Luxury Cape Town & Winelands Tour

Table Mountain rises vertically, the world wonder hanging over the city like an ancient sentinel. A revolving glass-fronted cable car takes you to the summit, rising over a kilometer above the ocean to reveal the Cape in all its glory. Serpentine mountains stretch south to the continent's tip, empty beaches tumble north towards the desert, while the city bowl weaves its way into the lower slopes. From the cable car station, there's a 30-minute walking route across the summit, taking in the views on every side. If you would like a challenge, a guided hike up Table Mountain can be arranged, with options for the steep two-hour ascent or a gentler four-hour hike.

The mountain's forested lower slopes hide rows of vines. A rare topography and swishing oceanic wind creates the conditions for unusual wine here, with the Constantia vineyards a longstanding favorite of the Cape's locals. Visit one farm and acquaint yourself with the grapes, particularly Pinotage, a native specialty of South Africa. Then weave as high as the vineyards will go on Table Mountain, where a lavish wine farm commands expressive views over the city. The wine tasting here is accompanied by a lunch of local delicacies. Timings are flexible today although it's recommended to visit Table Mountain in the morning, as a fabled veil of mist often covers the summit in the afternoon. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Cape Town bustles with energy and harmony, with so many cultures and influences coming together beneath the mountain. This memorable atmosphere wouldn't have been possible without Nelson Mandela's sacrifice, and Robben Island is a fitting start to a historical city tour. The statesman spent 18 years here, locked in a tiny cell that you'll experience by standing inside. After the boat journey, a former inmate takes you on a tour, sharing stories from Mandela's times and revealing the brutality of the conditions here. Such a tour only enhances your admiration for modern South Africa's father.

Return to the city and a patchwork of history narrates a tale of oppression and triumph. Explore the District Six Museum for an account of how apartheid took root in the city, and then wander the steep streets of the old slave quarter Bo Kaap, where every house is painted a different pastel shade. An African multiculturalism fills the center of Cape Town, where eclectic markets and restaurants are juxtaposed with the grandeur of colonial buildings. Lunch is included, and there are a variety of places to choose from.

A dramatic road clings to the coast, undulating and winding above the Atlantic Ocean. It rises above empty beaches, sweeps through fishing villages, climbs to expressive viewpoints, and then dips back down towards the southwestern tip of Africa. Along the way, it passes a bay covered in seals, then a beach filled with jackass penguins who flop and waddle across the sand. Springbok and other antelope grace the panoramas as you traverse the uninhabited savannah towards a gleaming white lighthouse. Is this South Africa's tip? Not quite. Follow a rugged trail down last piece of Africa's spine, to a lighthouse and cliff that stands over the ocean. Gaze south from here and the next stop is Antarctica. Gaze west and it's South America. On this private Cape Point tour, you take a different road back to the city, stopping in Muizenberg for a late lunch and arriving back by mid afternoon.

Cape Town can keep visitors enchanted for weeks. There are white beaches beneath Table Mountain, particularly those at Camps Bay and Clifton. The desire for adrenaline is easily satisfied by skydiving or rappeling down Table Mountain. Less than a two-hour drive is the whale-watching town of Hermanus, home to three migratory species from July to November. Similarly close is Gansbaii, where you can see great white sharks from a cage suspended in the water. Cape Town's townships continue the cultural experience, revealing a beauty and positivity in contrasting neighborhoods. Then there is the city's unique suburbs, areas with a new organic cafe or boutique bar opening every week. And this is just the start of what else is on offer. Today is deliberately left free, allowing you to create your own agenda in the city, with the private guide offering recommendations and the transport.

Two white rhino slowly march across the savannah, sniffing and snorting as they pass the safari vehicle. Elephants curl their trunks besides the water, giants on the move through the Cape's wilderness. Now a buffalo herd, big and hairy as they stare back at you. Aquila is only a two-hour drive from Cape Town, but the landscape's transformation couldn't be more absolute. Gone are the mountains and coastline, replaced by a redolent bushland that's home to all the famous Big Five.

After a relaxed morning, you arrive here for lunch, a feast to enjoy as peacocks fluff their feathers and zebra canter on the landscape below. Then an afternoon game drive brings personal encounters as it explores this private game reserve. Aquila doesn't have the same scale as Africa's other safari destinations, such as Kruger. Nor can the Cape rival other parts of South Africa for wildlife abundance. However, there is diversity here and a visit to the city can easily incorporate a private safari experience, a chance to experience the wild mammals in their natural habitat. Spending the night adds to the charm, with antelopes and hippos grazing nearby as you dip into the infinity pool. It's difficult to imagine you're still so close to Cape Town.

An early start brings elevated encounters, a lion pride on the prowl as sunrise breaks across the sky. Hippos are grazing, wildebeest are skipping, and everything seems more active in these cool morning hours. Spending the night at Aquila also ensures you can enjoy two game drives. The first one is likely to be a connection of highlights, experienced through the camera lens as you capture the wild in its glory. A second game drive is more relaxed; just sit back and admire all the subtleties and complexities of the savannah wilderness. Coffee and a snack is served at the start of the drive and you return to the main lodge for an extended breakfast.

From Aquila, you traverse the valleys of the Cape, crossing extensive farm country before turning into the Cape Winelands. Green rows cascade across most slopes, shimmering beneath precipitous rocky peaks that rise sporadically across the landscape. Wind spirals softly through the valley and every angle is a postcard. For the next three nights, you're staying at a boutique wine farm in the Stellenbosch wine region, where your lavish room commands uninterrupted views over the Winelands. To get you started, take lunch and wine tasting at this farm, savoring the flavors of the day. A new guide meets you and discusses the tastes, using them to build a personalized tasting itinerary in the Winelands. On this first afternoon, a recommendation is to visit some of the region's pioneers, vineyards that delight in their history and quality production of Pinotage.

Over 500 vineyards fill this area, stretching down to the ocean and up into the arid semi-desert of the Karoo. Flavors and styles vary. Tiny cellars have been in the same family for centuries, reserving all the wine for those who buy directly from the cellar. Famous international brands fill the slopes with Shiraz and Pinotage grapes. Modern vineyards are the sites of experimentation while owners conduct the tasting sessions at renovated farmhouses. Choice is everywhere, and your guide has tried out most of these vineyards. By understanding what you like, these two days in Stellenbosch will be tailored to your tastes and interests.

It could be a wine connoisseur's tour. Or a relaxed exploration, trying a few wines and savoring the revered gastronomy of the region. Perhaps a visit to the towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, South Africa's oldest settlements. Or a day at the most exclusive vineyards, where the winemaker conducts closed-door tasting sessions. These two days are a journey through South Africa's enology, delighting the palate and always imbuing the serene atmosphere of the region.

It's a 45-minute private transfer from Stellenbosch to Cape Town International Airport and your departure flight. Wave farewell to the Cape, enjoy the views of Table Mountain from the plane window and fly back north from the southwest of Africa.