From cooking competitions to private wine cellar tours, DMCs and tour companies offer groups a wide range of options when it comes to sampling South Africa’s renowned wine culture and unique culinary offerings.
Ovation South Africa, a DMC with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town, organizes Dinner in the Vines, a custom-created event at Rhebokskloof Wine Estate, located in the Paarl wine region outside Cape Town.
“This is created for guests with long tables among the rows of vines,” says Neulah Mallinson, director for Ovation South Africa. “A beautiful clean white setting is used, with lanterns to add to the ambience. Food is usually paired with wines from the estate.”
For a team-building outing, Ovation offers groups a potjie cooking competition. Potjie is a traditional slow-cooked stew made in a cast-iron pot over an open fire.
Travel Motives, a DMC based in Johannesburg, can set up small groups at a local musician’s home for a traditional lunch and private music performance.
Private wine tastings at Haute Cabriere, a wine farm dating to the 17th century in the Franschhoek Wine Valley, can also be arranged by Travel Motives. Theatrical tours of the grounds and its history are part of the allure.
Groups should also take advantage of South Africa’s growing interest in craft beer. Coffeebeans Routes features a half-day Cape Town Beer Route tour focusing on beer brewing history and culture.
Other options in the Cape Town region include hot-air balloon rides over the Berg River Valley and cruising through the Constantia Winelands in a vintage car while sipping fine wine, as offered by Revel Adventures.
Durbanville Hills near Cape Town offers groups chocolate and wine pairings as well as biltong (cured meats) pairings with wine. There are also conference facilities on-site.
“Food Trucks are a big deal in Cape Town and it would be fun to soak up low-key, local culture by holding a session at the trucks,” says Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism. “Another trend is to have a ‘secret eat,’ where the location of the dinner and menu are only revealed at the last minute.”
Also popular are tours to shebeens in Soweto and other townships. Shebeens were informal, unlicensed bars that were especially popular during apartheid and run by women from their homes. Chaf Pozi is a popular shebeen-style barbecue restaurant that caters to groups.
