Best Cape Town Wine Tours: Here’s How to Pick

If you don’t feel like reading through this detailed review, here’s the TL;DR version of my top 4 wine tours!

→   Best Group Wine Tour: Wine Flies

→   Best Private Wine Tour: La Rochelle

→   Best Hop On/ Hop Off Wine Tour: Wine Tram/Vine Hopper

→   Best Self-Guided Wine Tour: Nichole’s Uber Tour

We didn’t do a group wine tour this time around in Cape Town, but we’ve done plenty on past trips. They can be such a fun, stress-free way to winery hop without worrying about directions or who’s the designated driver.

While planning, we asked our amazing Cape Town hotel, Derwent House Boutique Hotel, which tour company they recommend for travelers wanting something authentic and not overly touristy.

Without missing a beat, they said Wine Flies, a local favorite known for their laid-back vibe and genuine South African wine experiences.

Wine Flies runs everything from half-day tastings to full-day adventures and even gourmet food and wine pairings. With more than 1,300 rave reviews on TripAdvisor, it’s clear they’ve nailed the formula for a great day out.

If you love meeting fellow travelers and want an easy, expertly organized way to taste your way through the Cape Winelands, this could be your move.

But, like any group tour, there are a few pros and cons to consider before booking.

Group Wine Tour Pros

✔ A personal wine expert is on hand to answer all your pressing wine questions.
✔ Tour companies often have great relationships with wineries, which can mean special perks.
✔ No stress about driving. Just sit back, sip, and enjoy the day.

Group Wine Tour Cons

✘ Your group is a wildcard. Most people on wine tours are fun and easygoing, but there’s always a chance you’ll end up with that one person… you know the type.
✘ Tours run on a schedule, so there’s less flexibility to linger at a winery you love.
✘ Winery selections are either pre-set or based on group preferences. If the majority loves white wine and you’re all about reds, you might not get to visit the wineries you’d choose on your own.
✘ Standard tastings are typically included, but premium or reserve tastings may cost extra.

If you like a social atmosphere and the ease of having everything planned for you, a group tour is a fantastic way to explore the Cape Winelands.

If you prefer a more tailored experience, a private tour or self-drive itinerary might be a better fit.

If you’ve got a specific South African wine region (or a few favorite wineries) on your list, a private Cape Town wine tour might be the way to go.

My husband and I are total Pinot Noir people. We chase it wherever we travel (Burgundy, Willamette Valley, Central Otago) so when we learned South Africa had its own cool-climate gem, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, we knew we had to check it out.

The only catch?

That region usually isn’t on group tour itineraries.

So, we found another route: La Rochelle Tours. They’re a top-rated company that builds fully customizable private wine tours based on what you want to taste. It was seamless.

They helped us plan the perfect day around the exact wineries we wanted, no compromises needed.

If you are curious to see exactly what our day looked like (and the wineries we’d go back to in a heartbeat), check out my full La Rochelle private wine tour review.

If you’re after a more personalized experience (and want to go beyond the usual Stellenbosch or Franschhoek route) here’s what to keep in mind when deciding if a private tour is right for you.

Private Wine Tour Pros

✔ Completely personalized experience. You pick the wineries, or let the experts tailor the day to your tastes.
✔ Total flexibility. If you love a place and want to stay longer, no problem.

✔ GUIDED and NON-GUIDED private tours. 

Private Wine Tour Cons

✘ One of the best parts of a wine tour is meeting other travelers. A private tour skips that social aspect.
✘ It’s pricier than a group tour, but if you have specific wineries in mind, it might be worth the splurge.

If you like the idea of a customized itinerary with no compromises, a private tour is a fantastic choice. But if you enjoy a more social vibe, a group tour is going to be the better fit.

If you plan to stay out in the Cape Winelands instead of doing day trips from Cape Town, you’ve got another fun option for exploring: the hop-on, hop-off wine tram.

It’s such a relaxed way to visit multiple wineries without worrying about directions or parking.

Although we didn’t do this option in South Africa, we did something similar on Waiheke Island in New Zealand, and it was such a unique and fun way to get around. You can sip, sightsee, and still get home safely.

And if you’re still debating whether to spend a few nights in South Africa’s wine country in addition to your Cape Town stay, the answer is yes, do it!

Seriously, you won’t regret it. The scenery, the food, the wine . It’s incredible.

Don’t miss my full South Africa Wine Country Guide for our top picks on where to sleep, eat, and sip your way through Franschhoek and Stellenbosch.

For a flexible wine day where you can linger at your favorite stops, both regions have easy hop-on-hop-off options that make wine tasting feel effortless.

Franschhoek Wine Tram

Franschhoek’s Wine Tram is a fun and easy way to explore the region’s wineries.

There are five different wine routes, each stopping at a curated selection of wineries. You choose where to go and how long to stay, then hop back on when you’re ready for the next stop.

Stellenbosch Vine Hopper

Stellenbosch offers a similar experience with the Vine Hopper. This hop-on, hop-off bus runs three different routes (Northern, Southern, and Eastern), each stopping at five to six wineries.

The routes operate on different days, so check the schedule beforehand. Like the Wine Tram, you can explore at your own pace.

Hop-On, Hop-Off Pros

✔ Complete flexibility. Stay as long as you want at each winery.
✔ No stress about driving, so you can fully enjoy the tastings.

Hop-On, Hop-Off Pros

✘ You’re limited to a pre-set list of wineries, which may not include all your top picks.
✘ Departure times are fixed. If you finish a tasting early, you might have to wait for the next ride.
✘ There’s no dedicated wine expert, just general narration about the area.

If you love a relaxed, go-with-the-flow kind of day and don’t mind a little waiting between stops, the Wine Tram or Vine Hopper is a fantastic way to explore South Africa’s wine country.

You can absolutely do a Cape Town wine tour on your own, and thanks to Uber, it’s easier than you’d think.

Rides are cheap, quick to find, and run through the Cape Winelands, so you can hop between wineries at your own pace without stressing about driving.

We spent a full day wine-hopping through Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, with a long, lazy lunch in between (one of our favorite meals in all of South Africa, by the way!).

Self-Guided Wine Tour Pros

✔ Total flexibility—go where you want, stay as long as you like.
✔ Uber is available, so no need for a designated driver.
✔ A budget-friendly way to visit multiple wineries. It costs us only $54 USD for a day with Uber.
✔ A relaxed experience with zero pressure to rush through tastings.

Self-Guided Wine Tour Cons

✘ You’re in charge of all the planning—no pre-set route to follow.
✘ Uber wait times can slow you down between stops.
✘ No personal wine expert to answer questions or tailor recommendations.

If you love doing things on your own schedule (and don’t mind a little logistical legwork), a self-guided wine tour is a fantastic way to experience South Africa’s wine country—without the price tag of a private tour.

If you’re heading to Cape Town, make sure a visit to the Cape Winelands is near the top of your list. It’s #4 on my must-do list for a reason.

South Africa’s wine scene seriously overdelivers.

And the best part is there’s a way to experience it no matter your travel style: group tours, private guides, the hop-on-hop-off tram, or a good old-fashioned DIY tasting day.

For us, the Winelands were a highlight of our two-week South Africa itinerary, and we’re so glad we spent a few nights there instead of rushing back to Cape Town. One day just isn’t enough when the wine is this good.

Cheers to good wine, great views, and even better stories. 🍷

REACH OUT, FOLLOW, OR SHARE THIS POST WITH A FRIEND!

Questions about our Cape Town wine tour experience?

Let me know in the comments below!