Fun Wine Farm Activities

                                                                                         

Having a day out at a wine farm is something that most of us always intend to do, but hardly ever actually get around to. Most farms or estates are quite a drive away and many people believe that it simply involves a quick tasting and some pretty scenery. The wine farms of the Western Cape are far more than this and besides their rich histories and beautiful settings, offer many unique and exciting activities. A visit to one of these farms can actually be an unusual and fun day out for the entire family, young and old.

Unique Wine Farm Activities

Each wine farm in the Western Cape region has its own unique features as well as many unusual activities on offer that make your time spent there even more special. From making your own wine to relaxing with a paint brush and easel, each farm has made an effort to enhance everyone’s wine tasting experience with a host of fun activities, making the day out fun for everyone and not just the wine connoisseurs.

Getting There

The excitement can begin before you even arrive at the wine farm itself. Catching a helicopter from Cape Town out to a wine estate is one of the most spectacular experiences you can have in the Mother City. Look down on this bustling place from the clouds and get a view of Table Bay and Robben Island that will stay with you forever. The helicopter can then whisk you up the coast of inland to the wine estate of your choice where you can arrive in style. Enjoy an afternoon of delectable wines and a delectable lunch from any estate’s fine restaurant and then be transported back to Cape Town as the sun sets. This is a great outing for anyone and everyone – kids will love the thrill of being in a helicopter or your partner will love this romantic afternoon adventure.

Go a Little Rustic

One of the best things about a wine farm is the beautiful scenery and landscapes that each one features. Sitting back and relaxing with a glass or wine or a picnic and enjoying the scenery is a great way to pass an afternoon. However, many estates offer guests a more exciting and rustic way to take in the scenery. Diemersfontein Wine Estate offers guests to see the land in a whole new way – from the back of a tractor. This unique mode of transportation takes guests through the vineyards and slowly shows off the best areas of the estate. Accompanied by a complimentary glass of wine, this trip allows everyone to sit back and relax and enjoy the view. For those that want a slightly more active role in their sightseeing, the estate also offers horse rides through the vineyards. Travel on horseback through breathtaking fynbos foothills for an afternoon or decide to head out for a three day adventure.

Get Your Adrenalin Pumping

Oak Valley Wine Estate in the Elgin region offers the ideal way for the whole family to get their heart rates’ up and experience something different. The estate features three new mountain biking tracks that are suitable for young and old and any level of experience. The tracks traverse a majestic Oak forest, mountain vineyards, apple and pear orchards as well as pastures where cattle graze peacefully. Situated on the gentle slopes of the Groenlandberg, this area’s terrain is ideal for mountain biking and is a great place to practice for an event or to simply get the family outdoors for some fresh air and exercise. Each of the three courses is circular and has exciting features like wooden bridges over fences and swirling streams for bikers to navigate. These tracks recently rose to prominence as part of the ABSA Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race and are a must-see attraction for enthusiasts.

Retail Therapy and Relaxation

Wine farms are known for having expensive curio shops, but many also have incredible markets that offer excellent value for money as well as a unique selection of products. Hermanuspeitersfontein has a regular Saturday morning market that invites the whole community to come and sell their wares or peruse what is on offer. The market stalls are situated on the verandas surrounding the wine cellar and are protected from the sun or the rain. Organic produce is on offer as well as many activities to keep the kids busy. This makes for a relaxing morning out where parents can sip wine and socialise, while the kids can play in a safe outdoor environment.

Socialise with Cheetahs

Spier Wine Estate in Stellenbosch has many unique attractions and activities, but perhaps the most exciting is the opportunity to get up close to the earth’s fastest land mammal – the cheetah. Their Cheetah Outreach Programme houses many of these lithe cats in an effort to breed and preserve their species. A small fee allows you to enter the area and a viewing deck is the perfect place to sit for a few hours and observe one of nature’s greatest animals. The more curious can enter the enclosures themselves and meet the cheetahs up close. These fully supervised encounters are an experience that no one will ever forget. All the proceeds go to the fund and help ensure that Africa’s cheetahs will survive for years to come.

Get Your Hands Dirty

Heading out to a wine farm does not mean that you can only taste the wine. Stellenrust Winery in Stellenbosch invites guests to come and make their own wine – no machinery required. From picking the grapes, to stomping on them, you can create your very own vintage. After a tractor takes guests to the vineyards to choose their own grapes, they can enjoy a refreshing wine beverage while being taught the basics of wine making. The massive barrels for crushing the grapes are a fun and messy experience and a cold shower is offered to everyone afterwards. During the gorgeous buffet lunch, each guest is presented with a gold plaque and a key so that they can visit their wine maturation barrel over the next year. After 12 months, each guest is presented with a dozen bottles of their very own handmade wine, a reminder of a great day out.

Team Building

Wine farms offer many activities that are ideal for a team building or corporate outing. Hazendal is one such wine estate that is situated conveniently between Stellenbosch and Kuils River. This Russian owned wine estate offers a unique day out with wines and cuisine that expertly blend the two countries’ cultures. Start the day off with a tasting of some of Hazendal’s award-wining wines and then head out to the rustic land behind for an invigorating game of paint ball. Run by the established L.O.C.K.D.O.W.N Company, this game takes advantage of the bush and varying terrain of the Hazendal estate and simulates real combat situations. Smoke bombs and flares add to the atmosphere and guarantee an event that staff will never forget. All equipment is supplied and you simply need to pick teams and get to it. A meal in the restaurant afterwards is the ideal way to end off the day, either sitting by the warmth of the fire or out on the sun-filled terrace.

About the author:
About the Author

Hazendal Wine Estate is situated just outside Cape Town at the foot of the Bottelary Hills. This estate was recently restored by Russian businessman Dr Mark Voloshin and is currently experiencing a mass revitalisation. New activities and attractions are constantly being added, making this an estate an ideal place to spend a pleasant afternoon.

www.hazendal.co.za


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