Table Mountain, wine estates and coastal forest
This is leg 1 of 2, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Cape Town, Winelands & Garden Route
Cape Town to Stellenbosch & Franschhoek
Cape Town and Stellenbosch & Franschhoek sit about 40 km (25 mi) apart in a straight line, with Stellenbosch & Franschhoek to the east. It is leg 1 of 2 on our Cape Town, Winelands & Garden Route itinerary, a 10-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 40 km · 25 mi
- Est. road distance
- 48–56 km
- Est. drive time
- 35 min – 1 h 15 min
- Direction
- Heading east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Cape Town, Winelands & Garden Route itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 48–56 km (30–35 mi) of road and 35 min – 1 h 15 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Rent a car in Cape Town; the Winelands are 45 to 60 minutes away and Knysna is about 6 hours on the N2. Use Uber within Cape Town and a wine-tour driver or the Wine Tram so nobody has to drive between tastings.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Stellenbosch & Franschhoek
The Cape Winelands: historic Dutch towns ringed by mountains and estates. Stay 2 to 3 days.
Dorp Street
Oak-shaded street of Cape Dutch and Georgian houses in Stellenbosch's historic center.
Delaire Graff Estate
Hilltop estate on the Helshoogte Pass with wine tastings, art and wide views of the Simonsberg.
Spier Wine Farm
One of the oldest farms in the Cape, with tastings, picnics, Segway tours and Creative Block art.
Babylonstoren
Cape Dutch farm with a huge working fruit and vegetable garden, a farm-to-table restaurant and wine cellar.
Jonkershoek Nature Reserve
Mountain valley just outside Stellenbosch with trails to waterfalls and a scenic drive.
Tokara
Estate on the Helshoogte Pass with a restaurant, deli, olive oils and modern art over the vineyards.
Before you leave Cape Town
A harbor city under Table Mountain with beaches, museums and the Cape Peninsula on the doorstep. Stay 4 days.
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
Rotating cable car to the flat summit, with trails and views over the city, Robben Island and the Twelve Apostles.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Gardens of native fynbos on the eastern slope of Table Mountain, with a canopy walkway called the Boomslang.
Chapman's Peak Drive
Toll road cut into cliffs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, with pullouts over the Atlantic.
On this curated route
Where Cape Town → Stellenbosch sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Stellenbosch & Franschhoek to Cape Town is the same 40 km in a straight line, heading west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in January, when Stellenbosch & Franschhoek averages highs 6°C warmer than Cape Town. Over a year, Stellenbosch & Franschhoek gets about 250 mm more rain.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town high | 22° | 22° | 21° | 19° | 18° | 16° | 16° | 16° | 17° | 18° | 19° | 21° |
| Stellenbosch high | 27° | 28° | 26° | 23° | 20° | 17° | 16° | 16° | 18° | 21° | 23° | 26° |
| Cape Town rain | 14 | 9 | 17 | 37 | 51 | 91 | 81 | 76 | 40 | 31 | 30 | 12 |
| Stellenbosch rain | 20 | 15 | 25 | 48 | 71 | 135 | 124 | 121 | 62 | 47 | 46 | 20 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Stellenbosch & Franschhoek month guides.
Cape Town to Stellenbosch: questions travelers ask
How far is Cape Town from Stellenbosch & Franschhoek?
Cape Town is about 40 km (25 mi) from Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in a straight line, with Stellenbosch & Franschhoek to the east. By road, we estimate 48–56 km (30–35 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Cape Town to Stellenbosch & Franschhoek?
An estimated 35 min – 1 h 15 min, assuming 48–56 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Cape Town to Stellenbosch & Franschhoek?
Our Cape Town, Winelands & Garden Route itinerary includes this leg. Cape Town, Winelands & Garden Route runs about 10 days across 3 stops, best in Oct – Apr.
Onward from Stellenbosch
Guides for both ends
- Cape Town travel guide
- Cape Town weather best time to visit
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek travel guide
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek weather best time to visit
Stellenbosch by month
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in January
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in February
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in March
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in April
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in May
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in June
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in July
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in August
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in September
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in October
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in November
- Stellenbosch & Franschhoek in December
Plan Cape Town → Stellenbosch with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.