the guides take these using your phones usually). When you are riding the Segway, make sure you follow all the safety instructions, especially when it comes to climbing on and off. For nervous or uneasy riders – I was unashamedly one myself – stick close to the guides and they will help you as needed.
7. Embark on a vineyard or game drive
Last but not least we have the thrilling wine or wildlife safari experiences one can enjoy in the Cape Winelands. If you’re keen on a vineyard and wine safari, Jordan Wine Estate is my go-to recommendation. Otherwise, for a walk (or should I say drive?) on the wild side, Villiera Wines’ game drive offering is outstanding.
Both Villiera and Jordan are passionate about nature-and wildlife conservation. This is evidenced through everything from their farming practices to how they give back. So it’s quite fitting to pair these two Stellenbosch estates together. However, both experiences are unique and individually special.
If you are a more wine lover, few things are as impressive as a wine tour around Jordan, complete with some excellent wine tastings along the way. You also get to see the farm’s vineyards, soak up the False Bay and Table Bay views and spot a wealth of Cape Winelands flora and fauna.
Jordan’s 360 tasting experience includes a tasting (from a selection of wines) and a cellar tour afterwards.
If you prefer to do some proper wildlife spotting, then the game drive through the special Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary is a must. You can see everything from giraffe to bontebok to black wildebeest, not to mention an array of birds and natural vegetation too.
Game drives for adults at Villiera include a complimentary wine tasting.
Both Villiera and Jordan’s tour experiences are weather-dependent and pre-booking is essential for both tour experiences.
This article was originally published on Tamlyn Amber Wanderlust, a travel blog by Tamlyn Ryan.