Winelands: Biking through the grape valley
Bite-sized trip
Day 1 -Welcome to the Winelands
Less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town, you’ll find yourself in the heart of South Africa’s most famous wine region. The Dutch settled in Stellenbosch in the 17th century, while the French made their home in Franschhoek. The climate and fertile soil at the foot of the mountains turned out to be perfect for growing grapevines, which is why today there are over 200 wineries producing excellent wines. One of the oldest and best-known is Boschendal. If you’re already in the mood to explore, you can take a tour of the cellars and enjoy some wine tasting with a bit of cheese for a small fee. The kids can have fun on the playground or with a game of pétanque.
Days 2 – On your bike through the vineyards of Stellenbosch
Today you’ll gather at 10am for your family-friendly bike ride through South Africa’s vineyards. Older children get their own mountain bikes while younger ones join you in the back of the bike trailer*. Together with your guide you will cycle through Stellenbosch and its surroundings, following along quiet paths, away from busy roads. The exact route and pace will of course be adapted to the kids. During the morning you’ll stop at two different wineries where you’ll have the opportunity to taste the wines that they produce. Soft drinks are provided for the children. The bike tour is typically 12 km and ends at around 1.30pm.
You don’t have to worry that the kids will get bored along the way – at Spier they have a centre for birds and at Vredenheim there are zebras, springboks and other antelopes running around. Whilst you’re in the winelands you can sit down at one of the wineries for lunch and continue exploring independently in teh afternoon.
* Children from 2 years old are allowed in the back of the bike trailer. If your child is younger than 2, the Franschhoek hop-on-hop-off wine tram offers a fun alternative to explore the wine route around Franschhoek.
Days 3 – Departure from the wine region
After breakfast, you say goodbye to the wine region and continue to your next stop in South Africa. You can stay on a local farm in Heidelberg at the start of the famous Garden Route, just a 3.5-hour drive away. Here you’ll meet farmer Neels, who’ll give you and your kids a tour of his estate followed by a typical South African braai (barbecue). Or go on a safari with your kids in Kruger Park. We can arrange a family friendly lodge where you can spot plenty of wildlife such as lions, elephants and giraffe with an experienced ranger.
Accommodation
