A South African Birthday for Votte
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Head off to the historic heart of South Africa’s wine industry. Enjoy some time in the bustling town of Stellenbosch where solid, white-plastered buildings arose and the streets were planted with oak trees, giving it the name Eikestad (Town of Oaks), which is still used to describe the town today. Walk down the canal-lined avenues, in the shade of those now giant oak trees and its beautifully preserved historic buildings. Stop in at one of the world-renowned estates for a wine tasting and tune into the soul of the region’s winelands.  Return back to Cape Town in time for your afternoon Robben Island Tour.

To fully understand and appreciate the history of Cape Town – and more broadly, of South Africa – one must visit Robben Island, the infamous island prison off the coast of the city. For centuries the island was used to isolate prisoners, mainly those with alternative political leanings, from the mainland and therefore from political discourse. Notoriously, former South African President Nelson Mandela was incarcerated on the island for 18 of the 27 years he spent in prison. After boarding a ferry to reach the island, you will be met by a local guide – usually a former inmate of the island during the apartheid era – to participate on a shared outing where you will learn deeply moving and at times personal accounts of times past. Please note: Ferries depart at 9am & 1pm, weather permitting, from Nelson Mandela Gateway along the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The standard tour to Robben Island is three hours and 30 minutes long, including the two, half-hour ferry transfers.