Current as of: December 20, 2025 - 02:00

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands Trip Notes

  • Ways to Travel: Guided Group
  • Destination: South Africa
  • Programmes: Culture
  • Activity Level:

    2 out of 7 - Easy & Moderate

  • 9 Days: Land Only
  • Ages: 18+
  • Trip Code: LSG
  • Carbon Footprint: 89.6kg CO2e

Trip Overview

Trace a journey through sculpted landscapes, regional produce, and meaningful encounters

This is South Africa at its most sensory: ocean air, wild coasts, and regional flavours. Led by your handpicked Signature Guide, begin in Cape Town, then follow the southern edge where wind-shaped shorelines give way to vineyard-clad slopes and the vast stillness of the Karoo interior. Along the way, reconnect with wild flavours alongside coastal foragers, join marine specialists on a sea safari, and shape your own story in Hermanus on our distinctive Signature Day. This is South Africa revealed through those who know it best — shared slowly, thoughtfully, and with purpose.

Venture to the very heart of each destination on our Signature Collection, where every journey is shaped by our unrivalled local connections and insider expertise. Step beyond the ordinary with private invitations, rare encounters, and experiences few will ever share. So when someone says, “I’ve been there,” you’ll simply smile, knowing you’ve experienced it differently.

Signature Experiences:

  • Search for wild produce with coastal foraging experts, identifying edible seaweeds and plants before sharing an ocean-inspired lunch together
  • Explore indigenous Fynbos flavours inside a botanical cellar, guided by a culinary specialist, before a renosterveld walk and experimental tapas lunch
  • Join a private stargazing session with expert astronomers to navigate Southern Hemisphere constellations
  • Cruise the waters of Dyer Island with marine experts, observing whales, dolphins, seals, penguins, and sharks within a protected ecosystem

Signature Day: Experience our distinctive Signature Day, choosing between a township-led cultural encounter, coastal wildlife exploration to see whales, or a guided wine journey through Hemel-en-Aarde

Signature Stay: Stay at Rosenhof Country House, a restored 1852 Karoo homestead offering elegant suites, rose gardens, and family-run hospitality, part of this trip’s refined accommodation portfolio

Signature Guide: Let your handpicked Signature Guide lead you to the country’s soul — sharing their home, heritage, and heart

Is This Trip for You?

We have graded this trip Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page.

Driving times: The longest travel time takes place on Day 6 (approximately 4hr 15min). Day 4 also includes a longer journey (around four hours total). All other transfers are under two hours and travel by private vehicle throughout.

Prebooking activities: An immersive adventure of your choice awaits on the Signature Day. All you need to do is prebook the activity at least 60 days before departure through our Signature Collection travel experts. Additionally, an optional walking tour can be booked if you arrive early on Day 1.

Group

When it comes to unlocking a destination, your Signature Guide is the key holder. Hand-selected for their extensive experience and unrivalled local knowledge, they ensure your experience runs effortlessly thanks to their exceptional organisational skills. Our Signature Guides are named on our website, so you can begin your journey with complete confidence and anticipation of the wonders each day will bring.

Adult min age: 18

Min group size: 4

Max group size: 16

Itinerary

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Land Only

  • Start City: Cape Town
  • End City: Hermanus

Land Only Itinerary

Day 1
Settle into Cape Town’s oceanfront rhythm | Welcome reception at Aubergine
Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Our journey begins in Cape Town, fondly known as the Mother City, where a private transfer brings you to The Winchester, your Atlantic-side hideaway in Sea Point. Fresh sea air sets the tone, with the promenade and open sea just across the road.

Take time to settle into the hotel’s black-and-white interiors and tranquil courtyard. Those arriving early may join an optional storytelling walk from mountain ridge to sea, tracing Cape Town’s layered histories with an award-winning travel writer (available on request).

As evening draws in, we gather for a welcome reception and dinner at Aubergine restaurant, set within the former home of Sir John Wylde, the first Chief Justice of the Cape of Good Hope. In this historic property, built in 1830, we enjoy seasonal dishes, South African wines, and moments to connect with each other – a taste of things to come.

Overnight at The Winchester Boutique Hotel

Meals included: Dinner

Day 2
Trace the Cape Peninsula | Join expert foragers to discover the flavours of the coast
Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Follow the curve of the Cape Peninsula along Chapman’s Peak Drive – widely regarded among the world’s most scenic coastal roads – to the Cape of Good Hope. A guided walk on the Lighthouse Keeper’s Trail traces cliff-edge paths shaped by wind, sea, and stories of shipwrecks and beacons.

