The Best Wine Tasting Tours in South Africa.

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Why Visit South Africa?

South Africa is a diverse and beautiful land, with breathtaking landscapes, colourful culture and unforgettable adventures around every corner. Here, it is possible to wake up one more in the heart of a nature reserve and spot zebras and elephants as you eat your breakfast; and the very next day be transported into the heart of one of the world's most famous winemaking regions; before swapping inland idyll for coastal relaxation as you soak up the sun along some of the country's thousands of miles of coastline.

For wine travellers, the jaw-dropping, mesmerising, natural beauty of South Africa's wine producing regions is an experience like no other. The Cape Winelands (comprising notable names such as Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek) is a destination where warm hospitality, affordable luxury and idyllic scenery combine for the wine tasting experience of a lifetime. Whether you're adventuring out on a combined game drive and vineyard tour, or kicking back to relax with a bottle of sparkling Cap Classique in your own private hot tub, this is a place where the dreams of wine travellers come true.

If you're seeking a stylish city break with a difference, vibrant Cape Town is an uber-trendy paradise for foodies, wine lovers and savvy shoppers. Get to grips with South Africa history with a visit to Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela spent most of his incarceration, before heading back to the mainland for world-class dining and relaxing beach vibes.

Beautiful and exciting in equal measure, South Africa is an adventurer's paradise, an exotic retreat and a wine lover's paradise all rolled into one - any trip here promises a travel experience that you will treasure forever.

Plan Your Visit

Best Known Grapes

South African wine is becoming ever more popular the world over, thanks to a number of notable grape varieties - just as safari seekers in SA hope to spot the Big Five, the wine industry is dominated by the Big Six! This group of the most widely grown grape varieties consists of Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. However, there are plenty of other varieties which are also making waves here, including Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Viognier and Pinot Noir.

Best time to visit

South Africa's sunny spot in the Southern Hemisphere makes this a great destination for Northern Hemisphere winter sun seekers. Spring and summer run from September to April, and these months are the best time to see the countryside burst into bloom, enjoy vineyards at their verdant best, and maybe even witness the excitement of the grape harvest in March and April ! However, even in the depths of the winter months (July to September) you can still expect daytime temperatures in areas such as Cape Town and the Winelands to reach highs of 18 or 20°c, so there really is no bad time to head down to the Cape.

How long to stay

South Africa is a vibrant, diverse destination with plenty to see and do. Timings really depend on the areas you are planning to visit (see our regional South African travel guides for more information) but if you want to spend time taking all the very best that this country has to offer, a 2 week trip is enough time to enjoy Cape Town, the Cape Winelands, and pick up a great tan along the way!

How to get there

There are several major airport hubs around South Africa, the largest of which are Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. Direct flights run daily from various major international locations including the UK and the USA. Flight time from the UK to South Africa is around 11-13 hours depending on your airport of departure - and the great thing is, due to a very similar latitude, the maximum time difference you will have to contend with is an easy 2 hours!