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Guide · Constantia
Red bus wine tour in Cape Town: by bus to Groot Constantia
The red bus wine tour in Cape Town is a short purple loop from Constantia Nek to two historic estates. Here is how to reach it, when it runs and what the tasting combo includes.
Check availabilityfrom $33 · cancel at no cost
Editorial team, capetownbustour.comUpdated October 26, 20266 minutes to read34 sources
How the wine bus fits the network
The wine bus has no stop in the city, so you reach it on the Blue Mini Peninsula Tour. At stop 21, Constantia Nek, you change from the Blue route onto the purple wine bus.1 Its route page lists 3 stops: Constantia Nek, Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia.2 The operator gives the loop about 30 minutes, the same figure the GetYourGuide listing gives the purple line.3
This is the red bus wine tour in Cape Town that people ask about: the buses are red, but a sign on the front shows the Purple route.5 Every ticket covers it, so there is nothing extra to pay for the ride itself.3 What you pay for is the tasting and any museum entry at the estates.
The change point itself is a quiet stop on the saddle between the valleys, and the waiting matters more than the place. Check the timetable for both buses at Constantia Nek before you set off, and note the last purple bus back. Missing it leaves you at the estates, a long way from the city, waiting for a ride home.
One day
From the Waterfront to the wine valley
Getting there on the Blue route
Start early if you want the Constantia wine bus to fit into a relaxed day. On the 2026/2027 timetable the first Blue bus leaves the Aquarium at 8:00 from 12 December to 3 January and at 9:00 otherwise, and reaches Kirstenbosch at 8:48 or 9:48.6 The wine bus reaches Groot Constantia at 9:16 or 10:16 on its first run.9
Kirstenbosch is the stop before the change. The operator gives its gates as open from 8 am to 5 pm and suggests 1 to 2 hours there.7 SANBI describes the garden as one of the great botanic gardens of the world, against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.10 The two combine well: gardens in the morning, wine estate after lunch.
After Constantia the Blue route carries on to World of Birds and Monkey Jungle and to Mariner's Wharf in Hout Bay before returning along the Atlantic.118 If you still have energy after the estate, change back at Constantia Nek and finish the loop by the sea rather than doubling back the way you came.
Three ways in
Bus with tasting, bus alone, or a guided tour
All in one
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Which Constantia plan suits you
Choose by how much wine and how much freedom
Our Visitors Route offers a circular self-guided tour of the heritage-rich core of the wine estate.
Groot Constantia: the story behind the estate
Groot Constantia describes itself as South Africa's first wine farm, established in 1685.4 Iziko Museums, which runs the house museum, dates the farm to the land granted to Simon van der Stel in 1685, which makes it one of the oldest commercial wine farms in the country.17 The estate is a Provincial Heritage site and calls itself a living museum.18
The family most tied to its fame is the Cloetes, who owned the farm from 1778 to 1885.19 Iziko notes that Napoleon was supplied with Constantia wine while in exile on St Helena.20 The homestead was badly damaged by fire in 1925 and restored under the supervision of the architect Kendall.21
The estate's Orientation Centre in the Jonkershuis complex tells the farm's story from past to present, including slavery on the estate.22 Give it time: it is the part of the visit that explains how the wine and the wealth were made, and it changes how you see the gables and oaks outside.
Map
Where the three bus routes stop
First the whole network from the V&A Waterfront to Hout Bay, then the city and Atlantic stops of the Red route, then the wine valley and harbour stops behind Table Mountain.