Signature Experience: Explore the coastline through its wild flavours alongside expert foragers, stepping into the intricate world of intertidal rock pools. Learn to identify native seaweeds and coastal plants, gaining insight into their nutritional value, medicinal properties, and nuanced culinary uses. Afterwards, settle in for an ocean-inspired lunch, where the day’s foraged finds are thoughtfully prepared and shared together.

Return to your hotel for time to unwind, then gather for dinner, watching the light fade along the promenade.

Second night at The Winchester Boutique Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3
Travel into the Winelands | Explore the distinct flavours of the Fynbos with a botanical expert
Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Leaving Cape Town, we journey into the Cape Winelands, where open valleys and distant peaks signal a slower rhythm.

Signature Experience: Step inside a botanical cellar to experience the distinctive flavours of South Africa’s indigenous herbs from the Cape Floristic Region. Guided by a culinary Fynbos specialist, explore rare botanicals and their refined culinary expression, then walk the surrounding renosterveld before sharing an experimental tapas lunch that honours these ancient plants and their enduring vitality.

Continue to Franschhoek for an evening among vineyards and mountain backdrops. We dine at Miko Restaurant, where thoughtfully prepared dishes celebrate contemporary Cape produce and cuisine.

Overnight at Le Franschhoek Hotel and Spa

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4
Journey into the Little Karoo | Walk cactus gardens and gaze at southern skies

Travel into the semi-arid landscapes of the Klein Karoo, pausing at Sheilam Cactus Nursery for a private tour of the garden and greenhouses with the third-generation owner.

Lunch follows at The Barn on 62 in Montagu, a characterful restaurant set in a small Breede River Valley town. Continue to Oudtshoorn to settle into Rosenhof Country House, our Signature Stay, a historic restored Karoo homestead framed by fragrant rose gardens and furnished with elegant antiques.

Signature Experience: After dinner at the hotel, enjoy a private stargazing session with expert astronomers, using specialised telescopes to observe Southern Hemisphere constellations and deep-sky highlights. Surrounded by the stillness of the semi-desert, the Klein Karoo is a place where the night sky comes alive.

Overnight at Rosenhof Country House

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5
Discover the heart of the Little Karoo | Meet farming families and cross the Swartberg
Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Today reveals the Klein Karoo through those who shape it. Begin on a fifth-generation mixed farm near De Rust, where the owner shares how resilient farming has evolved to sustain land, livelihoods, and community.

Continue through Meiringspoort’s dramatic gorge for a short walk to its waterfall, then pause in Klaarstroom for coffee and conversation with local hosts.

Lunch unfolds in Prince Albert, accompanied by traditional Riel dancers, before crossing the UNESCO-recognised Swartberg Pass, its winding gravel road opening onto vast mountain horizons and fynbos-rich slopes. The day closes with a Karoo-led dinner, celebrating regional flavours and hospitality.

Second night at Rosenhof Country House

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6
Stand where oceans meet | Arrive in harbour-side Hermanus
Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Leave the Karoo and travel toward the coast, arriving at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa and the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

After a seafood lunch near the lighthouse, a guided walk along the Rasperpunt Trail reveals the highlights of Agulhas National Park: shoreline fynbos, sweeping coastal views, and the Meisho Maru Shipwreck.

Continuing through historic coastal villages, we reach Hermanus and check into Harbour House Hotel, set just moments from the old harbour.

This evening, enjoy a private dinner in the Cypress Room at Burgundy Restaurant, paired with stories that trace the fishing heritage of Hermanus.

Overnight at Harbour House Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7
Signature Day | Choose township encounters, whales, or wine

Today is your Signature Day, where you can select an authentic, curated experience to connect deeply with South African culture. You could:

  • Join a specialist guide in Zwelihle township, meeting local entrepreneurs and artists, with tastings of home-style dishes and traditional brews.
  • Trace the Hermanus coastline on a private guided tour, combining seasonal whale viewing, penguins at Stony Point, and walks through botanical gardens.
  • Follow the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with a local wine guide, tasting cool-climate pinot noir and chardonnay before a leisurely lunch among the vines.
  • Take a whale-watching boat trip, led by a whale specialist, with close-up marine encounters and expert interpretation (a private boat operates for our group).

