A 14-day culinary tour of Cape Town, Klein Karoo and the Garden Route

Join our culinary safari and discover the gastronomic delights, award-winning wine routes and beautiful sights of Cape Town and the Western Cape.

CAPE TOWN & GARDEN ROUTE TOUR

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For those passionate about food, culture and travel.

This wonderful tour is a combination of our Cape Town & Winelands Tour and our Klein Karoo & Garden Route Tour. We start off in Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula, exploring one of the most beautiful cities in the world and its impressive surroundings. We then move up the picturesque West Coast and Cape Winelands, discovering the epicurean delights of Langebaan, Paternoster, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. From here we visit the Klein Karoo via majestic mountain passes and the scenic Route 62. We then end our trip along the world-renowned Garden Route and spend some time in the lovely towns of Wilderness, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. Spoil yourself on this luxurious gourmet adventure of a lifetime. Join us and discover a few culinary gems off the beaten path amidst some of the most dramatic natural scenery in the world.

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CAPE TOWN * Day 1

o Airport pick-up and transfer to our luxurious boutique guest house in Cape Town. o After freshening up, we start our guided walk of Cape Town city centre and get familiar with

our surroundings. We have a stroll through the beautiful Company’s Gardens and explore the city centre.

o Along the way we pass many great spots for lunch. The possibilities are endless; Cape Malay curries, Indian boboties and breyanis, fresh sushi or even a famous Cape Town Gatsby sandwich … We are sure to come across something you will enjoy.

o After lunch there is some time to relax or take a cooling dip in the pool before we set off for Table Mountain. This iconic mountain symbolises Cape Town and offers amazing views of the city and its surroundings.

o At night we have our own proudly South African Braai (BBQ) and Potjie at our guest house.

* Day 2

o After breakfast at our guest house, we take a short ride to the Bo-Kaap. The heart and birthplace of Cape Malay and Muslim cuisine in South Africa. We go on our own spice route through this quaint section of Cape Town. For lunch we are joined by a local chef who will teach us the secrets behind some of the tastiest Cape Malay dishes.

o In the afternoon we are free to visit the V&A Waterfront and its countless shops and restaurants. We can also arrange a visit to Robben Island for those interested. Alternatively, we can also spend a day at one of Cape Town’s many beautiful beaches.

o In the late afternoon we drive up Signal Hill right in the middle of Cape Town to enjoy the sunset. Here we’ll taste the first and one of the finest South African Méthode Cape Classique sparkling wines, the Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel.

o For dinner we are free to enjoy one of Cape Town’s many top-class restaurants. Our experienced guides can make all bookings and transport arrangements and can suggest the best places to eat in town.

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EXPLORING THE CAPE PENINSULA Constantia to Cape Point

* Day 3

o After breakfast we visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, one of the great botanical gardens of the world, majestically set against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

o We then visit Klein Constantia Wine Estate. The Constantia valley is the oldest wine route in the Cape. Klein Constantia has helped to reclaim its former glory by initiating the revival of its world-famous sweet wine, Vin de Constance. Klein Constantia's wines regularly receive accolades, both locally and internationally.

o Gourmet Lunch at La Colombe on the Constantia Uitsig Wine Estate. Chef Luke-Dale Roberts’ award-winning restaurant needs no introduction. It consistently ranks as as one of the top 20 restaurants in the world.

o We then drive to our new guest house in Scarborough via Chapman’s Peak Drive. En route we pass the quaint fishing villages of Hout Bay, Noordhoek and Kommetjie. Chapman’s Peak Drive is without a doubt one of the most scenic and beautiful routes in the world. This drive offers plenty of opportunities for amazing pictures of the Sentinel and often spectacular sunsets.

o We arrive at our guest house in Scarborough. A hidden treasure surrounded by mountains and oceans where we will spend a luxurious and relaxing evening.

* Day 4

o After breakfast, we leave early for Cape Point Nature Reserve. No visit to Cape Town would be complete without a visit to the Cape of Good Hope. This dramatic spot offers views of massive sea cliffs, strong oceans and varied fauna and flora.

o From Cape Point we make our way to the Penguin Colony on Boulders Beach. Here, a colony of African Penguins entertains tourists and is one of the iconic sights of Cape Town.

o We have lunch at Harbour House restaurant overlooking the beautiful False Bay. In season we can even spot some whales in the bay whilst having lunch.

o After lunch we take our time to visit some of the chilled-out fishing villages along the False Bay seaboard such as Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay, St.-James and Muizenberg.

o We return to our guest house in Scarborough for the evening.

