Incentive Travel: South African Safari, Vineyards and Private Dining in Cape Town
MICE in South Africa: Private Dining in Cape Town, Authentic Safari and Vineyards of Franschhoek for Business Travel.
We are still not fully over the THRILL of our South African adventure. We kicked 2025 off with a bang and I’m not quite sure how I will ever fully look forward to a (usually freezing cold) January again. It’s been a journey – exploring incentive travel programs, world class venues, vineyard dining with views of the countryside, and coasting across the wild in a Jeep Wrangler, spotting lions, buffalo and zebra by very close (but very safe) optic.
We’re back and here to bring you everything we’ve learnt along the way, laying out the best venues, suppliers and DMC’s South Africa has to offer for your next MICE event.
Home to the Big Five, we give you both activity based insight into the incentive travel options in rural South Africa, as well as inspiration for where to host meetings and team building events in the bustling city of Cape Town. The biggest perk of South Africa is it being an ideal travel destination all year round.
This article is written based on your group accommodation being situated within Cape Town. All of our recommendations are for activities, venues and things to do within a reasonable distance from the city.
Experiences
- Hosted or Self-Drive Safari
- Various reserves including Melozhori and Aquilla approximately 2 to 3 hours drive from the city
- We would suggest booking private transport and stopping en route at one of the wonderful vineyards. Break up the journey (and enjoy the wine
We respectfully do not recommend the ‘day trip’ activity bookings that many travel websites try to push. Book lunch and wine tastings in advance. - Smithsfields recommends: Horseback Safari
- Franschhoek Wine Tram
- Departing from Franschhoek or Groot Drakenstein Terminal
- Approximately 60 minutes from the city by car
- All day activity including hop-on-hop-off scenic travel through the valleys
- Curated wine tastings and outstanding culinary experiences
- There are 5 separate tram lines to choose from offering independent routes to differing local vineyards
- Smithsfields Favourite Stop: Grande Provence
- Overnight stay or team build at the luxury Babylonstoren
- Multi award winning venue including Luxe 100 Best Awards 2022 and 2024, Best Hotel in South Africa
- Cellar tours, vineyard experiences and ground drives across the 750 hectares of farmland in the heart of historic winelands in the Drakenstein Valley
- Private dining up to 100 pax. View all event spaces, here
- Day group hike up to the Lion’s Head
- It’s free and the best way to see the entire city of Cape Town!
- Excellent team building adventure planning between 3-5 hours of walking (easy and moderate routes)
- Table Mountain also offers a long hike or the option to cable car to the top
- Smithsfields Recommends: Head for brunch at Jarryds to refuel after your hike!
MICE Venues
- Rooftop on Bree
- Our outdoor deck and balcony measure 150m2 and our indoor covered space is 250m2
- Maximum 120 pax
- Inhouse furniture, tech and 6m bar
- Cape Business Centre
- The largest space is the auditorium at 56m² and hosts up to 45 pax
- They also provide smaller meeting spaces and boardrooms for more intimate events
- Onsite catering, furniture and tech
- The Iconic Cape Business Centre is situated on the waters edge in the V&A Waterfront, Cruise Terminal
- One & Only
- Luxury hotel and event space located on the vibrant Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
- The Ballroom is the largest space and can host up to 140 pax
- Smaller meeting spaces and boardroom
- Full service event space including onsite catering, furniture and tech
- Lichtenstein Castle
- Unique, fully exclusive medieval castle overlooking the harbor in Hout Bay
- The ballroom has a capacity approximately 250 pax standing
- Five on-site accomodation rooms
- 30 mins (ish) from central Cape Town
- Cavalli Wine Estate
- Vineyard, picnics and oyster pairing in Stellenbosch
- Huge event space with a 600 cinema capacity conference room
- 40 mins (ish) from central Cape Town
Private Dining and Alternative Event Space
- Aubergine Cape Town
- Exclusive use of the restaurant or function venue
- Ability to host up to 80 pax
- Smaller private dining spaces for 10-50 guests
- Pigalle Cape Town
- ‘Cape Town’s largest indoor restaurant venue’, accommodating up to 350 pax
- Full in-house stage and resident jazz band and DJ
- Located by the V&A Waterfront
- The Silo Hotel
- The Wisdom Room is a glass-fronted private dining room which can comfortably host up to 22 guests
- Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner set menus
- Iconic luxury located on the V&A Waterfornt
Each region in South Africa is unique and beautiful in it’s own way. All destinations of SA offer a diverse range of landscapes, places of interest, activities and wonderful venues to explore. Cape Town was a fantastic base for us and we were able to enjoy the neighbouring wine valleys, luxury rural event spaces and the finest Big Five safari for incentive travel.
We’d love to hear from you if you’ve taken a business trip or incentive to South Africa.
Did we miss anything? Leave us a comment letting us know your favourite spots in SA.
Travel information
- Direct flights 14hrs
- GMT +7hrs
- Best all year round
DMCs