ENCOUNTERSAFRICA
6-Day Cape Town & Winelands Escape

South Africa - Fly-in safari

6-Day Cape Town & Winelands Escape

Duration
6 days
Countries
South Africa
Suited to
2-8 guests
Pricing
From USD 5,880

The journey

Updated on 23 August 2026

Cape Town and the winelands are separated by forty minutes and a change of tempo, and this escape gives each its proper address. The One&Only Cape Town anchors the city leg from the V&A Waterfront's marina: Table Mountain fills every window, Nobu is downstairs, and the city's headline days, the cableway, the peninsula loop to Cape Point and the Boulders penguins, all start from the doorstep. Then the road climbs the Helshoogte Pass to Delaire Graff, Laurence Graff's estate strung along the ridge between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. It is the winelands at their most polished: lodges with plunge pools and vineyard views, a gallery's worth of South African art including Dylan Lewis bronzes among the proteas, two celebrated restaurants and a cellar whose Terraced Block Chardonnay collects trophies. Three nights leaves time for the neighbours too, tastings down the pass in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch's oak-lined streets. October to April is the Cape's blue-sky season and February to April is harvest in the vines, but the winelands' fireside winters, June to August, have quiet charms and the best rates of the year.

Your camps, day by day

Stay 1

Arrival on the Marina

A 25 minute transfer from Cape Town International delivers you to the One&Only's marina island, Table Mountain filling the glass behind reception. The afternoon settles you in gently: the V&A Waterfront on foot, the Zeitz MOCAA's honeycombed atrium ten minutes away, and a first dinner at Nobu without leaving the building.

Stay 2

The Peninsula Day

Your private guide collects you for the Cape's great circuit: Chapman's Peak Drive hanging above the Atlantic, the Cape of Good Hope's cliffs, lunch in Simon's Town and the African penguins at Boulders Beach, returning over the mountain's shoulder. If the cableway's flag is flying, Table Mountain caps the day with its five-minute rotating ascent.

Stay 3

Over the Helshoogte

The morning is for the city's leftovers, Bo-Kaap's colours or Kirstenbosch's canopy walkway, before the 40 minute drive east through Stellenbosch and up the Helshoogte Pass. Delaire Graff appears in terraces of vines and sculpture, Dylan Lewis cheetahs prowling the proteas. Check into a lodge, light the fire, and taste the estate's own range before dinner.

Stay 4

Franschhoek and Stellenbosch

A private winelands day with the driving handled: down the pass to Franschhoek for a morning tasting and lunch in the Huguenot valley's celebrated food scene, then back through Stellenbosch's oak-lined streets with a stop at a benchmark estate for a cellar tasting. Home to Delaire for a spa hour and dinner watching the Botmaskop turn pink.

Stay 5

The Estate Day

No vehicle required: a cellar tour traces the Terraced Block Chardonnay from vine to trophy shelf, the gardens hold enough sculpture for a slow morning's circuit, and the heated plunge pool argues persuasively against all further plans. Lunch at Delaire's terrace restaurant over the vines is the trip's set-piece meal; book the window table.

Stay 6

Vines to the Airport

A last breakfast above the vineyards and, if your flight allows, a final tasting or a walk through the upper terraces before the 40 minute transfer to Cape Town International. Evening departures connect directly to Europe and the Gulf, which means the winelands can hold you until the light starts to slant. Most guests let them.

Safari highlights

  • Two nights at One&Only Cape Town on the V&A marina
  • Three nights at Delaire Graff on the Helshoogte Pass
  • Table Mountain, Cape Point and the Boulders penguins
  • Delaire's art collection and trophy Chardonnay
  • Private full-day Cape Peninsula tour
  • Tastings in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek

What is included

Included

  • 5 nights accommodation, per person sharing
  • Road transfers Cape Town Airport-One&Only, One&Only-Delaire Graff and Delaire-Airport
  • Breakfast daily at both properties
  • A private full-day Cape Peninsula tour with driver-guide
  • A private winelands day with tastings in Franschhoek and Stellenbosch
  • A wine tasting and cellar tour at Delaire Graff
  • Government taxes and VAT
  • 24-hour local concierge support

Not included

  • International flights to and from Africa
  • Visas and entry permits
  • Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
  • Lunches and dinners beyond stated inclusions
  • Table Mountain cableway and attraction entry fees
  • Gratuities for drivers, guides and hotel staff
  • Items of a personal nature and telephone calls

Frequently asked questions

How much does a 6-day Cape Town and winelands trip cost?

From USD 5,880 per person sharing, rising to about USD 6,680 in the peak summer season. That covers five nights split between One&Only Cape Town and Delaire Graff Lodges with breakfasts, all road transfers, a private full-day peninsula tour, a private winelands day with tastings and Delaire's own cellar experience. International flights to Africa are excluded and quoted separately.

When is the best time to visit Cape Town?

October to April is the dry, warm season, with January to March the most reliable beach weather and February to April adding the grape harvest in the winelands. May to September brings rain and cooler days but also green mountains, whale season from June, low rates and restaurants at their most bookable. The city rewards every month differently; only the wind is non-negotiable in summer.

What is Delaire Graff like?

The winelands' showpiece. Laurence Graff rebuilt the estate at the top of the Helshoogte Pass with lodges facing the Botmaskop peak, a serious South African art collection scattered through the gardens, two restaurants, a destination spa and a cellar led by the trophy-winning Terraced Block Chardonnay. Lodges have fireplaces, heated plunge pools and vineyard views that stop conversation.

Do I need a car, or is this trip guided?

No car needed. All transfers are private, and the two big excursion days, the Cape Peninsula loop and the winelands circuit, come with a private driver-guide, so the wine tastings carry no designated-driver arithmetic. Ride-hailing works well in Cape Town for restaurant evenings, and Delaire's concierge arranges any extra outings on the spot.

Is Cape Town safe for travellers?

The tourist spine, the V&A, the Atlantic seaboard, the winelands, is well-patrolled and visitors overwhelmingly travel without incident, applying the same city sense they would in any large metropolis: guided or ride-hailed transport at night, valuables out of sight, advice from the concierge on anything off-route. Your driver-guides handle the days; the hotels' teams cover the rest.

Are international flights included?

No. International flights to and from Africa are excluded and booked separately. Cape Town International receives direct flights from London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Doha, Dubai and more, and the return transfer from Delaire Graff to the airport takes about 40 minutes, making a late-evening departure comfortable after a final winelands lunch.