Why visit Babylonstoren
Babylonstoren's eight-acre formal garden — inspired by the historic Company's Garden in Cape Town — grows more than 300 varieties of edible and useful plants. Everything on the plate at Babel and Greenhouse restaurants comes from the farm itself.
The wine cellar produces a small, tightly-edited range of Cape wines, and the estate's Cape Dutch architecture is some of the best-preserved in the country.
Where Babylonstoren is
Babylonstoren sits at the foot of the Simonsberg mountain in the Franschhoek Wine Valley, on the R45 between Paarl and Franschhoek — about 50 minutes' drive east of central Cape Town.
What to expect
A visit typically combines a guided garden walk, a tasting at the wine cellar, and lunch at Babel (formal, garden-driven menu) or Greenhouse (lighter, walk-in).
The Farm Shop, olive tasting room, working dairy and prickly-pear labyrinth are all worth time. Serious visitors book an overnight stay at the farm hotel.
Best time to visit
October to April for the best garden colour.
Weekday mornings are quieter — book early lunch to avoid Saturday crowds.
How to include Babylonstoren in a Wanderer private tour
On a Wanderer private wine tour, Babylonstoren pairs naturally with one other Franschhoek or Paarl estate — usually Boschendal, Delaire Graff or a smaller cellar in the Simonsberg foothills.
We pre-book garden tours, tastings and lunch, and coordinate the day so you're not driving between them.
Practical tips
- Pre-book everything — Babylonstoren does not accept walk-ins for the main experiences.
- Allow time for the Farm Shop; it's one of the best in the Winelands.
- Comfortable shoes for the garden walk.