1Two Oceans Aquarium3CTICC4Greenmarket Square5Table Mountain cableway6Camps Bay7Sea Point8Green Point lighthouse9Mount Nelson Hotel10Signal Hill11Kirstenbosch12Constantia Nek13Groot Constantia15Hout Bay bird park16Mariner's Wharf
1Two Oceans Aquarium2Clock Tower3CTICC4Greenmarket Square5Table Mountain cableway6Camps Bay7Sea Point8Green Point lighthouse9Mount Nelson Hotel10Signal Hill
11Kirstenbosch12Constantia Nek13Groot Constantia14Beau Constantia15Hout Bay bird park16Mariner's Wharf
- 1Two Oceans Aquarium
Stop 1 and the main ticket office; the harbour and canal cruises leave from here.23
In Google Maps ↗ - 2Clock Tower
Stop 2, for Zeitz MOCAA and the Robben Island gateway.24
In Google Maps ↗ - 3CTICC
Stop 3 on the Red route, by the convention centre.25
In Google Maps ↗ - 4Greenmarket Square
A short walk from stop 5, the downtown office where the walking tours start.26
In Google Maps ↗ - 5Table Mountain cableway
Stop 7, at the lower cable station; the operator suggests 2 hours.27
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Camps Bay
Stop 8, the beach strip, served by the Red and Blue routes.2829
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Sea Point
Stop 10 on the beachfront, near St John's Road.30
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Green Point lighthouse
Stop 12, just north of the lighthouse, by the Urban Park.31
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Mount Nelson Hotel
Stop 15 on the Blue route, in Orange Street.32
In Google Maps ↗ - 10Signal Hill
The only stop of the Sunset Bus; not on the daytime routes.33
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Kirstenbosch
Stop 20 on the Blue route; the operator suggests 1 to 2 hours.7
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Constantia Nek
Stop 21, where you change from the Blue route to the wine bus.1
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Groot Constantia
On the wine bus route, granted to Simon van der Stel in 1685.217
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Beau Constantia
The third stop of the wine bus; booking required.215
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Hout Bay bird park
Stop 22, World of Birds and Monkey Jungle in Hout Bay.11
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Mariner's Wharf
Stop 24 at the Hout Bay harbour, for Seal Island boat trips.8
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Before the wine bus
01
Check
- The last wine bus from Groot Constantia
- Closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day
- Tasting only for ages 18 and over
02
Plan
- Book Beau Constantia ahead
- Change buses at Constantia Nek
- No own picnic on the estate
Cost calculator
Bus with tasting or a guided tour
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Video
A look around the Groot Constantia vineyard and winery
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The tasting combo and the estate's own tickets
The combo booked on this page starts from $33 and averages 4.54 from 78 reviews. It includes a 1-day hop-on hop-off ticket on all routes, entry to Groot Constantia, a tasting of 5 selected wines, a souvenir crystal wine glass, the Manor House Museum and the Cloete Cellar, and self-guided audio tours of the estate. The bus ticket is valid on the date of first use and can be upgraded to 2 days.
The estate sells its own tickets too. Its tasting is 5 wines of your choice with a souvenir glass, and its Visitors Route ticket adds the Manor House Museum, the Cloete Cellar and a guided or self-guided cellar tour, hourly from 10:00 to 16:00.14 The Visitors Route is a circular walk through the historic core, with 3 free audio walking tours.16
Wine tastings are only for guests aged 18 and over. Families with children can still ride the wine bus and visit the house museum; the kids' commentary channel on the bus is in English. Tips are not included in the combo.
Opening hours and estate rules
Plan your time inside the estate's hours. The production cellar, Cloete Cellar and Manor House open 7 days a week from 10:00 to 17:00, with the last tasting ticket at 16:00; the wine tasting room and shop open from 9:00 to 18:00, last tasting ticket 17:00.12 The estate closes on Good Friday and Christmas Day, and at 16:00 on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.13
Beau Constantia, the third stop of hop-on hop-off in Constantia, keeps shorter hours. The bus operator lists it as open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm, with booking required.15 Book ahead if you want to taste there, or treat it as a view stop and stay on the bus.
One rule surprises visitors. At Groot Constantia guests may not bring their own picnic or food onto the estate, and picnic baskets must be reserved from its restaurants at least 24 hours ahead.18 If you planned to carry a picnic from the city, save it for Kirstenbosch instead.
Constantia or Franschhoek by bus?
Cape Town has two wine trips that use hop-on hop-off vehicles, and they are very different days. Constantia sits inside the city's own bus network: you reach it on an ordinary bus ticket, change once at Constantia Nek, and can be back at the Waterfront for dinner.13 It works as half of a bus day, with Kirstenbosch or Hout Bay as the other half.
