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Explore the vineyards at Groot Constantia with your family, including your dog

On Saturday we took Kygo, our rottweiler, for a walk at Groot Constantia. The estate was established in 1685 and is Cape Town’s oldest wine producing farm. It offers the most picturesque views of the vineyards and the mountains. The great news is that the estate is dog friendly (provided your pooch is on a lead) and you can wander on the designated paths on the estate between 8am and 5pm, 7 days a week.

Kygo and I at the Groot Constantia Estate


Groot Constantia offers amazing views and a fun-filled adventure




Elephant's Eye in the distance


Waleed and Kygo enjoying the stroll through the vineyards

The estate is extremely popular with many people enjoying a trail run or a walk with the family. It also attracts lots of tourists with the sightseeing red bus passing through. 

When you’ve entered the estate and parked, you can follow the tree-lined path that leads to the Iziko Museum where you can learn about the estate’s fascinating history. Behind it, there are two shallow ponds where we saw some ducks swimming with their ducklings. 


There are spectacular spots for pictures


The pond behind the museum

There are two restaurants on the estate, Simon’s and Jonkershuis who both have breakfast on offer after a morning walk. Simon’s also provides picnic baskets, which you can enjoy in the shade provided by the lush trees. 

A 4km adventure through the vineyards

We walked just before noon and it was quite hot. The orchards are beautiful, with rows and rows of bright green vines housing bunches of dark purple grapes. You are not allowed to eat these, as it is used to make their award-winning wines. 

grapes galore

A walk through the vineyards while enjoying the majestic mountain views

There are some nice spots where you can take a break and enjoy the shade of an old oak tree. Remember to wear a hat and sunscreen. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water and a collapsible bowl for your dog, so that you can stay hydrated. The restaurants are dog-friendly too and have water bowls readily available. 

Kygo taking a water break as a trail runner passes by


Some bright pink Sugarbushes in the foreground and you can see all the way to Gordon's Bay

What goes up must come down...


We completed a 4km loop around the vineyards and some of the terrain is quite hilly. After our walk, Kygo had a refreshing dip in the pond behind the museum. Of course, he used the one without any inhabitants :) 

Doing a leopard crawl in the pond



Have you been for a walk at Groot Constantia? Drop me a comment and share your views. 

Feel free to share the link to this blog with anyone looking for a new, dog-friendly place to explore.

You can follow our adventures with Kygo on Instagram or Facebook. 

Stay safe and take care,

Imtithaal

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