Accessible Cape Town

One of Cape Town’s delights is its proximity to the best wine farms in South Africa – or even the best in Africa.

Get hold of a copy of John Platter’s Wine Guide, which lists basic accessibility for all wine farms. You can always phone for further details if needed. You can view previous editions of the guide and run a search for 'wheelchair friendly' farms by registering online at www.platteronline.com. However, not many turn up that are in the close vicinity of Cape Town and you should always phone up to check accssibility in advance.

Wine touring ideas

For a top day trip into the heart of the winelands, visit Stellenbosch. It's a beautiful, poshed-up university town which is filled with art galleries and trendy shops and restaurants – perfect if you have some money to splash around. It’s surrounded by fine places to wine and often dine – we'll be putting up some recommendations shortly.

Another town to head to is Somerset West, about 40km from Cape Town city centre. The town itself is drab to say the least, but on the outskirts you'll find the lovely Vergelegen, a huge, ancient wine farm with acres of landscaped gardens and two excellent restaurants. The name means 'located far away' but it's not entirely true - many superb wine farms have grown up in the vicinity and a visit to the area makes a perfect day or afternoon trip.

You could also go off the beaten track and visit one of South Africa's up-and-coming brandy farms. See details on Van Ryn brandy farm below.

Hilton Purvis & Robertson Valley

Hilton Purvis is the expert on wine farms around here: he has personally assessed every single one of the farms in the Robertson Valley as well as generously sharing information about his travels around the region. You can find a list of some of his excellent and entertaining articles on this page.

Spier Wine Farm

R310 Lynedoch Road, near Stellenbosch, 021 809 1100, www.spier.co.za

General: The Disney of the wine tasting world. Expect bus-loads of tourists, industrial tasting tours and sessions, beautiful gardens for picnicking, and an excellent 'Moyo' restaurant offering a first-rate African buffet lunch.

Access: Accessible for wheelchair users, but awaiting detailed information.

Back to main menu

Van Ryn Brandy Farm

Van Ryn Road, Vlottenburg (near Stellenbosch), 021 881 3875, www.vanryn.co.za

General:Van Ryn is the biggest brandy producer in South Africa. It's based in a small elephant-grey château near Stellenbosch and makes a great alternative to the wine route. Quieter and more personal too!

There are tours and tastings of their 10 and 12-year old brandies, or 12, 15 and 20-year old brandies (R25 ($2.50) or R75 ($7.50). The latter includes rich coffee and three types of Belgian chocolate designed to complement the brandies (and loosen your purse strings).

Access: Awaiting detailed information.

Back to main menu

Vergelegen Wine Farm

Somerset West, 021 847 1334, www.vergelegen.co.za

General: Vergelegen was granted in 1700 to Governer of the Cape Willem Adriaan van der Stel, an extraordinary man something between a farmer, a botanist, a forester and a horticulturist. The legacy he left in the beautiful homestead and gardens was later added to by Lady Florence Phillips, who lived and died in the estate in 1940.

Today it's one of the most famous wine estates in South Africa and the perfect place to enjoy lunch (or a wedding!). Just mind your pocket, as prices are not cheap and you have to book and pay for a picnic basket - it's not possible to bring your own.

Access: Despite the huge size and age of the estate, Vergelegen have gone to some lengths to help people with disabilities visit the gardens.

There are two disabled parking bays at the far left-hand side of the car park as you enter. If you can’t manage the step up to the gift shop/entrance, follow the path to the right around the building (unsigned) and enter through the courtyard. Here's where you can also access the wine tasting room and accessible toilet.

You can pick up a map from in the gift shop showing accessible routes and pathways around the property (which is HUGE). Most areas are accessible with a bit of help, although note that paths are a mixture: some brick, some gravel, some earth, and some wooden walkways that have no barriers to stop people falling off sides.

There’s a disabled toilet in the courtyard and another near the Rose Terrage restaurant. The Lady Phillips restaurant is posher but a bit less accessible: wheelchair users must enter through the side door and there is no accessible toilet.

If needed, reserve Vergelegen’s manual wheelchair in advance by calling 021 847 1334.

There are no special arrangements currently for people with visual or hearing impairments.

Back to main menu