The African Table: A Culinary Safari

Overview

From Cape Town’s kitchens to the heart of the wild – a story told at each table

This 10-night luxury culinary safari journey is designed for travelers who understand that food is never just food. It is culture, memory, landscape, and story. Moving through Cape Town, the Cape Winelands, and the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, the journey reveals South Africa through its kitchens, coastlines, vineyards, and wilderness.

This is not simply a culinary trip to Africa, but a carefully layered experience shaped by contrast. Coastal foraging and hands-on food experiences in Cape Town give way to wine, art, and seasonal dining in Franschhoek, before the journey ends in the bush, where safari, fire, and open-air dining bring the experience back to something elemental.

Shared with a small group of like-minded travelers and guided by one of the world’s most respected culinary voices, this luxury culinary safari in South Africa is an experience designed to be savored.

About Your Culinary Guide

This journey is shaped alongside Andrew Zimmern, one of the world’s most respected voices in food, culture, and travel.

An Emmy award-winning storyteller and global culinary explorer, Zimmern has spent decades traveling in search of meaning through food, uncovering the traditions, communities, and ingredients that define a place. His work is rooted in curiosity, cultural understanding, and the belief that food can bridge the gap between people, places, and perspectives.

On this luxury culinary safari in South Africa, his presence adds a deeper dimension. Through shared meals, conversation, and select hosted moments, guests are invited into a more personal exploration of Africa’s culinary identity – one that is immersive, carefully curated, and entirely unique.

When to go

11 - 20 May 2027 (set departure)

Price

$25 000 per person

Guests

Minimum 10 guests, maximum 16

The Journey

A story of food, place, and fire.
Crafted for the curious + discerning.

A luxury culinary safari in South Africa experience hosted with Andrew Zimmern, blending food, culture, wine, and wildlife.

Day 1-2

Cape Town

Check-in

Ellerman House, Cape Town

Arrive in Cape Town and settle into Ellerman House, set between Lion’s Head and the Atlantic Ocean. This opening chapter introduces South Africa through one of its most expressive mediums: food. Over the coming days, experience the city’s culinary identity through coastal foraging with Veld & Sea, and time exploring Cape Town’s cultural and natural landmarks, including Table Mountain, Bo-Kaap, Kirstenbosch, and the Cape Peninsula. Ellerman House offers an elegant base for this chapter, with exceptional food and wine experiences, an acclaimed art collection, a wine gallery, and sweeping ocean views.

Days 4–5

Franschhoek

Check-in

Check-in: Leeu Estates, Franschhoek

Travel into the Cape Winelands, where the pace slows and the focus shifts to terroir, tradition, and craft. Explore Stellenbosch and Franschhoek through private wine experiences, vineyard landscapes, and seasonal dining that reflects the region’s deep connection to land and heritage. Your stay at Leeu Estates places you among vineyards, gardens, fynbos, art, and mountain views, with access to Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, Leeu Spa by Healing Earth, and exceptional dining, including La Petite Colombe. A visit to the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden adds another layer of artistry to this culinary trip to Africa.

Days 6–10

Sabi Sand Nature Reserve

Check-in

Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve

The final chapter unfolds in the wild. Fly to the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve and settle into Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, a sculptural, design-led safari lodge shaped by earth, texture, and light. Here, the culinary experience becomes deeply tied to place, with meals enjoyed in lodge settings, the atmospheric underground wine cellar, outdoor boma spaces, bush settings, and private suite dining. Between meals, twice-daily game drives and optional walking safaris reveal the Sabi Sand’s exceptional wildlife density, including the Big Five, leopards, lions, elephants, and African wild dogs. It is a powerful conclusion, where food, wilderness, and story become one.

Signature Experiences

Private culinary experiences with Andrew Zimmern

At the heart of this journey is time spent alongside Andrew Zimmern, whose approach to food extends far beyond the plate. Through shared meals, conversation, and select hosted moments, guests gain insight into his perspective on food, culture, and travel. These experiences are thoughtfully integrated into the journey, offering a deeper layer to this culinary trip to Africa – one shaped by storytelling, curiosity, and shared discovery.

Forage and Feast with Veld & Sea

Along the Cape Peninsula, guests spend time with Roushanna Gray, founder of Veld & Sea and one of Cape Town’s most inspiring wild food innovators. This experience explores the edible landscape through connection, creativity, and place, drawing on the mountains, veld, oceans, gardens, and intertidal rock pools of the Cape. It offers a rare and grounded introduction to South African coastal cuisine.

Cape Town landmarks through a cultural lens

Beyond the table, this journey explores the city’s defining landscapes and neighborhoods. Guests ascend Table Mountain, visit the colorful Bo-Kaap, explore Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, and travel along the Cape Peninsula, including Boulders Beach and the Cape of Good Hope. These experiences add context to the culinary journey, revealing the landscape, culture, and biodiversity that shape the Cape.