Franschhoek is a full day out of town. The wine tram trip from Cape Town takes 8.5 hours with a coach transfer, and the tram visits a different set of estates on each colour line. Our page on the Franschhoek wine tram explains the lines, the terminals and the transfer.
If your time is short or you want the history of the oldest estates, choose Constantia. If you want a whole day among vineyards with several tastings in a row, choose Franschhoek, and keep Constantia for the bus day. Either way, remember that the tastings are paid for separately unless your booking says otherwise, and that at Groot Constantia they are only for guests aged 18 and over.
A Constantia day, step by step
A relaxed plan takes most of a day. Board the Blue route early at the Waterfront, spend the morning at Kirstenbosch, then ride on to Constantia Nek and change to the wine bus.71 Allow a good part of the afternoon at Groot Constantia: the tasting, the museum and the cellar walk take time if you do them properly.
Return to Constantia Nek on the wine bus and pick up the Blue route towards Hout Bay or back to town. The operator gives the last wine bus arrivals at Groot Constantia as 17:08 or 17:18, depending on the season.9 Leave the estate well before that, and check the operator's live bus tracker for the next bus.34
If you would rather not manage buses, a guided half-day Constantia tour with pickup in Cape Town visits Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia with all tasting fees included. It starts from $133 and averages 4.74 from 24 reviews. The bus is the cheaper and freer way; the guided tour is the one where someone else watches the clock.
Your days in town
Let the red buses show you the city.
Three routes, commentary in 15 languages, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How do I get to Groot Constantia by bus?
Blue route, then the wine bus. Change at stop 21, Constantia Nek, onto the purple wine bus.12
How long is the wine bus loop?
About 30 minutes. It links Constantia Nek, Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia.32
Is the wine bus included in the hop-on hop-off ticket?
Yes. Every ticket type covers all the routes, the wine bus included.3
What does the tasting combo include?
Entry, 5 wines and a glass. Plus the Manor House Museum, the Cloete Cellar and the bus for the day.
When is Groot Constantia open?
Every day but Good Friday and Christmas. The cellars and Manor House open from 10:00 to 17:00, the tasting room from 9:00.1213
Can I bring a picnic to Groot Constantia?
No. Own food is not allowed; picnic baskets are reserved from the restaurants 24 hours ahead.18
How old is Groot Constantia?
Dated to 1685. The land was granted to Simon van der Stel that year.17
Can children come on the wine bus?
Yes, but no tasting. Wine tastings are only for guests aged 18 and over.
Sources
Where the information comes from
- 1City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour↩
- 2City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Purple Constantia Valley Wine Tour↩
- 3City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town↩
- 4Groot Constantia (official estate site)Our legacy↩
- 5City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town↩
- 6City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)↩
- 7City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour↩
- 8City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour↩
- 9City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Cape Town timetable 2026/2027 (PDF)↩
- 10South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)Kirstenbosch↩
- 11City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour↩
- 12Groot Constantia (official estate site)Opening times↩
- 13Groot Constantia (official estate site)Opening times↩
- 14Groot Constantia (official estate site)Experience Groot Constantia↩
- 15City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Purple Constantia Valley Wine Tour↩
- 16Groot Constantia (official estate site)Experience Groot Constantia↩
- 17Iziko Museums of South AfricaGroot Constantia↩
- 18Groot Constantia (official estate site)Experience Groot Constantia↩
- 19Iziko Museums of South AfricaGroot Constantia↩
- 20Iziko Museums of South AfricaGroot Constantia↩
- 21Iziko Museums of South AfricaGroot Constantia↩
- 22Iziko Museums of South AfricaGroot Constantia↩
- 23City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 24City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 25City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 26City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 27City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 28City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 29City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour↩
- 30City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 31City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Red Cape Town City Tour to Table Mountain↩
- 32City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Blue Mini Peninsula Tour↩
- 33City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Sunset Bus Experience↩
- 34City Sightseeing South Africa (operator of the Cape Town hop-on hop-off buses)Frequently Asked Questions Cape Town↩
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