South Africa is world-famous for its first-class wines - discover the beautiful Simonsberg region on horseback and immerse yourself in this breathtakingly beautiful landscape with its spectacular flora and fauna!

In this gourmet region, you can enjoy varied rides, topped off with numerous wine tastings at some of the region's most renowned wineries, as well as excellent cuisine and an extensive range of cultural and excursion activities.

The excellently trained horses make every rider's heart beat faster and your hosts are themselves passionate rider, who are happy to share their enthusiasm for the sport with you!
This Riding tour takes you through the beautiful Simonsberg region, past various wine estates with a long tradition and historic towns with colorful architecture, such as Franschoek, Stellenbosch or Paarl. You can expect a varied landscape, usually ridden at a more leisurely pace. However, there are always opportunities for longer trotting or cantering sections.
When it comes to food, great importance is attached to local dishes in order to be able to enjoy the variety of South African food. Vegetarian dishes or special dietary requirements are therefore difficult to accommodate.
Ride through the beautiful landscape of the Simonsberge on this wonderful tour and let yourself be spoiled by the local wines and good food!

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Cape Town in the morning (arrival by approx. 11:30), transfer (approx. 30 - 45 min) to accommodation. Meeting point at farm at approx. 13/13:30 hrs. In the afternoon you will go on your first ride (approx. 2 hours) in the surrounding area, where you will get to know your horse for the week. After the ride, you will return to your accommodation. There you will have the opportunity to refresh and relax before you are invited to a stylish dinner accompanied by fine regional wines. Today you can expect a typical traditional dinner in the form of a braai, an African barbecue. You will spend the night at a cozy farm accommodation near town Stellenbosch or at the owner's farm.
During the trail, you will generally help out and to tack up and bridle the horses yourself after each ride.

Day 2: Today you start the day with a delicious breakfast before being taken to the starting point of the tour (around 9:30 am). You to ride through the famous vineyards of Boschendal and enjoy the magnificent views that await you here. You to ride towards the Plaisir De Merle vineyard, where a delicious lunch and wine tasting awaits you. Enjoy a meal with meat and cheese and matching wines. The winery can look back on a long history - wine has been produced here since 1693. After lunch, continue towards Kunnenburgh Farm. It offers you a fantastic view of Franschhoek and the Paarl valley. There are various wine estates along the way. In the afternoon, you can take a short break before being taken back to your accommodation. In the evening, a feast awaits you in one of the best restaurants in Paarl, prepared by the local chefs - it is precisely this cuisine that has made the region world-famous. Enjoy wonderful wines and a delicious meal and round off the evening.

Day 3: Today you set off on horseback at around 9:30 am. Your ride today will take you towards the Simonsberg, from where you will have a magnificent view of Franschhoek and the Paarl valley . You ride pass several wine estates and orchards such as Backsberg, Babylonstoren or Niel Joubert. After a ride of about 2.5 hours, you will stop for a break. A delicious lunch made from regional ingredients is already waiting for you, combined with a wine tasting. Afterwards, get back on your horse and ride past other vineyards such as Marianne, Natte Vallij, Le Bonheur and Mitres Edge. The destination of your ride is the purple windmill, where your horses can spend the night tonight. You enjoy the peace and quiet and a drink or two before you are taken to your accommodation for the night. You will stay in a traditional manor house at one of the oldest wine estates in the Paarl region. Enjoy the authentic, excellent accommodation and a delicious, freshly prepared dinner.

Day 4: Your wine tour for connoisseurs is far from over! You ride pass the Klapmuts koppie (small hill), from where you will have a breathtaking view of the flat landscape stretching out before you ride to Table Mountain in the background. You to ride up to a winery where you can do a little wine tasting before stopping for lunch. Today will be the longest riding day of the week with lots of ups and downs. Rely completely on the sure-footedness of your horses - you will be delighted! On steeper sections, you walk your horses for short distances. Depending on the season, you may have to dismount and walk short distances. You will reach your destination in the afternoon, to rear and relax with a glass of wine or another drink before being driven to your next accommodation. At the farm, you will be treated to regional dishes and good wine before you make yourselves comfortable after dinner and round off the evening in good company.

Day 5: Today you get on horseback for the last time and ride towards the mountains with views as far as Stellenbosch, the second oldest town in South Africa (after Cape Town). With a bit of luck, you will be able to see as far as False Bay along the Atlantic Ocean from here. On the way, you will stop for lunch with a delicious wine tasting. You then continue towards the southern side of the Simonsberg. You will have another opportunity to enjoy the magnificent view and take some photos before heading back. Finally, you sit together with a glass of champagne to round off the week with your new friends. Depending on the weather, you can also use the accommodation's pool. On your last evening of this tour, you will be spoiled with culinary delicacies and taste the delicious wine of your hosts one last time.

Day 6: After a hearty breakfast, you start your journey home. If you have not yet had your fill of the fantastic scenery, you can of course extend your stay at any time and choose one of the three types of accommodation (farm, mid-range hotel, 5* hotel).
(Subject to change)Day trip to the Atlantic with beach ride and seasonal whale watching (optional for additional days) if you do not wish to travel to Cape Town:
After an approx. 2-hour panoramic drive, you will meet your horses and start your ride through the unique fynbos landscape with its typical heather vegetation and impressive variety of plants, through dunes and near Gansbaai you will reach the wonderfully wide, secluded sandy beach. Here there are numerous beautiful opportunities for long, brisk gallops, and with a bit of luck in the season you may even see a whale or two accompanying you in the waves! After the four-hour ride, you will drive to Hermanus for lunch. Hermanus is a pretty little town with a welcoming atmosphere and excellent whale-watching opportunities from countryside . (Depending on the tides, you can visit Hermanus in the morning and to ride in the afternoon).

Accomodation

During the tour, you will spend the night in guesthouses and country hotels in double rooms. You generally spend the first night on the farm.

Farm accommodation
You stay right next to the stables at the foot of the majestic Simonsberg. The simple, small guest rooms are furnished in a rustic, cozy country style and each has its own small bathroom with shower/WC. In front of the rooms you have a small seating area with a view over the paddocks where the horses graze, the vineyards and orchards.

 

Saddle & Tack: Predominantly very comfortable trail saddles, mainly McClellan and English, English tack, mostly snaffle.

Experience: Advanced rider, comfortable in all gaits, with trail experience on varied terrains

Horses: Approx. 30 horses: Thoroughbred, Arabian, Anglo-Arabian, Boerpferd, Warmblood, Saddler, Basuto ponies, Friesian mix in species-appropriate husbandry. Lovingly cared for, sociable, well-trained, sure-footed and forward-going.