Travel: A whale of a weekend in the Cape
There are loads of reasons to book for this Wine, Whales and Music Weekend.
Imagine this. A combination of wine tasting and high tea, gourmet dinners and jazz, chocolate making workshops and pizza ones, too. Add to this storytelling and bird walks, marine walks and whale-watching. Can you imagine a more fascinating, enjoyable weekend?
We can’t, which is why we’re booking for the Wine Whales and Music Weekend … a three-day celebration of wine, whales and music at the amazing De Hoop Collection (a treat in itself). The property, in the pristine De Hoop Nature Reserve, is quite the drive … but so worth it.
It’s on from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 July, and this is what’s in store … you can choose to go to all or just some of the events, depending on your interests and budget.
Kicking off on Friday, July 23, at 4pm, a nature Drive with delicious canapés and drinks, followed by a wine tasting and a gourmet dinner with wine pairings by Sijnn Wines and a musical evening with the jazz duo Hanna and Bram.
On Saturday, things kick off early with a guided bird walk along the vlei before breakfast .. then there’s a chocolate-making workshop with Richard von Geusau (great fun for the youngsters, too), and a wine, beer, gin and cheese tasting from local farms. There’s a pizza workshop where you’ll learn to make your own dough and create your own pizza, a High Tea and, in the afternoon, ‘Finding Old Fourlegs: The Remarkable Story of the Coelacanth’ with Professor Mike Bruton – ”I‘ll be reviewing the whole coelacanth saga with digital slides and will bring the story up-to-date with the discovery of a living specimen off the coast of KZN by amateur divers in late November 2019. I’ll also be covering aspects of marine conservation and exploration, emphasising how little we actually know about our marine life and how ‘citizen’ scientists can make meaningful contributions in this regard.“
The day ends with Whale Time Serenade for strings and flute – featuring world-class musicians Irina Tsoniff, Ivo Ivanov on violin and Vladimir Ivanov on Viola, Peta Ann Holdcroft on cello and Malané Hofmeyr-Burger on Flute along with your dinner.
On Sunday, July 25, after breakfast there’s the option of going on a guided marine walk at Koppie Alleen (where the coastline is exactly as it ought to be – unspoilt and brimming with life) watching the whales with Prof Bruton and De Hoop’s expert guides.
Rates to stay at De Hoop for the Wine Whales & Music Weekend range from R2 170 per person sharing a four-sleeper cottage for a two night stay to R5 194 per person in a suite.
The weekend rate – for a minimum two night stay – includes entertainment, wine and cheese tasting, two dinners and breakfasts, high tea and a visit with the whales. Drinks and guided activities are excluded – but additional costs are: Nature Drive – R375 per person (children u/12 half price); guided Bird Walk – R175 per person, children u/12 half price); Chocolate-making workshop – R100 per person, children 12/under – half price.
Contact – res@dehoopcollection.co.za or phone 021-422-4522.
