La Fontaine

The Best of South Africa

Romantic Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Cape Town, wine & wildlife: South Africa's highlights over 11 days.

11 days

from £3,225 pp

Go Local in South Africa

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

Real people. Real stories. Real South Africa.

19 days

from £6,690 pp

Bergs, Battlefields & Bush

Safari Adventure + 2 more + 3 more

Exploring the history & wildlife of KwaZulu-Natal.

13 days

from £4,750 pp

South Africa Express

Wildlife & Nature Express + 1 more + 2 more

A whistle-stop adventure packed with penguins, wine and wildlife.

10 days

from £3,050 pp

Classic South Africa

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

A classic South African holiday, with a few lesser-visited surprises.

17 days

from £3,655 pp

Family Classic + 3 more + 3 more

City, Safari & Beach

South Africa, Mauritius

South Africa’s culture, safari and beaches rounding off with an indulgent island escape.

15 days

from £5,010 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in South Africa

Franschhoek Pass Drive

Franschhoek is tucked up at the head of a valley, beneath seemingly impenetrable mountain walls; but one road does sneak up and through this barrier: the Franschhoek Pass. It’s a dramatic road, through scenery reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands, with a steep river canyon on one side. As you emerge from the mountains, you descend towards a huge reservoir, the road sweeping across it on a viaduct. You then travel through rolling farm lands, before hitting the main N2 highway. Turning back towards the Cape, you cross the Sir Lowry Pass and if the weather is good, you’ll be able to see Table Mountain as you descend towards the shore of False Bay. You then head north again towards Stellenbosch and Franschhoek to complete the loop.

Stellenbosch Foodies walking tour

Exploring the heart of Stellenbosch, you work your way around a variety of sweet and savoury tastings before stopping for a sit-down lunch. The focus is on sustainable practices which are used to create fresh products. The lunch platter is always packed with seasonal, locally sourced produce. In between tasting the flavours of Stellenbosch, enjoy award-winning gin and experience a taste adventure of craft beer. In addition to its international wine reputation, Stellenbosch is also home to curated, public art exhibitions. Your guide will also give you an insider’s perspective on the fascinating artworks that dot the historic streets.

Cookery Courses

Not only are there a profusion of great restaurants in this part of South Africa, but many of them also offer cookery courses. These can range from the fairly simple, through to a day with the equivalent of a Michelin-starred chef. It may be the Cape Malay curries you want to learn about, or just how to cook kudu or ostrich, or perhaps even it’s just the chance to learn how to cook different types of bread: it’s all possible. Give us an idea of what interests you and we’ll suggest an appropriate course for you.

Camberley Wine Farm

Camberley is arguably our favourite estate in South Africa. It is owned by the wonderfully convivial Johnnie Nel, a former provincial cricketer and someone full of bonhomie and good stories. The estate is nestled in the mountains just by the Helshoogte Pass, and is surrounded by lush green vegetation. The small cellar, stacked with barrels, has a bar and tasting area above it and it’s here that Johnnie will talk you through his range of hand-crafted reds, from an unusual sparkling shiraz, through to his beautiful Philosophers’ Stone, a wonderful red blend that is so drinkable it belies its 16% ABV. Beware!

Self-guided Winelands touring

The beauty of the hotels and guesthouses we work with is their incredibly helpful and knowledgeable staff, and you should use them as a resource for helping plan your time. We will give you a few suggestions of estates to visit, as will they: and they will have the kind of insider knowledge that only years living in the region brings. They can then help you plan a route for the day, taking in some of those estates. Of course the beauty of a self-drive tour like this is that you’re entirely on your own schedule and if you change your mind halfway through the day, or are having such a good time somewhere that you don’t want to move on, then the choice is entirely yours. Do remember though that South Africa does enforce its drink-drive laws!