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WEST COAST

* Day 5

Breakfast at our guest house in Scarborough. We drive along the Atlantic seaboard and make our way up the West Coast. Along the way we pass interesting stops such as Llandudno, Camps Bay, and Green Point. Around noon we arrive in Langebaan, home to one of Africa’s most beautiful lagoons. Here we will have lunch at De Strandloper restaurant. This restaurant is famous with locals for it’s relaxed, open-air atmosphere and seafood of the highest quality. We sit with our feet in the sand next to the Atlantic ocean with a great view of the nearby lagoon. There is live music, and every kind of seafood, from black mussels to crayfish, is served over a leisurely three to four hour period. After lunch, by which time it’s already late afternoon we will take a short drive up to Paternoster for a relaxing walk or some time on the beach. We spend the night at our own private self-catering holiday home right on Paternoster beach.

LANGEBAAN & PATERNOSTER

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WESTERN CAPE WINELANDS The beautiful Winelands around Cape Town are our next stop. From our base in Stellenbosch

we discover the many award-winning wine estates and restaurants in this epicurean paradise.

* Day 6

o We go for breakfast at the Oep Ve Koep shop. A great little shop that serves the best in local produce and offers the tastiest breakfast along the West Coast. Here young chef Kobus van der Merwe uses local ingredients, home-grown veggies and fresh herbs to give you a delicious start to your day.

o We leave Paternoster and drive towards Stellenbosch. Along the way we may visit !Khwa ttu, the San Education and Culture Centre. The centre shows us the world of the first indigenous people of southern Africa. We can also have a light lunch at the !Khwa ttu restaurant or further down along our route.

o After lunch we pay a quick vist to the Taal Monument in Paarl. This monument chronicles South Africa’s linguistic history and offers an amazing view of the Cape winelands.

o We visit the KWV house of Wine and Brandy where we’ll taste some award-winning wines and brandies before our arrival in Stellenbosch.

o We check in to our Stellenbosch guest house. We can go for a short walk through the town centre and have dinner at one of Stellenbosch’s many great restaurants.

* Day 7

o Breakfast at our guest house in Stellenbosch. o We take a drive through the Cape Winelands to

Franschhoek. This little town calls itself South Africa’s wine and food capital. Like Stellenbosch, it has many top-class wine estates and restaurants. Along the way we will sample some delicious wines at various estates.

o Lunch is something truly special today. We will enjoy an elaborate gourmet meal at one of Franschhoek’s top restaurants such as Le Quartier Français, La Petite Ferme, Bread & Wine, …

o After lunch we have some time to explore the little shops and art galleries in Franschhoek. There’s is also a special crocodile-breeding farm, the French Huguenot Museum and the Franschhoek Motor Museum which we can visit.

o In the late afternoon we make our way back to our guest house in Stellenbosch for the night.

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* Day 8

o Breakfast at our guest house in Stellenbosch.

o We go to Jordan wine estate, one of the country’s top wine estates. The chef here is George Jardine, one of South Africa’s best chefs and winner of many culinary awards. His cuisine focuses on local produce and showcases some of the best ingredients South Africa has to offer. He will take us through some of his great dishes and offer us a cooking and bread-making workshop.

o After lunch at Jordan, we take a stroll through Dorp Street and visit the Village Museum in Stellenbosch. The historic centre of Stellenbosch and the quaint Village Museum offer a glimpse of what life was like in the early days of the colonial settlers.

o For those still hungry we can recommend a lovely restaurant to go for dinner.

* Day 9

o Breakfast at our guest house in Stellenbosch

o We make our way along the N1, go past Paarl and cross the scenic Du Toitskloof Pass.

o We then leave the highway and travel along the R62. This road is without a doubt one of the most beautiful routes in South Africa. Perhaps not as well known as the Garden Route, but just as much of a must-see in terms of its amazing panoramas, dramatic mountain passes and lovely quirky towns.

o Along the way we make time to stop at a few petite farm stalls and sample some local delicacies in Montagu so we don’t go hungry. We also visit the vineyards around Calitzdorp, renowned for some of the best port-style wines outside of Portugal. Before we reach our stopping place for the day, we have a quick look around Oudtshoorn and go to see one of its many famous ostrich farms.

o We arrive at our destination in Prince Albert, a romantic little Karoo town that will be our home for the next days. For dinner we have a choice out of many fine restaurants along the main road in town.

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* Day 10

o Breakfast at our guest house in Prince Albert. o After breakfast we are joined by our gastronomic

guide for the day, chef Vanie Padayachee. She’ll take us under her wing and show us around her adopted hometown.

o We’ll explore the local fig and olive orchards and learn some more about this little village’s colourful past. After lunch, Vanie treats us to a cooking class showcasing some typical South African ingredients. She will happily share some of the techniques and secrets of the trade that made her one of South Africa’s top chefs.

o After an afternoon of cooking and honing our culinary skills, we can have a relaxing stroll through town or just relax and take in the views of the surrounding Swartberg Mountains.

o For dinner we get a chance to taste a gourmet meal at Vanie’s African Relish kitchen.

