Wine tram through Western Cape visiting the wine estates.
One of the most popular activities to do in Franschhoek is the Wine Tram. The tram is the perfect way to see multiple vineyards and wine estates in a day (or multiple days if you want to do more), experience some of the most amazing food & restaurants South Africa has to offer and at the same time take in the stunning views of Western Cape.
The wine tram goes from near the main road in Franschhoek and you can buy tickets on the day, however if there is a certain line you want to do at a certain time, it's probably better to buy the tickets in advance to make sure it isn't full.
How to decide which line to do on the wine tram?
There are around 10 different lines (routes) you can do on the wine tram and it can be confusing as to which one to chose or which is the 'the best'. To help you decide, I'd say to research which wine estates you are interested in visiting and then see online which line covers the majority of ones you want to visit. We decided on our line based on the fact we wanted to go to Maison and Mont Rochelle so picked the yellow one (however I think the lines change so may not be the yellow one now). There were a few others we wanted to visit, however we decided to visit these separately on another day.
How much does the wine tram cost?
Our tickets cost around 35 USD (550R) for the day and this includes the 'hop-on hop-off experience'. For each line you get a full day ticket that allows you to get on and off at the wine estates you're interested in and then know which time the tram comes to take you onto the next one. The cost includes entry into each of the wine estates but not drinks and food, which extra. The ticket does often include discounts for when you are at each wine estate though.
Some highlights from our wine tram tour
Grande Provence
Our first stop was Grande Provence, a heritage wine estate set in Western Cape's valley, surrounded by 47 acres of beautiful landscapes. Grande Provence is over 300 years old and the estate as well as the scenery surrounding it are stunning. We sat in their garden and did wine tasting (that included 3 glasses of wine) whilst a sommelier told us about the wines.
Maison
Next up was Maison, a smaller wine estate that seemed more like a family house. This wine estate is famous for it's restaurant Chef's Warehouse (there is also one at Beau Constantia) and it's delicious wines which you can try in 'The Tasting Room' there. We decided to do wine tasting (accompanied by a snack of fresh oysters) in their garden to soak up the sun and the stunning views around.
Mont Rochelle
The third stop was Mont Rochelle, a wine estate we had really been looking forward to visiting. Mont Rochelle is owned by Sir Richard Branston and is not only a wine estate, but also a hotel and spa with restaurants and shops. Whilst visiting Mont Rochelle you can explore the paths that wind in between the vineyards, take a tour of the cellars or just take in the stunning views this estate has to offer.
We decided to stop here for lunch and from their Country Kitchen restaurant you can get picnic baskets to take and eat outside where you want. We called ahead and pre-ordered our picnic basket (but I don't think this is always necessary). The basket included a mixture of breads, salads, meats and cheeses and you can also buy wine to go with it (glasses and cups are included in the picnic basket).
We also visited some other wine estates during our time in Franschhoek, so check out my other blog post on this
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