WELLINGTON WINE WALK OVERVIEW Enjoy hiking through the beautiful Wellington valley in the winelands of the Western Cape 75 km from Cape Town, South Africa. Local guides, fully accredited and well versed in the history and culture of the area, will accompany you and take you through indigenous fynbos, vineyards, orchards and olive groves. If you love the outdoors, wine tasting and walking, this is an ideal holiday for you. All you carry is a light day-pack. Your luggage will be transferred for you to your next guest house. Walk at an easy pace and enjoy the scenery as you discover hidden treasures. Stop and taste the Wellington wines and olives produced in this fertile valley. GROUPS We encourage you to form your own party and to book as a group. We have found that the optimum party size is 8 to 12 people (with 2 people sharing a room). The minimum group size is 8 people, and this number would ensure exclusivity of your party. However if you have less than 8 people we still list you as a small group interested and will try to help get the required number of people by joining two smaller groups together. We can also accommodate larger groups (more than 12 people) on special request. ACCOMMODATION The guest houses are primarily geared for couples sharing rooms, and their accommodation is limited with respect to twin beds in double rooms. So, if you are a single gender group, or need twin beds, please inform us so that we can make your reservations at appropriate guest houses. OPTIONAL ROUTES 1. Wellington Wine Walk The original (3 days 3 nights) 2. Wellington Wine Walk The original (4 days 4 nights) 3. Wellington Wine Walk 2 (3 days 3 nights) NEW!
1. WELLINGTON WINE WALK THE ORIGINAL (3 DAYS 3 NIGHTS) ARRIVAL DAY wellington wine walk Check-in at Diemersfontein Wine Estate and Guest House (just outside Wellington) anytime after 14:00. Enjoy a wine-tasting here at 18:00 - here you will meet your guides. Dinner, bed and breakfast at Diemersfontein. WALK DAY 1: Buchu and olive trail (16 km) 08:00 am start. Guides come to Diemersfontein car park to collect you. You will be taken by tractor and trailer from Diemersfontein Wine Estate to the foot of the original Du Toit s Kloof Pass. Walk uphill for about 30 minutes and then stroll along contour paths through the forest and fynbos. Descend upon the biggest and oldest buchu and olive farms in the country, then proceed to the impressive Cascade Manor for lunch and visit the waterfall. After lunch walk through more olive groves to Druk-my-Niet for a wine-tasting and finally cross the road where you will check in at Augusta Kleinbosch for the night. Moderate, a few uphills, mostly level and downhill. WALK DAY 2: Kuier trail (16 km) ("Kuier" means having a relaxed and sociable visit - in this case to some very innovative farms) 08:00 am start. Guides come to Augusta Kleinbosch to collect you. Hike through vineyards past granite rocks and Bloublommetjieskloof, and stop at a little log cabin at the top of a hill for a presentation on the healing properties of Buchu and vine propagation ( stokkies ) while taking in the panoramic view all around you. Here you can also taste some olive products and pinotage jam. After a good "kuier" we proceed on to Hildenbrand Estate for lunch, and a wine-tasting. From here hike through more vineyards to your next guest house a choice of Bovlei Valley Retreat, Val du Charron, Monte Video, 5 Mountains or Oude Wellington. Dinner, bed and breakfast. (You may indicate your preferred first or second choice of guest house for this night, if you so wish. We will try to accommodate your request but this will be dependent on availability.) Moderate, a few uphills, mostly level. WALK DAY 3: Bovlei trail (9 km) 08:30 start. Guides will collect you. A shuttle takes you half way up the Bain's Kloof Pass to the old "tunnel" where you descend down a steep farm track through the fynbos to the Doolhof Estate for the first wine tasting. Walk on to Welvanpas (where Piet Retief, the Voortrekker, lived as a child) for lunch and tasting. Hike on through the Bovlei valley, past the vine nursery, and pop into Jenny Ferreira s award-winning garden. The shuttle will collect you here to take you to a winetasting at Petrus Bosman s newly restored state of the art wine cellar at Lelienfontein. From here you are shuttled back to your cars at Diemersfontein. Downhill and level, easy hiking.