* Day 11

o We have breakfast in Prince Albert before we set off over the sensational Swartberg mountain pass.

o After the pass we visit the Cango Caves, a national monument and a must-do on any trip to the Karoo.

o On our way to the Garden Route we stop in Oudtshoorn for a quick bite to eat and a visit to one of South Africa’s best chocolate makers, Rococo Chocolates.

o We then go past George and hit the Garden Route, without a doubt one of the most famous and scenic routes in the world. Our base here is Knysna, a small town of legendary beauty with green hills, colourful characters and an enchanting lagoon. We arrive in the afternoon with plenty of time to relax or to explore the beautiful town centre and waterfront.

o Late afternoon, we head out onto the Knysna lagoon and the Knysna Heads Nature Reserve. By sunset we’ll have a fresh oysters and champagne dinner in the middle of the lagoon.

KLEIN KAROO & GARDEN ROUTE Prince Albert, Knysna & Plettenberg Bay

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* Day 12

o After breakfast at our guest house, we visit the Knysna Elephant Park. Here we get a rare opportunity to touch and feed adorable baby elephants.

o We have lunch at the Île de Pain bakery on Knysna’s Thesen Island, run by master-baker Markus Färbinger and his wife Liezie.

o The afternoon is free for all to stroll around town, explore the art galleries, go on a ocean safari, play some golf or do a bread-making class with Markus.

o In the evening we are free to enjoy dinner at one of Knysna’s many great restaurants. We can highly recommend Zachary’s on the stunning 5* Pezula Estate. Here, award-winning chef Geoffrey Murray cooks some of the best local, honest and super-fresh food.

* Day 13

o Breakfast at our guest house in Knysna. o We leave Knysna, drive past Plettenberg Bay and The Crags. Here we visit Birds of

Eden, a magical living forest that houses the largest free-flight aviary in the world. o In the afternoon we have a choice of exploring Tsitsikamma National Park, Nature’s

Valley and Stormsriver, or spend a lazy day around the pool. o Our last dinner is at Kurland estate where young chef Leon Coetzee, a former

apprentice of Gordon Ramsey and Marco Pierre White, is cooking some of the best food along the Garden Route.

o We spend our last evening in pure luxury at one of SA’s top estates.

* Day 14

o Breakfast at the estate. o After breakfast we leave for Port Elizabeth, passing the Tsitsikamma National Park,

Stormsriver and the Bloukrans Bridge famous for the highest bungee jump in the world.

o In PE we take our flights back home or to Cape Town, or continue from here to one of the 5* game reserves in the area.

* Itinerary can be subject to changes

+ About Us:

"Eating and cooking; travelling to eat, taste and discover." Tour Guide – Yves Van Kerrebroeck Yves has been visiting Asia for years, exploring many different Southeast Asian countries and cultures. Born and raised in Belgium, Yves now lives in South Africa. From his home in Cape Town he organizes culinary tours in and around South Africa’s Western Cape, showing travellers the beautiful Cape winelands and introducing them to the many award-winning South African chefs and restaurants. Taste Culinary Tours works closely together with Eetavontuur, a catering and travel company from Belgium, putting together culinary travel packages to Asia, Europe and South Africa. Our local South African partner is Clive de Bruyne from capetowntourguide.com, a well respected and established tour guiding company from Cape Town. In Asia we have a solid partnership with handspan.com, an innovative and unique tour operator catering to our specific needs. Taste tours are small and intimate, putting the comfort and wishes of our travellers first and giving them a personal touch. Our relentless passion and years of expertise will guarantee you a unique experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

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Prices & Information

Bookings & Enquiries

Duration:

14 days and 13 nights

Group Size

Between 6 and 12 adults (children negotiable)

Price: €3150 pp (single supplement: €350)

For all bookings and enquiries please use the following contact information:

Email: tasteculinarytours@gmail.com

Telephone: +27 71 423 9813 or +32 494 770 736

Blog: tasteculinarytours.wordpress.com

Website: tastetravel.net

· Included:

• All accommodation at 4 & 5-star guest houses.

• All breakfasts. • One lunch or dinner per day, including

several gourmet dinners. • All brandy, food and wine tastings. • Sundowners and cocktails on special

occasions. • All cooking classes and workshops. • Refreshments and special gifts. • All transfers with air conditioned luxury

vehicle and fully qualified and experienced driver.

• Entrance fees to all national parks and museums.

• Local specialised guides. • Full-time services of a Dutch, French and

English speaking travel guide.

. Not Included:

• Drinks with meals • Any flights to Cape Town or return from

Port Elizabeth • Travel Insurance • Only one meal per day is not included.

We will always provide for breakfast and either a luch or dinner.

Prices and itinerary are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, weather conditions, availabiity of accommodation, etc…

Have a look on our website and blog for an idea of hotels, guest houses and restaurants we’ve worked with in the past.