Book Now

This 10-day driving itinerary is a wonderful and relaxed way of exploring the Cape Town, Winelands & Hermanus areas. The short driving distances between destinations mean that you sit back and enjoy the diverse landscapes. Whilst being treated to the best that wine & whales have to offer.

Your holiday will start with 4 nights in Cape Town. You stay at a guest house nestled at the foot of Table Mountain. For that reason, it offers views of the mountain and city.  You are in prime location to explore the ‘Mother City’. Cape Town has so much to offer. For example hikes up Table Mountain or Lions Head or beautiful scenic morning drives. Taking you along the coastline, including a visit at Simon’s Town to visit the penguins. Furthermore, you can stop off at the Hout Bay market for a delicious late lunch on the way back. There are also an abundance of unique restaurants dotted around the city and the Atlantic Seaboard worth visiting.

From Cape Town you head off along the spectacular coastline to Hermanus, at this point the “whales” part of your wine & whales holiday starts. Between June and November, the Southern Right Whales come into the bay at Hermanus to calf. Undoubtedly making this a very popular and exciting time to visit the area. Hermanus offers ample whale sighting opportunities from the land. Though your stay here will also include a boat trip. During the trip you can get a closer look at these awe-inspiring gentle giants of the sea.

Following your stay in Hermanus, you will head off inland towards Swellendam. Being the third oldest town in South Africa, Swellendam has a rich history. Nevertheless, it still retains a country atmosphere.  You spend 1 night staying in the historical part of the town, at an owner run guest house. Here you are perfectly situated to take a stroll to some of the finest restaurants the town has to offer.

The last leg of your wine & whales holiday brings you along route 62, the world’s longest wine route, to the Franschhoek Wine Valley. You’ll be staying in the heart of the Franschhoek village,  strolling distance to many great restaurants, you might struggle to choose which ones to visit.  We recommend taking the Franschhoek Tram to visit some of the nearby wine farms – a super way to get around and explore this beautiful area, while spending the evenings eating out in South Africa’s culinary capital.

Now if you don’t have as much time, why not just sneak in a weekend away – either as a decadent escape from London (its only 12 hours away…) or as an add-on to a holiday in Cape Town.  We have put together an example here of how you can indulge in whale of a weekend! 

Your Itinerary

Day 1-4 - Cape Town

Arrival at Cape Town International and collect your hire car, travelling an easy 30 minutes to the city where you will be based for the next 4 nights.  Spend a day exploring the Cape Peninsula – visiting Cape Point and the penguins, take the cable-car up to the top of Table Mountain (or hike), stroll the V&A Waterfront with its many restaurants and hop on the ferry to Robben Island for an interesting tour about Nelson Mandela’s prison days.  You stay at Kloof Street Hotel, a lovely hotel in walking distance of restaurants and bars (breakfast included).

Day 5-6 - Hermanus whale watching

After breakfast take the beautiful coastal drive to Hermanus where you will be staying the next 2 nights.  Hermanus offers some of the best ‘land based’ whale watching and we have included a 2 hour boat-based whale watching trip – the whales often come in very close to the boat and it is a great experience to see these gentle giants so close.  You can also expect to see dolphins, seals and marine birds as well as a great view across Walker Bay with the mountains as a backdrop.  Accommodation is at Lavender Manor, located across from Grotto Beach with a sea-view room for you to keep an eye on the whales!  Breakfast is included.

Day 7 - Swellendam

After breakfast take a scenic drive through farming lands to Swellendam.  This historical town offers some interesting museums, great local arts and crafts as well as home to the Fairy Sanctuary.  Just outside the town is the Bontebok National Park if you want to see some of the wildlife.  You will be staying in the historical part of town at Schoone Oordt Country House, surrounded by lush gardens and on a B&B basis.

Day 8-9 - Franschhoek Winelands

Travelling along part of the Route 62, through Montagu and the Robertson wine region and heading onto Franschhoek which will be the base for the last 2 nights.  You have a short distance so can slowly make your way, stopping en route at some of the wine farms as you go.   You will have a full day to visit some of SA’s finest wine farms so make the most of it and we can arrange a driver to take you around.  Accommodation is at La Fontaine which is in the village of Franschhoek and easy strolling distance to many great restaurants and shops.  Breakfast is included.

