Things to do in South Africa

Cycle through the Constantia Winelands

There’s no better way to reward yourself than with a glass of chardonnay in the vineyard you’ve just peddled through….

By Sally Petersen

Sally Petersen, Director of AWOL Tours, Alfred&'s partner in South Africa

Explore South Africa’s oldest wine region on this scenic cycling trip, complete with vineyard tours and tasting sessions. A private guide will tailor the half-day trip to suit your cycling ability and wine preferences, taking you along beautiful trails and teaching you the history of our winelands. There’s no better way to reward yourself afterwards than with a glass of chardonnay in the vineyard you’ve just peddled through.

Depending on your preference, we can take a leisurely cycle along tarred roads or a more challenging trip on the new Constantia Greenbelt trails, which host the Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race. Generally, we cover around 15-20 kilometres of flat terrain on the tour, with a maximum climb of 120 metres.

Along the way, you’ll get to visit at least three vineyards. Set just outside of Cape Town, the Constantia winelands are home to some of the country’s oldest and most stunning wine estates. This is where Dutch governor Simon van der Stel launched South Africa’s wine industry in the 17^th century and families have been tending vineyards here for over five generations.

We like to visit some of the quieter, boutique wineries so you can get away from the crowds. Some of our favourites include Buitenverwachting, Steenberg, Glenwood and Groot Constantia. When you arrive, you’ll take a vineyard tour and then settle back to taste award-winning wines. There’s also the option to have a gourmet lunch at one of the estates, which is the perfect way to end your tour.

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Alfred & Sally Petersen

A Cape Town local, Sally Petersen is the owner of AWOL Tours, which specialises in hiking and cycling tours in and around the city. It was while living in London and working as an accountant that Sally discovered her passion for cycling and embarked on a 15-month bike trip through Africa. Determined not to return to the office, Sally trained as a tour guide in Cape Town and set up AWOL in 2002.

Sally Petersen, Cape Town walking tour, Table Mountain hike and winelands cycling tour

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.