We’ve just returned from another amazing wine tour to South Africa. Along with the extra time spent at a research camp near Johannesburg and two safari lodges in Zambia, we have lots to share and recommend. Here’s our diary of the whirlwind experience to Cape Town, and the South Africa and Zambia Camp and Safari lodges in May 2024.
Cape Town and the Stellenbosch include a palate of wine, food, art, nature and breathtaking scenery. It’s a great time to head to South Africa with the value of the Rand against the Canadian and US dollars making it an excellent deal. Our safari operator, Africa360, added amazing conservation and wilderness experiences to our itinerary. We
flew via Newark on United, which has an easy connection to Cape Town. Uber is readily available for transfers to accommodation in Cape Town or the Stellenbosch. I’ve stayed in both and would highly recommend making the town of Stellenbosch your base. It’s safe, walkable and very charming with a uni-student feel. For the main wine tour part of the trip, we stayed at the elegant River Manor Boutique Hotel, which has all the service and benefits you’d expect from a good hotel, with lots of added charm. A side-trip to De Kelders/Gansbaii in the direction of the Garden Trail was fantastic, and I wish we had extended our time there. You can’t go wrong staying at the Whale & Gin Spotter, which overlooks the ocean and hosted by the Schneiders who serve-up breakfast inspired by Chef Jurgen who had a Michelin Star in while living in Germany. Bonus is the excellent gin they distill and serve it up in the afternoon.
Are you comfortable with the whole left-hand driving thing? Provided you are not negotiating central Cape Town, car rental means you can head to the many close wineries,or along the coast. We took an Uber from the airport to our first hotel in Stellenbosch, then picked up our rental car from Hertz in the center of town. If you prefer a private driver, contact Darren at https://gott2tour.com. Most of the wineries we visited are within a 20 to 40 minute drive from Stellenbosch.
We visited several wine farms in SA plus added other food and wine experiences. I’ll highlight a few. The traditional South African Chenin Blanc and Pinotage still abound but many European inspired vines make for wonderful tastings. As bubble lovers, we also appreciated the excellent sparkling wines. Everyone’s favourite Wine Consultant, Michael Bigattini, was our teacher and best travel buddy while in South Africa.
On the northern outskirts of Cape Town is the De Grendel Estate. Owner De Villiers Graaff welcomed our group and toured the farm and vineyards with us. Any history buff would be fascinated to hear how the family was involved in the early days of electrification and
refrigeration, which led to expansive land holdings and influence in the Cape. Much has changed in the last century and decades. On the wine front the Graaf family and Cellar Master Charles Hopkins continue to inspire progressive change. I highly recommend making a reservation at the on-site restaurant. The wines are excellent, and the bubble stellar. The Cap Classic Brut and Brut Rosé can be found in Calgary at Willow Park Wines & Spirits. If you are in the main store, look for Michael Bigattini and have him tell you the back story of our visit there.
A landmark property for visitors and locals is the Spier Estate. It includes historic buildings, gardens, a watery sanctuary with many birds, an art gallery and several dining venues from picnic style to elegant. South Africa does not have any Michelin starred locations, but Spier would surely qualify. Plan ahead and you can try the Segway Tour or a wine blending workshop. Spier offers a large range of wines from the approachable budget, to complex back vintages available on site.I am an olive oil snob. I search it out everywhere and my luggage will always include a souvenir bottle or two. Great wines can always be bought back home, but olive oil from a local estate is a treat. Our trip to Morgenster was like visiting micro-Italy.
We visited a who’s who of wine farms close to Cape Town. All were amazing and we can readily recommend the wines from Capensis, Bellingham, Kanonkop, Starke Conde & Lieveland. Our introduction with the Wines of South Africa Trade Commission included a fantastic tasting of the up-and-coming Agulhas region with the amazing Andre Morgenthal.
Our last day in Cape Town was foodie focused. For an outstanding day-tour with Cape Fusion Tours you need to book ahead at https://capefusiontours.com. On one of their tours we met Fayruza, who invited us into her home for a Cape Malay cooking class.Our safari and conservation collaborator https://africa360travel.com and Cathryn Gabor, orchestrate ultimate safari experiences for nature lovers. We packed much into ten days.
From Cape Town we flew 2 hours with ProFlight to Johannesburg, then transferred to rustic Mankwe reserve, run by the dedicated McTavish Family. They are changing what conservation looks like on the front lines of the battle against poaching. The important task of removing rhino horn is done every 12 to 18 months in order to deter poaching. It was the highlight of our entire trip to participate in this important effort to save the species.
Zambia is becoming a go-to Africa safari destination. Charter flights took us to our launch point on the legendary Zambezi River and on to luxe Sausage Tree Camp. Each three-room glamping suite had a plunge pool overlooking the Zambezi, breakfast bench hanging over the river, and a fun bar plus dedicated staff. Unparalleled access to unspoiled wilderness included witnessing the highly endangered painted dogs, aka the Cape hunting dog.
Further into the Zambian national park network is South Luangwa, where we stayed at the historic Mfuwe Lodge. Situated inside the park meant quick access to the myriad of landscapes overflowing with wildlife. The key to a fantastic Safari is an experienced guide,
and Alex was the best. He knew the patterns of animal behaviour and uncovered amazing encounters. We’d searched for three days, then found the 16-lion pride beside the lodge!
Combining the winelands of South Africa with the African wild, was simply phenomenal.
Linda Tamm, WP Tours & VINfluence Guide
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