Africa by Lusso

At a glance

The centre of the South African wine industry, home to some of the finest producers in the southern hemisphere
Rolling vineyards set against a backdrop of Cape Dutch estates and rugged, craggy mountains
Vineyard tours, wine tasting and some of the best restaurants in South Africa
Picturesque towns and villages boasting Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian buildings
Excellent hiking, walking, cycling, golfing and horse riding

Overview

Just a short drive east from Cape Town are the resplendent Cape Winelands, where countless vineyards are set against a backdrop of Cape Dutch estates and rugged, craggy mountains. The sophisticated towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek have roots dating back to the mid-1600s. Their rolling vineyards produce some of the finest wines to be found in the southern hemisphere, notably cabernet sauvignon and pinotage among the reds and sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc among the whites.Stellenbosch is the second-oldest settlement in South Africa after Cape Town. Its oak-lined avenues support a glorious range of architectural styles, from Cape Dutch to Georgian and Victorian, plus an excellent selection of museums, galleries, shops and restaurants. It’s also the centre of South African wine tourism, home to the largest wine route in the Cape.

About 40 kilometres east of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek is considered the gourmet capital of South Africa. Located at the end of a verdant valley, it boasts more than 50 wineries and top-end restaurants, including La Petite Colombe, a must-do on any serious foodie’s list, located within Le Quartier Francais, one of Franschhoek’s most elegant boutique hotels.

North of Franschhoek is Paarl, the largest town in the Winelands and another great base for wine tours and vineyard visits. The pick of the crop here is surely nearby Babylonstoren, an old Cape Dutch estate turned boutique hotel with a working farm, wonderful winery and several destination farm-to-fork restaurants.

When to visit

Best

Good

Varied

January

27ºC

Maximum Tempurature

15ºC

Minimum Tempurature

24mm

Average Rainfall

January is the peak of the summer season and a wonderful time to visit Cape Town and the Winelands, with long, warm, dry days, clear blue skies and mild evenings. Such weather lends itself to long, lazy lunches among the vines and afternoons by the pool. Late January is also the start of harvest season in the Winelands so is a great to visit, with many cultivators allowing visitors to take part in the grape picking. Many farms and vineyards also hold harvest celebrations, with everything on offer from traditional grape stomping and family friendly gatherings with activities for children, to intimate and detailed tours for hardcore epicureans. In Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens hosts a series of summer sunset concerts on its magnificent lawns, backed by the natural amphitheatre of Table Mountain's eastern face. There are also various venues across Cape Town and in the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
February

28ºC

Maximum Tempurature

15ºC

Minimum Tempurature

25mm

Average Rainfall

As with January, February is the peak of the summer season and tends to be one of the hottest months in the Cape Winelands, with temperatures in the high 20s. The reliably good weather lends itself to long, lazy lunches among the vines and afternoons by the pool. Late February is also harvest season in the Winelands so is a great to visit, with many cultivators allowing visitors to take part in the grape picking. Many farms and vineyards also hold harvest celebrations, with everything on offer from traditional grape stomping and family friendly gatherings with activities for children, to intimate and detailed tours for hardcore epicureans.
March

25ºC

Maximum Tempurature

14ºC

Minimum Tempurature

35mm

Average Rainfall

Temperatures start to cool from the height of the summer season, though days are still warm, sunny and dry. This is the last month of harvest season so is a great to visit, with many cultivators allowing visitors to take part in the grape picking. Many farms and vineyards also hold harvest celebrations, with everything on offer from traditional grape stomping and family friendly gatherings with activities for children, to intimate and detailed tours for hardcore epicureans.
April

23ºC

Maximum Tempurature

12ºC

Minimum Tempurature

83mm

Average Rainfall

April is the Western Cape's best-kept secret. With the winter season just around the corner, the temperatures start to drop and there is increased precipitation, however days are still warm and sunny. Evenings are cooler so an extra layer may be needed. There are significantly fewer tourists, so fewer crowds and queues at popular attractions. March and April are the peak nesting months for the African penguins at Boulders Beach and Stony Point - a great time to visit as most of the penguins are on the beach. There are also various venues across Cape Town and in the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
May