Wine, art, and dining in the Cape Winelands

In Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, food and wine are inseparable from the land. Private tastings and curated dining experiences highlight craftsmanship, terroir, and heritage, while Leeu Estates brings together vineyards, sculpture, gardens, and fine dining. A visit to the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden adds a contemplative artistic dimension to this Winelands chapter.

Dining at La Petite Colombe

The Winelands chapter includes dining at La Petite Colombe, one of Franschhoek’s most celebrated restaurants. Set within Leeu Estates, the experience reflects the region’s refined culinary identity, where precise technique, seasonal ingredients, and South African expression come together in an elegant and memorable setting.

Big Five safari in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve

The journey transitions from cultivated landscapes to the raw beauty of the African wilderness. In the Sabi Sand, guests enjoy twice-daily game drives with experienced guides and trackers in one of Africa’s most wildlife-rich reserves. Close encounters with the Big Five, especially leopards, are a defining part of this final chapter.

Bush dining and wine experiences at Earth Lodge

Dining at Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge is designed to reflect the surrounding wilderness. Meals may be enjoyed in elegant lodge spaces, outdoor boma settings, bush locations, the underground wine cellar, or privately in-suite. With a cellar housing thousands of bottles and menus inspired by local produce and global influences, Earth Lodge offers a fitting finale for culinary travelers.

A small, curated group of like-minded travelers

Limited to a minimum of 10 and maximum of 16 guests, this journey is intentionally designed to feel intimate and considered. Traveling with a small group allows for meaningful conversation, shared experiences, and a sense of connection throughout. It creates the right atmosphere for a rare culinary safari experience shaped by access, storytelling, and place.

YOUR NEXT JOURNEY

Make this itinerary yours

This curated departure offers a rare opportunity to travel alongside Andrew Zimmern, but how the journey begins and ends is entirely yours. Our Travel Concierge will tailor every surrounding detail, from private extensions to additional destinations, creating a journey that feels complete, considered, and uniquely personal.

Terms & Conditions apply

Like what you see? Each and every trip we create at Ker & Downey® Africa is tailored to suit you. Get in touch with our Travel Concierge and let us create a unique adventure with experiences tailored to your precise liking.

Book this exclusive culinary safari today

FAQ

The African Table: A Culinary Safari

Our team of seasoned specialists share everything you need to know, from essential travel tips to thoughtful insights that ensure a seamless journey from start to finish.

/01

Are there other dates available?

This is a set departure luxury culinary safari South Africa experience hosted with Andrew Zimmern, and these dates are fixed. If you are unable to join, we recommend following Ker & Downey® Africa for future hosted culinary trips to Africa.

/02

Can I add additional experiences or destinations to this trip?

Yes. Additional destinations or pre- and post-trip extensions can be arranged around your culinary trip to Africa. Your travel concierge will guide you through options tailored to your interests and timing.

/03

Is there a single supplement charge?

Yes, a single supplement applies. Pricing is based on per person sharing, with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 16 guests to ensure an intimate group experience throughout this culinary safari.

/04

What are the booking conditions?

Your travel concierge will provide full terms and conditions upon enquiry, including deposit structure, cancellation policies, and inclusions for this luxury culinary safari South Africa journey.

/05

What level of fitness is required?

This culinary trip is designed to be comfortable and accessible, with optional activities available throughout. Some experiences may include walking, time outdoors, or uneven terrain. Your concierge can advise based on your preferences and mobility.

/06

What is included in the price?

This culinary trip to Africa includes accommodation, internal flights, curated experiences, most meals, safari activities as specified, private transfers, VIP airport assistance, national park and conservation fees, and 24/7 support. A detailed breakdown is available via the Safari Portal.

/07

What is not included?

International flights, gratuities, travel insurance, visa fees where applicable, and any activities not listed as included are excluded. Your travel concierge will provide full details before booking.

/08

Who is this culinary trip best suited for?

This journey is ideal for travelers who are curious, engaged, and interested in experiencing South Africa through its food, culture, wine, landscapes, and wildlife. Whether celebrating a milestone or simply seeking something meaningful, this luxury culinary safari South Africa experience offers a rare and considered way to explore the continent.

Tagged Big Five Safaris

The African Table: A Culinary Safari

Overview

From Cape Town’s kitchens to the heart of the wild – a story told at each table

About Your Culinary Guide

The Journey

A story of food, place, and fire. Crafted for the curious + discerning.

Day 1-2

Cape Town

Days 4–5

Franschhoek

Days 6–10

Sabi Sand Nature Reserve

Signature Experiences

Private culinary experiences with Andrew Zimmern

Forage and Feast with Veld & Sea

Cape Town landmarks through a cultural lens

Wine, art, and dining in the Cape Winelands

Dining at La Petite Colombe

Big Five safari in the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve

Bush dining and wine experiences at Earth Lodge

A small, curated group of like-minded travelers

YOUR NEXT JOURNEY

Make this itinerary yours

FAQ

The African Table: A Culinary Safari

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A story of food, place, and fire.
Crafted for the curious + discerning.