Dinner this evening is enjoyed back at the hotel.

Second night at Harbour House Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8
Encounter the Marine Big Five | Share an interactive dinner at Fisherman’s Cottage
Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Signature Experience: Join marine specialists on an award-winning cruise around Dyer Island – nicknamed the Serengeti of the Sea for its rich marine biodiversity and breathtaking wildlife spectacles. With our expert guides, we have the chance to encounter the Marine Big Five – whales, dolphins, penguins, seals, and sharks – while also learning from a penguinologist how research and rescue efforts protect African penguins, now critically endangered, within this complex marine ecosystem.

Return to Hermanus with time to rest or browse local galleries, before we gather at Fisherman’s Cottage for a farewell dinner this evening. Here, Chef Michael Broughton leads an interactive and elevated potjiekos session before sharing the meal together, with dishes inspired by the Overberg coast.

Third night at Harbour House Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9
Say a fond farewell to South Africa

After a last breakfast overlooking Walker Bay, the morning is yours to linger. Watch for whales from the terrace in season, stroll the cliff path one final time or enjoy a slow coffee in town as you reflect on coastlines, farms, and cellar doors now stitched into memory.

When you are ready, your private transfer returns you to Cape Town International Airport for onward flights. This chapter may close, but South Africa’s shores and winelands remain ready to welcome you back.

Alternatively, open a new chapter of discovery by speaking to your Signature Collection travel expert about extending your stay.

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation

Experience the best of South African hospitality

Every aspect of the Signature Collection is meticulously planned to take you deeper into the destination. That means your accommodation is a refined showcase of local hospitality, whether you’re staying in a pioneering luxury hotel or enjoying privileged access to a characterful stay designed to fully immerse you in the local culture.

Below are the accommodations we use on this adventure:

Cape Town: The Winchester Boutique Hotel (nights 1-2)

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Set along the Sea Point promenade overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, The Winchester combines a heritage façade with contemporary monochrome interiors and a quiet courtyard at its heart. Rooms balance clean lines with soft textures, breakfast unfolds in light-filled spaces, while the promenade offers an early morning coastal walk just steps from the door.

Franschhoek: Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa (night 3)

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

In the wine valley of Franschhoek, this elegant retreat pairs Cape Dutch lines with mountain views and lawns edged by vineyards. Bedrooms feel restorative, with muted tones and natural textures, while the spa is set among ancient oaks. Evening meals at Miko showcase regional produce, and sunrise across the valley sets a peaceful tone for the onward journey.

Oudtshoorn: Rosenhof Country House (nights 4-5)

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Your Signature Stay is a 19th-century homestead renovated with warm woods, antique pieces, and a quiet rose garden, perfectly capturing the country calm of the Little Karoo. Rooms are individually styled and spacious, with fireplaces or terraces. After days exploring mountain passes and farms, the courtyards, lounges and pool create a restful evening enclave, perfectly paired with Karoo cooking and clear night skies.

Hermanus: Harbour House Hotel (nights 6–8)

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Overlooking the Old Harbour, this breezy coastal base is within steps of cafés, galleries, and the famous cliff path. Rooms are modern, bright, and designed to echo the surrounding shoreline. Breakfasts extend onto the terrace when the weather is calm, and the infinity pool frames Walker Bay, an especially memorable setting during whale season.

  • Enhance your stay: Personalise your experience with curated room upgrades and additional nights tailored to your travel plans.

Food & Drink

This journey is designed to deepen your connection to the country through its food and drink.

This journey reveals South Africa through its ingredients, regional stories and the people who shape them.
In Cape Town, refined dining in historic spaces introduces the city’s layered influences. Along the peninsula, coastal-foraging specialists reframe your understanding of wild flavour. In the winelands, Fynbos becomes a lens into scent and terroir, while the Karoo offers farm-to-table rituals rooted in resilience and tradition. By the Overberg coast, seafood, potjiekos, seasonal vegetables and simple desserts anchor a warm final evening together.

Transport

From the moment you land to the moment you depart, all transport is taken care of for you. On this adventure, we use private vehicles, ensuring smooth transitions between coast, highlands and winelands. Journeys are unhurried and scenic, designed to match the slower pace of the Signature Collection. All luggage handling, guide travel and daily logistics are taken care of behind the scenes

Weather & Seasonality

South Africa’s southern regions experience broad seasonal shifts:

  • Summer (Dec–Feb): Warm days, cooler evenings by the coast and long light ideal for coastal walking.

