Winelands Helicopter Tour

Winelands Helicopter Tour

The Winelands helicopter tour is the operator's private wine-estate flight, departing the V&A Waterfront Heliport for one (or sometimes two) selected estates in Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Constantia, Paarl, Walker Bay or the Elgin Valley. Aircraft is the Airbus H125 or H130, both SACAA-maintained (the South African Civil Aviation Authority that licenses commercial flight operations). The flight lands at the estate's private helipad; tasting, cellar tour and lunch run on the ground; the same aircraft collects you for the return.

What does the Winelands helicopter tour include?

The Winelands tour is a private helicopter charter from the V&A Waterfront Heliport to a selected wine estate (or two), with the aircraft and pilot returning to base or waiting on the estate's helipad, depending on the package. The flight typically takes ten to twenty minutes one way; the ground experience runs two to four hours. Tasting and lunch are arranged with the estate and settled separately; the helicopter cost covers transfer only. Booking lead time is forty-eight hours minimum to secure the estate's landing permission.

Lunch and wine tasting are included in the Wine Tour. Lunch is capped at R1500 pp, and Wine Tasting at R350 pp. All wines purchased for off-site consumption will be for guests' own account. Please contact us should you require more information.

Which wine estates can the Winelands helicopter tour visit?

The Winelands tour can be flown to any of around twenty partnered wine estates across the Cape's main wine regions. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Constantia are the most-booked; Paarl, Walker Bay and the Elgin Valley make up the longer-flight packages; Durbanville is the closest and works for guests who want to be back at the V&A by lunch. Each estate has its own helipad and its own tasting, cellar and dining set-up; the helicopter cost varies with flight time, and the on-the-ground experience varies with the estate.

Estate-specific pricing is set per WooCommerce variation on this product; final cost includes the helicopter charter only. Tasting, cellar tour and lunch are arranged directly with the estate and settled there.

How long is a Winelands helicopter tour?

A single-estate Winelands tour runs around three to five hours total V&A to V&A: ten to twenty minutes flight each way, two to four hours on the ground for tasting, cellar tour and lunch. Two-estate packages run a full day, typically with one Stellenbosch or Franschhoek morning estate and a Walker Bay or Hemel-en-Aarde afternoon estate. The Creation Wines package out of Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is the longest single-estate trip at fifty minutes one way and is the only one that's hard to fit into a half day.

Who is the Winelands helicopter tour for?

The Winelands tour suits guests who want a full Cape Winelands experience compressed into a single day, anniversary or honeymoon couples, corporate guests entertaining clients, and visitors with a strict schedule. The helicopter cuts the Stellenbosch drive from ninety minutes (often closer to two hours in summer traffic) to fifteen airborne minutes, which is the single biggest reason guests choose this product over a road-and-driver day. It is also the only winelands product where guests can land at multiple estates in different valleys on the same day.

• Couples on an anniversary or honeymoon. The flight itself is the experience; the estate is the destination.
• Corporate hosts. Two estates in one day, no logistics, no driving; a milestone for visiting clients.
• Time-constrained visitors. The flight replaces a full day of road time with twenty airborne minutes.
• Helicopter wine tour cape town enthusiasts. Guests who've done several scenic flights and want a destination tour rather than a scenic loop.

In our booking team's experience, Babylonstoren is the most-asked Franschhoek estate, Tokara and Delaire Graff are the most-asked Stellenbosch estates for premium clients, and Creation Wines is the most-asked Walker Bay estate where the helicopter is essentially mandatory because the drive is roughly two hours each way.

How does the Winelands helicopter tour booking work?

The Winelands tour books as a private charter with the estate selected on the WooCommerce product variation. Booking lead time is forty-eight hours minimum to secure the estate's landing permission. Tasting, cellar tour and lunch are arranged directly with the estate (the booking team can coordinate or you can call the estate yourself). The helicopter cost is the charter only. Check-in is twenty to thirty minutes before take-off at the V&A Waterfront Heliport.

• Booking lead time: 48 hours minimum (estate landing permission).
• Check-in: 20 to 30 minutes before take-off at the V&A Waterfront Heliport.
• Aircraft: Airbus H125 or H130 (higher-altitude performance for the Hottentots Holland mountains).
• Estate experience: tasting and lunch settled directly with the estate; the helicopter charter is separate.
• Helicopter reposition: the operator may bring the aircraft back to base if operationally needed, then return to collect you.
• Weather: pilot's call. Wineland routes are more weather-sensitive than the V&A loops because of the mountain crossing. If the flight cancels, you reschedule or refund in full.

For pricing, scroll up to the booking form on this page and select your estate. For the wider tour catalogue see the helicopter tour packages category; for the editorial route comparison see the helicopter tour page.
 

Terms and Conditions

• The availability of all charters is subject to weather conditions and the charter operator's discretion.
• Booking and payment currency is in South African Rands.
• All charter bookings are subject to our Charter Terms and Conditions.
• You may be required to accept terms and conditions specific to the Charter Operator.
• The Charter Operator reserves the right to return the helicopter to base if operationally required and will collect from the wine estate at the appointed time.

How to Book

• Fill in the booking form for the charter you're interested in, and select whether you'd like us to quote for additional options.
• Once we've confirmed the booking date and time, we'll email you the charter quote, including additional options and our Charter Terms and Conditions.
• We'll send you your invoice and a secure payment link once we receive your acceptance of the quote and the signed booking terms and conditions.
• To secure your charter, simply make payment in full by bank transfer or a secure payment link.
• To avoid disappointment, it's best to reserve your charter early, especially during high season.
• Once we receive your payment, we'll send you a confirmation email for your charter with all the essential details.