Friendly Cape Town Tours
Walker Bay’s Cool Climate Vineyards
Full Day Tour

Friendly Cape Town Tours
Walker Bay’s Cool Climate Vineyards
Full Day Tour
Here’s what I say: “The biggest problem with Hermanus is the whales, because nobody wants to go there when there aren’t any!”
Walker Bay
Leave Cape Town and climb steeply up Sir Lowry’s Pass with glorious views of False Bay below and Table Mountain in the distance. Continue across the plateau with its apple and pear orchards, forests and vineyards, before heading down to the coast and Walker Bay.
Hemel en Aarde Valley
Besides the attraction which made it famous, the migration of the southern right whales from about June to November, there’s a lot more to enjoy in and around Hermanus.
The idyllic Hemel & Aarde Valley (Heaven & Earth) nestled in the mountains behind the town, has some of the best cool-climate vineyards in the land, making the Walker Bay wine region unique. Every producer is and has always been a boutique winery, long before the term became fashionable, and all are producing world-class wines.
Some wineries (e.g. Newton Johnson) feature outstanding restaurants, and one of South Africa’s best food and wine pairing experiences can be enjoyed at Creation.
The Valley
The valley has one road from south to north, passing one winery after the next, making them all easily accessible. Among them are Southern Right, Hamilton Russell, Bouchard Finlayson, La Vierge, Newton Johnson, Ataraxia and Creation. Chardonnay and pinot noir are what some of them are most famous for, but they cover quite a variety of world class wines.
If you like wine but would rather focus less on that and more on other scenic explorations, click here for “Hermanus & the Whale Coast” (Full day tour) under Scenic Drives.
Kleinmond Area
If time allows, return to Cape Town via the coastal road (2½ hours as opposed to 1¾ hours via the mountain route).
This route takes you through the fishing village of Kleinmond and on to Betty’s Bay, known for two attractions: the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, set in a beautiful ravine, and Stony Point with its breeding colony of African penguins, cormorants and dassies (rock hyrax) – a mini safari in one stop! Clarence Drive continues along the foot of steep mountains, with jaw-dropping views at every turn.
Whales can sometimes be seen along the way too, during the whale season. Continue to Gordon’s Bay before heading back to Cape Town.
Cheetah Outreach
Time permitting, we could also visit the Cheetah Outreach project in the Strand, near Gordon’s Bay. This conservation project with a sound track record and the highest standards of best practice works with captive-born “cheetah ambassadors” to raise funds in innovative ways, to support cheetahs in the wild which are the most endangered of Africa’s big cats, primarily through the breeding and placement of Anatolian shepherd dogs as a non-lethal predator control on livestock farms.
One of the ways of doing this is for you to have a personal encounter with a cheetah, though this is not required to visit the project and learn about its work.
See http://www.cheetah.co.za for details.
General Information
Suggested pick up time: 8:30 am. We usually get back after 6pm.
Price: R5 600 (South African Rand) for up to 3 passengers.
R6 150 for 4 to 7 passengers. To maximize flexibility, this does not include entrance fees, which you can pay as you go.
To inquire about or book this or any other tours, please click here.