  • Autumn (Mar–May): Crisp mornings in the winelands, mellow afternoons for vineyard visits and mountain passes.

  • Winter (Jun–Aug): Cooler temperatures, occasional rain, and peak whale-watching along the Hermanus coastline.

  • Spring (Sept–Nov): Fresh breezes, blooming fynbos and comfortable walking conditions.

Each season brings its own atmosphere, shaping light, colour and the pace of the days.

Joining Instructions

As with all adventures in the Signature Collection, we take care of your arrival and departure transfers, allowing you to fully relax and immerse yourself in the local culture.

  • Arrival airport: Cape Town (CPT)
    • Your adventure begins with a welcome reception at 6pm on Day 1 at our first accommodation.
  • Departure airport: Cape Town (CPT)
    • Your adventure concludes after breakfast on the final day.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Cape Town
Location end: Hermanus

What To Take

Essential Equipment

There’s no specialist equipment you need for this trip. For more information on what you might need to pack, please see our packing guide.

Practical Information

Visa

South Africa

Travellers from the UK, US and most (though not all) EU states normally do not need a visa to enter South Africa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthAfrica.html

Please note, all travellers to South Africa who require a visa need at least two consecutive blank pages in their passport (ie a left- and right-hand page) to enable an entry visa to be issued.

Additionally, any child under 18 travelling to South Africa needs to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate with the names of both parents. If a child under 18 is only travelling with one parent, they will also have to have an affidavit, no less than three months old, from the absent parent confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

Vaccinations and Health

South Africa

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential if travelling in the greater Kruger area; seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which tablets to take. The rest of South Africa, including the Garden Route, has a low risk of malaria.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is also a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Local Time

South Africa's time zone: Africa/Johannesburg (UTC +02:00)

Electricity

South Africa's electricity: Plug types M (three round pins), N (three round pins) and C (two round pins) – 230V, 50Hz

Signature South Africa | Wild Coasts & Winelands

Money

South Africa's currency: South African rand (ZAR)

Tipping

On this adventure, tipping for any local support staff is included and will be taken care of locally by your Signature Guide. Tips for your Signature Guide are not included. We recommend a starting point of US$70 to US$75 per group member, to be given at the end. This is discretionary and you may wish to tip a different amount, depending on the service you have received.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

We also weave Signature Legacy moments into your itinerary, so the positive impact of your trip lasts long after your stay. These are moments to remember which help people and nature thrive, ensuring you build a harmonious, positive connection with the places you visit.

On this journey, you can:

  • Walk the shoreline with a specialist guide, identifying edible seaweeds and responsible harvesting. An experience that deepens understanding of coastal ecosystems through taste, touch, and observation.
  • Visit Hermanus’ Zwelihle township with a local guide, gaining insight into daily life. Meet makers and small business owners, share home-style dishes, and hear first-hand stories shaping the community’s future.
  • Learn directly from conservation specialists at Dyer Island and the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary. Observe penguin behaviour and see how rescue and rehabilitation work is helping protect this critically endangered species.

Important Information

Your Safe Participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary. 

Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity. 

By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred. 

Seatbelts
All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.

Travel Safety
For additional information please have a look at the travel safety advice page on our website.

How To Book

Speak to our Signature Collection travel experts to plan your adventure:

  1. Check availability: our website shows real-time availability or contact our team by phone, email or live chat.
  2. Hold a space: You can provisionally hold a space to give you time to finalise your travel plans.
  3. Confirm your booking: Payment of a deposit will complete your booking and secure your place on the trip.

After booking
You will receive a confirmation document and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements. Our dedicated Customer Operations team will help you with any pre-travel questions or arrangements and can easily add extensions or extra accommodation to your booking. Final Joining Instructions will usually be sent out two to three weeks prior to departure.

Adding transfers to your booking
If you have arranged your own flights and would like to add transfers to your booking, please provide your arrival and departure details to our Customer Operations team around four to six weeks before departure. Where complimentary transfers are included, they are available for any flight but can only be added to your booking once we have received your flight schedule.

Trip Note validity
Trip notes may be updated after booking; if any updates significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary you will be advised in writing. A link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes will be sent out with your Final Joining Instructions before departure.

The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes, and occasionally it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.