COST (3-DAY 3-NIGHT HIKE) 2013: R4600 per person sharing 2014: R5060 per person sharing (Single supplement (1 person per room) additional R500 pp) wellington wine walk OPTIONAL EXTRA NIGHT An optional extra night s accommodation at the end of your walk is a popular choice, particularly for groups from afar, as it allows you to relax and really enjoy your last night together before heading back home not to mention the luxury of having a bit of a lie-in the next morning! Please contact us should you wish to get a quote for the extra night. *Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Diemersfontein can be quoted for and arranged. (Please note transport is NOT included in the price quoted above). PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION 50% deposit serves as confirmation of your booking Total amount to be paid 30 days prior to date of arrival Cancellation 14 days or more prior to date of arrival: forfeit 25% of total amount (half the deposit) Cancellation less than 14 days prior to date of arrival: forfeit full deposit
2. WELLINGTON WINE WALK THE ORIGINAL (4 DAYS 4 NIGHTS) wellington wine walk ARRIVAL DAY Check-in at Diemersfontein Wine Estate and Guest House (just outside Wellington) anytime after 14:00. Enjoy a wine-tasting here at 18:00 - here you will meet your guides. Dinner, bed and breakfast at Diemersfontein. WALK DAY 1: Buchu and olive trail (16 km) 08:00 am start. Guides come to Diemersfontein car park to collect you. You will be taken by tractor and trailer from Diemersfontein Wine Estate to the foot of the original Du Toit s Kloof Pass. Walk uphill for about 30 minutes and then stroll along contour paths through the forest and fynbos. Descend upon the biggest and oldest buchu and olive farms in the country, then proceed to the impressive Cascade Manor for lunch and visit the waterfall. After lunch walk through more olive groves to Druk-my-Niet for a wine-tasting and finally cross the road where you will check in at Augusta Kleinbosch for the night. Moderate, a few uphills, mostly level and downhill. WALK DAY 2: Kuier trail (16 km) ("Kuier" means having a relaxed and sociable visit - in this case to some very innovative farms) 08:00 am start. Guides come to Augusta Kleinbosch to collect you. Hike through vineyards past granite rocks and Bloublommetjieskloof, and stop at a little log cabin at the top of a hill for a presentation on the healing properties of Buchu and vine propagation ( stokkies ) while taking in the panoramic view all around you. Here you can also taste some olive products and pinotage jam. After a good "kuier" we proceed on to Hildenbrand Estate for lunch, olive oil and wine tasting. From here hike through more vineyards to your next guest house a choice of Bovlei Valley Retreat, Val du Charron, Monte Video, 5 Mountains or Oude Wellington. Dinner, bed and breakfast. (You may indicate your preferred first or second choice of guest house for this night, if you so wish. We will try to accommodate your request but this will be dependent on availability.) Moderate, a few uphills, mostly level. WALK DAY 3: Bovlei trail (9 km) 08:30 start. Guides will collect you. A shuttle takes you half way up the Bain's Kloof Pass to the old "tunnel" where you descend down a steep farm track through the fynbos to the Doolhof Estate for the first wine tasting. Walk on to Welvanpas (where Piet Retief, the Voortrekker, lived as a child) for lunch and tasting. Hike on through the Bovlei valley, past the vine nursery, and pop into Jenny Ferreira s award-winning garden. The shuttle will collect you here to take you to a winetasting at Petrus Bosman s newly restored state of the art wine cellar at Lelienfontein. From here the shuttle will meet you and transfer you to your guest house for the night. Downhill and level, easy hiking.
WALK DAY 4: Groenberg trail (12 km) 08:30 start. Guides will collect you. This walk starts in the Bovlei Valley and we go past a farm garden and up the hill to Twyfeling. From there we proceed upwards against the slopes of Groenberg until we reach the highest contours. Views are breathtaking from here. We then proceed around the foothills and descend upon Linton Park Estate where you can view the beautiful manor house with its antique furniture. From there a short walk takes us to Langkloof rose farm for lunch. After lunch we follow a vineyard trail to the tasting facility of Mischa farm for our last wine tasting. From here you are shuttled back to your cars at Diemersfontein. Uphill for about 2 hours with plenty of photo stops to catch your breath, then downhill and level. COST (4-DAY 4-NIGHT HIKE) 2013: R5950 per person sharing 2014:R6545 per person sharing (Single supplement (1 person per room) additional R600 pp) OPTIONAL EXTRA NIGHT An optional extra night s accommodation at the end of your walk is a popular choice, particularly for groups from afar, as it allows you to relax and really enjoy your last night together before heading back home not to mention the luxury of having a bit of a lie-in the next morning! Please contact us should you wish to get a quote for the extra night. *Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Diemersfontein can be quoted for and arranged. (Please note transport is NOT included in the price quoted above). PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION 50% deposit serves as confirmation of your booking Total amount to be paid 30 days prior to date of arrival Cancellation 14 days or more prior to date of arrival: forfeit 25% of total amount (half the deposit) Cancellation less than 14 days prior to date of arrival: forfeit full deposit
