Last Updated on October 5, 2024 by Hannah Stephenson
Looking to explore the Cape Winelands?
Well, this winelands explorer tour is a fun, affordable, and time-efficient way to do it!
It takes you to three of the area’s most famous wine towns: Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl. You’ll get to taste a bunch of wine at some of the top estates, without having to worry about a designated driver.
I did this tour with my friend, Liam, when he came to stay with me, and we had a really great day out. So if you’re weighing up whether or not to do the Cape Explorer wine tour, then keep on reading to find out if it’s the right tour for you.
- What is the Cape Explorer Wine Tour?
- Which wineries do you visit?
- Where do you get picked up from?
- How long does the tour last?
- Do you get to go on the wine tram?
- What are the pros of the Cape Explorer Wine tour?
- What are the cons of the Cape Explorer Wine tour?
- Is The Cape Winelands Explorer Tour worth it?
What is the Cape Explorer Wine Tour?
Price: R750
Duration: 8 hours
Includes: transport, 3 wine tastings, cheese board, chocolate pairing, guided walk through Stellenbosch
Excludes: lunch
Free cancellation? Yes
The Cape Explorer Wine tour is a large group tour that takes you on a double-decker bus to three different towns in the winelands: Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl.
We had a little bit of time to explore Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and we visited a winery in each area.
I booked this tour when my friend, Liam, came to visit me in Cape Town. We didn’t have time to spend multiple days out in the winelands, and of course we both wanted to be able to drink!
So, I did some research and came across the winelands tour. I thought it was really well priced given all of the inclusions, and it has over 2,000 5-star reviews, so booking it was a no-brained, really.
Which wineries do you visit?
Simonsig, Stellenbosch
The tour kicked off with a visit to Simonsig in Stellenbosch. Here, we got to do a cellar tour and had a sabrage demonstration, before sitting down to enjoy a guided wine tasting and a sumptuous breakfast platter of cheese, bread, and fruit. Yum!
Franschhoek Cellar
We had lunch at the Franschhoek Cellar, which is usually a popular stop on the wine tram. We had another tasting here, and also bought lunch, which the only thing that wasn’t included in the price of the tour.
I went for the Cellar Door Burger, which was really yummy and cost R160.
After that, had a little free time in Franschhoek, which was just long enough to grab a coffee and perk ourselves up a bit. The combo of the wine and the warm bus made me feel quite sleepy!
Rhebokskloof Wine Estate
We ended the day at the super scenic Rhebokskloof. I loved this stop because we got to do a wine and chocolate pairing, which was seriously yummy. The sommelier leading our tasting was really warm and charismatic, too.
After the guided pairing ended, we went down to the lake with our newfound friends to take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful grounds. And of course, we couldn’t resist snapping some dorky photos!
Where do you get picked up from?
You can choose between a few different meeting points when you book the tour. The bus can pick you up all over town, including from the Waterfront, the city centre, Sea Point, and Camps Bay.
How long does the tour last?
The tour lasts for around 8 hours, depending on where you get picked up and dropped off. It’s quite a long day – Liam and I both slept most of the way home on the bus. We were picked up at around 8:30 AM and got home just before 5 PM.
Do you get to go on the wine tram?
No, you don’t get to go on the wine tram on this tour. The Franschhoek Cellar is on the wine tram route, but you won’t get to ride it.
If you’d rather do the wine tram instead, you can book this tour instead. It will take you out to Franschhoek for a day out on the wine tram. It’s the same price as the winelands tour, but tasting fees are not included. If you think that this might be more your thing, you can read my full review of the wine tram tour here!
What are the pros of the Cape Explorer Wine tour?
- It’s convenient – everything is organised for you! You don’t have to worry about routes, timings, or which wineries to visit.
- Great guides – when we did this tour, we loved our guide and had a really fantastic day.
- Good itinerary – I loved all of the wineries that we visited on this tour, especially Simonsig and Rhebokskloof, neither of which I had previously visited.
- Good value for money – unless you’ve got a big group or a designated driver, I think that this tour is the most cost-effective way to explore the Cape Winelands in one day.
- Perfect if you’re short on time – I do think it’s worth spending a few days in the winelands if you can. However, if you don’t have time for that, then this tour gives you a great overview of the area.
What are the cons of the Cape Explorer Wine tour?
- It’s not an in-depth tour – Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl each have plenty to do and lots of wineries to explore. You could even spend a whole day in each one! So if you’re in Cape Town for a while, I think it’s worth taking the time to explore each town separately rather than doing a whistlestop tour.
- You spend a lot of time on the bus – It’s about an hour to and from the winelands, and you spend 30-40 minutes driving between the towns, so there’s a fair amount of travel time involved. That, combined with the warm weather and wine, had me falling asleep between each winery!
Is The Cape Winelands Explorer Tour worth it?
Yes, I do think that it’s worth it. I’m really glad that Liam and I went while he was out to visit!
It’s gave us a great overview of the winelands, and we had some really fun tasting experiences. Everything was really well-organised, so all that we had to do was turn up and enjoy. I thought it was great value for money, too.
To be honest, I don’t usually love big group bus tours, but for a wine tour, it really worked well! We got to know some really nice people in our group and had a lot of fun together.
Click here to book your spot on the Cape Winelands Explorer Tour!