20ºC

Maximum Tempurature

10ºC

Minimum Tempurature

117mm

Average Rainfall

May heralds the end of the summer season and the onset of cooler and wetter weather, however it's still a wonderful time to visit, with mild, mostly sunny days and chilly evenings. Franschhoek in the Winelands hosts the annual Franschhoek Literary Festival, which centres around writers, fine dining and classical music concerts.
June

18ºC

Maximum Tempurature

9ºC

Minimum Tempurature

143mm

Average Rainfall

The weather can be cool and wet in the Western Cape at this time, with average temperatures around 11°C. Whales arrive off the coast south of the Winelands, offering spectacular land-based whale watching from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay.
July

17ºC

Maximum Tempurature

8ºC

Minimum Tempurature

131mm

Average Rainfall

The weather can be cool and wet in the Western Cape at this time, with average temperatures around 11°C. More whales arrive off the coast south of the Winelands, offering spectacular land-based whale watching from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay.
August

18ºC

Maximum Tempurature

9ºC

Minimum Tempurature

126mm

Average Rainfall

The Western Cape is still chilly this time of the year, especially at night, and rainfall is to be expected. The Table Mountain cable car closes in August for annual maintenance. Outside the city there's spectacular land-based whale watching to be enjoyed from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay. August also marks the start of the spring flower season across the Western and Northern Capes. The normally dry landscape erupts in an explosion of colour as up to 4,000 species of flower blanket the landscape.
September

20ºC

Maximum Tempurature

10ºC

Minimum Tempurature

70mm

Average Rainfall

September heralds the start of spring in the Western Cape. The days are getting warmer though evenings are still cool. September is also mid-whale season, with excellent land-based whale watching available from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay. Perhaps head down from the Winelands to the Hermanus Whale Festival, which takes place at the end of September. Although you can see penguins throughout the year at Boulders Beach and Stony Point, during the months of September and October there are fewer penguins on the beach as they spend much of their time feeding out at sea. The flower season is in full bloom on the west coast, when proteas and other indigenous flora explode in a riotous profusion of colour.
October

23ºC

Maximum Tempurature

11ºC

Minimum Tempurature

55mm

Average Rainfall

October offers beautiful mild and sunny days with less rainfall. Excellent land-based whale watching is available from Hermanus all the way through to Plettenberg Bay, with Hermanus being one of the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) 12 best whale-watching destinations in the world. Although you can see penguins throughout the year at Boulders Beach and Stony Point, during the months of September and October there are fewer penguins on the beach as they spend much of their time feeding out at sea. Wild flowers on the west coast can still be found in bloom. There are also various venues across Cape Town and the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
November

24ºC

Maximum Tempurature

13ºC

Minimum Tempurature

31mm

Average Rainfall

November brings an increase in temperature as summertime arrives in Cape Town and the Winelands. It's also the last month of whale-watching season. In Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens hosts a series of summer sunset concerts on its magnificent lawns, backed by the natural amphitheatre of Table Mountain's eastern face. There are also various venues across Cape Town and the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.
December

25ºC

Maximum Tempurature

15ºC

Minimum Tempurature

27mm

Average Rainfall

Summer has arrived in Cape Town and the Winelands with hot sunny days, clear blue skies and little to no rain. In Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens hosts a series of summer sunset concerts on its magnificent lawns, backed by the natural amphitheatre of Table Mountain's eastern face. There are also various venues across Cape Town and the Winelands that host pop-up, open-air cinema screenings.

Accommodation

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Cape Winelands, South Africa Babylonstoren

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Cape Winelands, South Africa La Residence

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Cape Winelands, South Africa Le Quartier Français

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Cape Winelands, South Africa Mont Rochelle

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