3. WELLINGTON WINE WALK 2 (3 DAYS 3 NIGHTS) NEW! wellington wine walk ARRIVAL DAY During the afternoon arrive at Cascade Manor Guest House (Paarl area) where you can have a brandy and spirit-tasting at 18h00. Dinner, bed and breakfast. WALK DAY 1 (12 km) 08:00 am start: Start walking up the slopes behind the waterfall to Buffet Olive groves, where you will be met by John Scrimger, manager of the estate, who will give you a brief informative talk on olive farming. Proceed through the buchu fields and fynbos to Kleinbosch Koppie with its stunning views and descend to the contour. Stop at Olyfenhout forest garden for a picnic lunch. Walk past more olive groves and vineyards to Imbuko Cellar for a wine-tasting. After lunch walk to Diemersfontein through more buchu fields and the Uitkyk vineyards. Wine-tasting at Diemersfontein. Check in for the night. (Dinner, bed and breakfast.) WALK DAY 2 (15 km) 08:00 am start: Start walking along the historic Trekpad to the Horseshoe Road. Proceed to Welvanpas (Jacques Smit) where you will have a wine-tasting on the front stoep. Walk past the guava and plum orchards accompanied by the farmer who will tell you about farming practices. After a port tasting in the vineyard, he will demonstrate grafting methods in the vine plantations. You then walk to Welgegund Estate for a wine-tasting. Then continue to Alkmaar for a tasting and lunch. Proceed through more vineyards to your next guest house, Monte Video Guest House (or 5 Mountains Guest Lodge) on the outskirts of Wellington. (Dinner, bed and breakfast.) WALK DAY 3 (12 km) 8h30: Guides meet you to start the day with a walk to Onverwacht. Pay a visit to Anna Cillie at her manor house at Onverwacht for an interesting talk on the history of the farm and their products. Proceed upwards against the slopes of the Groenberg Mountain via Vrugbaar. Proceed along a magnificent scenic route along the mountain and on to lunch at Twist Some More. After lunch walk up the hill to Arauna where you will have an interesting talk and tasting of their products and then on to your final wine-tasting of the tour at Mischa. Shuttle will fetch you to take you back to your cars at Cascade Manor. Walk ends at approximately 17:00. COST (3-DAY 3-NIGHT HIKE) 2013: R4600 per person sharing 2014: R5060 per person sharing (Single supplement (1 person per room) additional R500 pp)
OPTIONAL EXTRA NIGHT An optional extra night s accommodation at the end of your walk is a popular choice, particularly for groups from afar, as it allows you to relax and really enjoy your last night together before heading back home not to mention the luxury of having a bit of a lie-in the next morning! Please contact us should you wish to get a quote for the extra night. *Transfer from Cape Town International Airport to Cascade Manor can be quoted for and arranged. (Please note transport is NOT included in the price quoted above). PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION 50% deposit serves as confirmation of your booking Total amount to be paid 30 days prior to date of arrival Cancellation 14 days or more prior to date of arrival: forfeit 25% of total amount (half the deposit) Cancellation less than 14 days prior to date of arrival: forfeit full deposit
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE: Accommodation chosen from a selection of the following guest houses: Diemersfontein Wine Estate and Guest House, Cascade Manor, Augusta Kleinbosch, Bovlei Valley Retreat, Val du Charron, 5 Mountains, Oude Wellington and Monte Video (all DBB) Tour guide fees (SATOUR accredited guides based in Wellington) All meals and refreshments during the walk Tastings Transport of one medium-sized piece of luggage per person between guest houses WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED: Transport to Diemersfontein Guest House/ Cascade Manor on arrival day* Additional beverages and refreshments Mini-bar items Telephone calls Laundry Personal purchases WHAT TO BRING: Comfortable hiking boots or trainers Suitable clothing Light wind-cheater or rainwear Small day-pack Swim suit Sun-block Insect repellent/tick spray Binoculars Camera FITNESS You should be moderately fit to do this walk, however there is no strenuous climbing. You need to carry your own day-pack. FIRST AID Our guides are competent to perform first aid and carry the necessary equipment. INSURANCE We suggest that you take out personal insurance to cover medical expenses, personal accident, loss or damage to personal property, loss of money, loss of or damage to luggage, etc. We do not take responsibility for these items.
EXTRA TRANSPORT Should anyone require individual transport during the 3 (or 4) days of the walk, due to medical conditions (or other), we would need to call on Paarl Radio and Taxis to assist with this and this would be for your own account. ALLERGIES AND MEDICATION If you have any allergies bees, pollen, etc please remember to bring your antiallergy medication. You will be responsible for informing the guide of any medical condition you may have and for carrying your own prescribed medication.