This Valentine's Day, we're bringing you a fresh selection of memorable experience gifts for your partner with our romantic gift guide.
Valentine's Day is making its slow approach and if you're stuck for ideas, you've come to the right place. Below we've rounded up our favourite experience gifts and unique days out throughout South Africa, from kayaking to wine tasting and everything in between! Whether you want to take the experience on 14th February, or simply give a gift certificate to redeem at a later date, we think you'll find something perfect from our list.
Read on to find out our top picks, old and new.
Cape Town Scenic Steam Train Journey To Elgin Railway Market - R 625
This Elgin railway experience is a fantastic budget option. The scenic journey on a vintage steam train from Cape Town to the famous Elgin Railway Market belies its tiny price tag - at just R 625 a ticket, you can impress your partner this Valentine's Day without hurting your bank balance.
On this incredible full day experience from Cape Town, you and your partner will board a historic steam train for an awe-inspiring journey through the Cape, Sir Lowry's Pass, and into the heart of The Elgin Valley. Once there, you'll explore the iconic Elgin Railway Market and the surrounding area at your leisure.
If you and your partner are a couple of foodies, you'll love Elgin Railway Market's selection of fresh produce, beer, cider and wine crafted by local vendors. Wander around to the soundtrack of live music, shop, eat, drink and be merry! It's a pleasant three hour return journey back to Cape Town, where you'll say a reluctant goodbye to the vintage steam train.
Paternoster Beach Buggy Safari For a Private Group - R 900
Take to the Paternoster sand dunes with this incredible private beach buggy safari, perfect for adventurous couples who love the great outdoors.
With this one-of-a-kind Valentine's Day gift, you and your partner will ride a beach buggy driven by a local guide, with scenic Paternoster as your backdrop. Meet your private guide at Farr Out Guesthouse, where he'll be waiting with your unique method of transport for the next two hours.
Your qualified Western Cape tour guide - fluent in both English and Afrikaans - will share his love for the West Coast with you as he navigates the dunes in his buggy. Learn about the history and culture of the area, and look out at the unspoiled sand and sparkling sea with your partner next to you. A uniquely romantic experience gift for Valentine's Day!
Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Safari With Breakfast Near Johannesburg - R 5910
We can't write a romantic gift guide without including a hot air balloon experience. As an experience gifts company, this is our bread and butter - and it's considered a romantic activity for good reason. With this incredible five hour adventure, you and your partner will be taken up above Pilanesberg National Park to float amongst the clouds and look down on the wildlife.
The fun doesn't end when you land, because you'll be served sparkling wine, orange juice and breakfast canapes before being taken to Wallow Bush for a full English breakfast and mini game drive. You'll have the unique opportunity to look at the local wildlife from all angles - bird's eye and ground level!
If you and your significant other are animal lovers, this is the perfect romantic experience for you.
Private Keurbooms River Picnic From Plettenberg Bay - R 5500
Enjoy a romantic, secluded picnic on the Keurbooms River during this RIB ride and picnic experience departing from Plettenberg Bay. This charter is valid for up to eight people, but there's no reason why you can't book a day out for just the two of you.
You'll be taken on a high-speed RIB ride to the river, where you can explore, relax, eat and drink at your leisure. Don't forget to bring a picnic and drink of choice so you can enjoy a feast in nature. When you're finished, your guide will take you back to where your adventure began.
Full Day Bee Keeping Experience With Lunch In Hankey - R 1900
Has your partner ever expressed an interest in beekeeping? Or maybe they just want to try something totally new? Surprise them with this beekeeping experience gift with lunch included, taking place in Hankey.
Your experience begins when you meet your beekeeper guide at the Pabala Private Nature Reserve, where they'll fit you with a special bee suit and give you a safety briefing. Next, follow them into the field so you can be introduced to the bees and see them in their habitat.
The beekeepers on the reserve like to have as little involvement as possible to keep the bees happy and free. Under the guidance of the instructors, you'll get to work on the bee boxes and extract honey, all the while learning about how the insects interact and operate as a hive.
After extraction is complete, you’ll head back to the main reception to de-suit and have a honey-based lunch, before finishing the day off at the bottle plant where you'll bottle the honey you collected earlier.
Sunset Kayak Experience In Cape Town R500
The Cape Town skyline is one of the most famous images around the world, and is even more fantastic at sunset and shared with someone you love.