Day 10 - Return to Cape Town

Sadly your holiday has come to an end, however you can still make the most of the day if you are flying out in the evening.  We recommend that you take an easy morning and book lunch at one of the great wine farms to enjoy the last little bit of beautiful surroundings – La Petite Ferme is a favourite!  Make your way in the late afternoon back to Cape Town International Airport for your flight back to London.

What's included?

Included:
  • Accommodation and meals as specified
  • Excursions as specified
  • Car hire (premium insurance & zero excess with unlimited kilometers)
  • All trips are ATOL protected or ABTA bonded to ensure you are fully covered
Excluded:
  • Flights
  • Non-specified meals, drinks, excursions
  • Expenses of a personal nature, i.e. laundry, telephone expenses, gratuities, porterage fees, etc
Details:

Please note that the price is based on low-season rates and all prices are correct at the time of writing.

Flight prices change a lot and for this reason, the flights are not part of the quote.

Make a booking
Cape Town
Cape Town is as much about the surrounding areas as the city itself. Recommended visit time is 5 days to be able to comfortably fit in all the main sights from Cape Point, Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront and Robben Island. More More
Winelands
Only a 'hop and skip' from Cape Town, the Winelands offers an excellent combination of indulgence, history and visual pleasure! Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are the popular towns, each offering its own unique charm and you are spoilt for choice of excellent restaurants and wine farms to visit. More
Hermanus
Only 2½ hours from Cape Town you will find the 'whale capital' of Hermanus that offers some of South Africa's best 'land based' whale watching. The town offers some super Blue Flag swimming beaches and a beautiful mountain setting. More
Garden Route
Stretching from Swellendam to Tsitsikamma, the Garden Route offers visitors a diverse experience ranging from rolling landscapes, semi-desert arid region of Oudtshoorn to the lush forests of the Knysna and Plettenberg Bay areas. Lovely white beaches in the Mossel Bay, Wilderness and Plettenberg Bay completes this destination as an excellent choice for all ages. More
Eastern Cape Safaris
Situated in the eastern part of South Africa, the Eastern Cape is fast becoming South Africa's hottest holiday destination. The region is malaria free, offers a host of top class "Big Five" game destinations, with the added advantage that travelling closer to the coast, you can also enjoy the "Big Six", namely whales, the silent giants of the sea. More
Durban
Durban is the gateway to the warm beaches of Natal as well as the Drakensberg and game regions of Hluhluwe. There is an international airport with numerous daily flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg. More
Hluhluwe & Battlefields
This area offers such a diversity - from the excellent big five game viewing of the Hluhluwe area with a good selection of big five reserves, heading inland you reach the Battlefields where raconteurs take you back to a by-gone era of the Zulu Wars. Nearby you have access to kilometres of isolated beaches and warm Indian Ocean waters. More
Drakensberg
The vast expanse of the Drakensberg is a must for any person who enjoys tranquil surroundings and hiking. Easily accessible from both Johannesburg and Durban and complimentary to any longer holiday in South Africa. Excellent hiking for all fitness levels. More
Kruger
The Kruger area offers a diversity of experiences from some of South Africa's best big five game viewing to the spectacular Panorama Route. This is a must visit destination in its own right. More
Mozambique
Becoming one of Africa's hottest destinations with its tropical beaches, warm waters and palm trees. Most connections between lodges within Mozambique are achieved by scheduled and charter flights as well as boat transfers, as road networks are not as developed. A great way to end off any African holiday by spending a few days relaxing on the beach and indulging in tropical spoils.
More
Madikwe & Waterberg
The ‘big five’ game regions of Madikwe Game Reserve and the Waterberg Game Reserve are increasing in popularity and giving Kruger some healthy competition. These areas are malaria free, located within a 3–4 hour drive from Johannesburg and also offer a great safari experience. More

Your adventure starts here!

Do you fancy having a chat about Wine & Whales? Personally, it's one of our favourite things to talk about.

Award-winning and fully-protected holidays
Itineraries & Destinations