Springbok Atlas Tours & Safaris is offering Cape Peninsula and Winelands tours that are available on the Day-of-Adventure (September 27) during the APTA Global Forum.
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FULL DAY WINELANDS TOUR | 27 September 2023 (Wednesday)
While South Africa’s fertile valleys are world famous for their crisp white and classic French-style red wines, the area is also a treasury of rustic beauty and sprawling estates shaded by giant oak trees. Our drive today will include the country’s principal wine routes of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, with a stop en route for lunch (for own account). Our day starts with a visit to Paarl where you will be struck by the beauty of the Valley, the pristine blue sky, the rolling vineyards and the Pearl of Paarl set high above the valley. Paarl made headlines when President Mandela was released from the Groot Drakenstein prison (formerly known as Victor Verster), on the outskirts of the town, to freedom and the start of the new South Africa. We enjoy a wine tasting and cellar tour at one of the local estates. From Paarl, we’ll continue north-west to the beautiful village of Franschhoek, near the Drakenstein Mountains founded in 1688 by French immigrants fleeing the Huguenot religious persecution in Europe. A memorial in the town commemorates the arrival of these early settlers who helped develop the wines sought after by Napoleon, Bismarck and royalty such as Edward VII, the Prince of Wales. Here we will stop for lunch (for own account) and another wine tasting at a vineyard. We’ll then head to Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa and the historic heart of the country’s wine region. In 1679, Dutch East India Company governor Simon van der Stel, recognized the fertility of this long valley on the banks of the Eerste River, as perfect for vineyards. The rest is history, which has been carefully cultivated in this town. A gracious blend of 18th-century Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings is evident on Dorp Street, where massive oaks still shade original water furrows. Enjoy a final wine tasting before returning to Cape Town.
FULL DAY PENINSULA TOUR | 27 September 2023 (Wednesday)
Bring your camera; we’re headed for Cape Point at the south western tip of the Cape Peninsula, and the most spectacular views in the world. The drive there is just as inspiring, passing steep mountains’, secluded coves and sweeping beaches, as well as villages and fishing communities. Our tour begins with a scenic drive along the Atlantic coast, passing through the cosmopolitan suburbs of Sea Point and Camps Bay with its glorious views of the Twelve Apostles, part of the Table Mountain range. We’ll continue to the fishing village of Hout Bay, one of Cape Town’s best-kept secrets. Here there is an option to take a short boat trip to Duiker Island (for own account & time permitting) to view the Cape Fur Seals, which inhabit the island. From here we travel to the Cape Point Nature Reserve, comprising over 17,300 acres of indigenous fauna and flora. Here we can see a variety of wildlife that includes baboons, Reebok, Cape Mountain zebra, bontebok and the elusive eland. The reserve is also one of the world’s largest breeding grounds for tortoises. Bird-watchers, too, will find many fine species to observe. The majestic coastline offers drama worthy of being called “Nature’s Greatest Show.” We’ll be able to see the union of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans (as per legend), and may even feel the brisk wind that is dubbed the “Cape Doctor” for its presumed curative powers. Following the coastline along False Bay, we’ll return to Cape Town by way of Simon’s Town, where we visit the Penguin colony at Boulders Beach and Fish Hoek fishing village. Before our return, we’ll stop at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, situated on the slopes of Table Mountain offering spectacular views across the city. We return to Cape Town, passing the University of Cape Town and the Groote Schuur Hospital.
