6 Amazing safari drives on wine farms in the Western Cape

Monday, 4 July, 2022

wine.co.za, Jeanine Malan

A list of some of the best safari drives on farms in the Winelands, from Somerset West to Durbanville.

Hands up if you want to go on a vino and game drive! The Winelands offers a range of wine estates with their very own game reserves. Besides conservation projects, these farms also offer visitors the opportunity to see their incredible flora and fauna on game drives.

Environmental tour of Vergelegen's nature reserve

Vergelegen in Somerset West not only produces world-class fine wine but also actively conserves the environment. A WWF Conservation Champion, the estate is home to endangered wildlife and has been cleared of two-thirds of its invasive alien vegetation.

What's more, Vergelegen visitors the opportunity to experience their estate's glorious biodiversity. Their exciting Environmental Tour showcases the culmination of 20 years of ongoing commitment to sustainability and rehabilitation. They start off the excursion through the Vergelegen arboretum and biodiversity nature reserve, with possible sightings of free-range nguni cattle, bonteboks, elands, and Rau quagga. Visitors can also admire the estate's endemic fynbos.

Inclusions: Game drive through the arboretum and biodiversity nature reserve
Where: Vergelegen Wine Tasting Centre, Somerset West
Time: 10h00 daily
Price: R350 per person

To book your tour or find out more, contact Vergelegen on 021 847 2100.

Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos is one of the beautiful endemic fynbos species to be seen on an environmental drive at Vergelegen.

Waterford's wine drive safari

Another WWF Conservation Champion, Waterford Wine Estate only farms half of their land, leaving the rest for the endemic animal and plant life of the area. Waterford has also taken down fences to allow natural migration of buck, caracals, and porcupines.

The Wine Drive Safari at Waterford is a unique three-hour through the 120-hectare Estate on the beautiful slopes of the Helderberg mountain. This experience allows the chance to taste their award-winning wines among the vineyards of their origin, and you will be expertly guided through all the aspects of what makes this area so biologically diverse and viticulturally unique. Bookings required a week in advance.

Inclusions: Game drive, wine tasting in the vineyards, light snacks and chocolate and wine pairing
Where: Waterford Tasting Room, Stellenbosch
Time: 10h00 and 14h00 daily
Price: R935-R1 600 per person

For more information and bookings, contact Waterford on 021 880 5300.

Game drive at Villiera

An environmental leader, Villiera Wines has set aside a portion of their farm as a reserve. At the Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary, conservation efforts for both game and vegetation take place alongside an indigenous tree planting project. The sanctuary houses a variety of game species including elands, gemsboks, kudus, giraffes, and black wildebeests.

During a two-hour game drive visitors are guaranteed fantastic sightings of game and other small mammals plus a huge diversity of birdlife attracted by the 12 dams and marsh areas. The game drive also includes a wine tasting and cellar tour.

Inclusions: Game drive and wine tasting
Where: Villiera tasting room, Stellenbosch
Price: R280 per person (Children younger than 15 years pay half price)

To book game drive, phone 021 865 2002 or send an email to wine@villiera.com.

One of the 12 dams at Villiera Wildlife Sanctuary, Stellenbosch.

Safari at Vredenheim Animal Farm

Vredenheim in Stellenbosch is no ordinary wine farm. It is home to an impressive variety of animals, from livestock to game. Vredenheim Animal Farm offers a short safari on which you'll get to see golden wildebeests, fallow deer, sables, zebras, and more. Bird lovers will appreciate spotting the white pelicans, blue cranes, and spur-winged geese. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the elusive yellow billed kite.

In addition, Vredenheim also has a big cats sanctuary and an animal park.Their Big Cats Park is home to lions, tigers, leopards, and a black leopard – and the family is still growing! The animal park houses goats, chickens, bunnies, cows and turkeys. It also offers a host of activities kids will love, from a bike track to tractor rides.

Inclusions: Game drive, glass of Vredenheim wine/grape juice, cheese plate and free entry to Big Cats Park
Where: Vredenheim Animal Farm, Stellenbosch
Time: 11h00 and 13h00 daily
Price: R300 for adults and R200 for kids

Booking is essential. Contact Vredenheim by phoning 021 881 3878.

Chamonix's wine and game drive

Overlooking the Franschhoek valley, Chamonix Estate has a 50-hectare private game reserve nestled right next to the wine estate. This oasis of wildlife is home to ostriches, zebras, elands, bonteboks, springboks, and more. Chamonix offers a unique wine and game drive experience: A wine tasting of some of Chamonix’s best wines followed by a game drive showcasing their magnificent wildlife. It’s the ideal addition to a fantastic day out in Franschhoek.

Inclusions: Premium wine tasting at specific vineyards, game drive and snack pack
Where: Chamonix tasting room, Franschhoek
Time: 11h00 and 15h00 daily
Price: R700 per person

For more information and bookings, contact Chamonix on 021 876 8426.

Wine and game drive at Chamonix Estate, Franschhoek.

Wine safari at Signal Gun

Hooggelegen Farm, home of Signal Gun Wines, invites visitors to join them for a wine safari like no other. This is a scenic drive through their vineyards and up Hoogeberg’s game camp where you will see elands, springboks, zebras, grey rheboks, and ostriches. The camp's birdlife includes hawks, fish eagles, and many more. On a clear day, you’ll have a 360 degree view from the top of Hoogeberg Hill, where you'll be able to see everything from Simon's Town to the Taal Monument in Paarl.