To truly appreciate the landscape in all its glory, book a space on this Ocean Kayak Adventure and witness the beauty as the sun sinks below the horizon with your loved one. Qualified instructors will lead the way past many of Cape Town's top landmarks, kayaking past the Green Point Lighthouse, the Twelve Apostles Mountain range, the wreck of RMS Athens and lots more to make your romantic day out unforgettable.
A guided kayaking experience at sunset is a must-do during and makes a fun Valentine’s Day gift for two love birds on a romantic day out!
Cape Town Scenic Cruise And Three Course Lunch R505
Ever wanted to get that epic three peaks shot from the water with your loved one? Well this is your chance with the Cape Town Waterfront Cruise, a scenic sailing trip that takes you and your partner out of the harbour into the Atlantic, delivering incredible views of Table Mountain, Lion's Head and Devil's Peak - cameras at the ready!
When the hour-long cruise is nearly complete, the captain will sail you two back to the Waterfront where you will enjoy a romantic lunch at Quay Four.
This scenic sailing experience with lunch is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Cape Town and makes a unique experience gift for couples on Valentine’s Day!
Hazyview Elephant Interaction Experience R780
Grab your camera and head to Hazyview, just an hour’s drive north of Mbombela. Here you and your partner will have the chance to meet with an Elephant Handler as they escort you and the rest of the group on an hour-long elephant interaction experience.
You two will learn about these magnificent creatures as you get close enough to touch and feed them! This gentle interaction wouldn’t be complete without the chance to take a selfie or have the handler take your picture with the largest land mammals on earth!
So, whether you are looking for a gift for elephant lovers or a romantic wildlife adventure with a loved one this is the thing to do in Mpumalanga.
Storms River Gorge Adventure Day R950
Witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the Storms River Gorge with this half day guided trip, the ultimate experience for outdoor adventurers! Pack in a scenic hike across the iconic Suspension Bridge, a kayak along the river, and an exciting Anvil riverboard ride deeper into the gorge. The landscape of the gorge is truly breath-taking, surrounded by ancient woodland and dotted with crystal pools and hidden caves.
Book a space on the Storms River Gorge Adventure Day for your next Garden Route vacation or treat a loved one to a unique experience gift for Valentine’s Day!
Constantia Wine Tour and Braai Lunch R1,550
You and your partner can't visit Cape Town without taking advantage of the incredible wine regions.
For an authentic, local-style day out, join a friendly guide and explore the wine farms of Constantia, with a traditional braai lunch thrown in for good measure.
There will be wine tastings, live music, delicious food, and new friends, all you need from a day out in Constantia, and a thoughtful romantic experience gift for Cape Town locals!
Cape Winelands Hiking And Paragliding Experience R2,999
Hike to the top of a peak in the Cape Winelands and paraglide to the bottom on this thrilling combo experience - what goes up must come down!
Suitable for anyone with a keen sense of adventure and love for the great outdoors, this half day activity will have you strapping paragliding equipment to your back and traversing the scenic off-road trails with an instructor by your side. Over the 2–3-hour hike, you two will witness the beauty of the Winelands around you, then don your parachute at the top and soar over the valley with your instructor, back down to earth.
This is an utterly unique experience that you'll remember for a lifetime and makes a fantastic gift for adrenaline junkies on Valentine’s Day.
Half Day Couples Wine Route And Pamper Package Near Plettenberg Bay R4,700
If you are searching for an extra special way to spend an afternoon with your partner near Plettenberg Bay, you can't get much better than this half day wine route and pamper package. Beginning with a guided horse trail through indigenous forests and fynbos, you'll canter and trot your way to Newstead Lund Family Vineyards.
Once you have arrived, enjoy a delicious tapas lunch and wine tasting, sampling the vineyards finest creations and delicacies. After the tasting, you and your partner will end your experience at Kurland Spa for a luxurious Swedish couple’s massage, so that you can lie back and unwind after an incredible day of activities.
This half day wine route and pamper package is ideal for couples on your next vacation to the Plettenberg Bay area and would make a wonderful experience gift to share on Valentine’s Day.
Thanks for reading!
That concludes our romantic gift guide for Valentine’s Day.
We hope you spotted the perfect gift for your significant other, but you're still looking you can browse our full range of Valentine's Day gifts here.
