Tours du Cap - who we are & what we do

Not everyone wants a self-drive visit in a foreign country – it's often preferable to let someone else drive so you can enjoy the view, whilst at the same time getting a guide who can tell you about what you're visiting. However, you may not want a big bus tour where you have to share your guide and follow a strict time limit and itinerary.

Then you need a personal, private, tour with an itinerary that will cater to your interests, and a guide to answer all your questions, give you in-depth information, and select the best places to visit. Without rushing you, with flexibility and as many, or as few, photo stops as you want.

That's what Tours du Cap does – small groups in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles, day trips or overland road trips, customised for you.

Here is an idea of some of the tours we offer. The Peninsula Tour focuses on the Cape Point Nature Reserve by way of the Atlantic Seaboard and False Bay, with the very popular visit to the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Lunch is enjoyed at the restaurant at Cape Point which has panoramic views over False Bay. Whale-watching is guaranteed in season. With this reserve large enough to spend many hours, we won't rush you if you want to explore some of the smaller side-roads.

Our Winelands Tour features Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. As with all our tours, we take a circular route so that you can see as much of the scenery as possible with no repeats. The breathtaking Stellenbosch vistas will leave you wanting more but as there are almost 800 wineries in the area, we can only visit a few in one day! We visit the historic parts of Stellenbosch and then make our way in the direction of Franschhoek via Hellshoogte Pass. Lunch is usually in Franschhoek with a few more wineries after lunch.

The Constantia Wine Route encompasses the historic Groot Constantia which is the oldest in the country. We also visit Klein Constantia to taste the famous Vin de Constance – celebrated by writers and royalty for several centuries. Steenberg Estate is another stunning winery in this valley which we can visit, along with Buitenverwachting or Constantia Glen with its gorgeous views. The day can also include a visit to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens – one of the most spectacular such gardens in the world. At any time of year there is something blooming. In summer we can enjoy a picnic on the lawns, children are more than welcome to play and explore to their heart's content.
The iconic Table Mountain is an absolute must for all visitors to the Cape – we like to combine this visit with a tour of historic Cape Town – the Castle of Good Hope, the Company's Garden, and a multitude of museums to select according to what interests you.

There are many other attractions in the vicinity of Cape Town and we can show you all of them – Robben Island, home to the well known jail in which President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for eighteen years which is now a Unesco Heritage Site. Or you might want to do a day trip up the West Coast to explore a nature reserve set on a magnificent lagoon where in spring the ground is a carpet of colourful blooms, or a visit to a San village to see how the oldest inhabitants of Africa lived.

For those who have more time to spare after visiting the peninsula's most popular attractions there is always a road trip down the road less travelled. If you have 5 or 6 days to spare and a sense of adventure, we will take you on a trip you will never forget. We start by spending a couple of days on Route 62 visiting small but quirky and friendly towns that are surrounded by spectacular mountain ranges – this scenery is so beautiful, it has to be seen to be believed. We spend two nights in Oudtshoorn – the world capital of ostrich farming. Here you can enjoy a bush safari, feed elephants by hand, visit a wildlife ranch, the Cango Caves, or even a 4x4 drive up one of the most famous mountain passes in the Cape – Swartberg Pass. This is also a lovely town for children with many activities designed with them in mind.

After these few days inland we hop over a mountain pass or two and find ourselves in the coastal region known as the Garden Route – a very apt name for this lovely area. Stunning white beaches, lush forests, majestic views, wildlife and adventure – whatever your interests, you can indulge in them all. Ideally one must spend two days in this area and we usually overnight in Knysna overlooking the famous lagoon heads. On the way home we can visit Mossel Bay – the site of the famous old tree that was used as a post office by mariners and explorers or take a detour from the national road to visit the southern-most point of Africa at Cape Agulhas.

All our tours are priced individually, according to the number of clients and the itinerary/activities to be done. We encourage you to visit our website to see more and to contact us so that we can make you a proposal.
We offer guiding in English or French.

Our guides are carefully selected to provide you with a unique experience – friendly and fun, professional and discrete, knowledgeable and informative – we'll ensure your holiday is everything you hoped it would be!

Written by Francoise Armour, of Tours du Cap