Volunteer in our Food Garden On a tour of our Food Garden, you’ll learn all about regenerative agriculture and permaculture gardening from our team of friendly, knowledgeable gardeners — and get to meet the pest control patrol: a paddle of runner ducks! From R75 per person, tours are available all year round, take about 30 minutes, and are suitable for groups of 10 – 25 pax. Fancy getting some dirt under your fingernails? Volunteers are welcome in this tranquil space, where you’ll help the team cultivate a bounty of nutrient-rich and delicious produce without inorganic pesticides or artificial fertilisers. Your time will be well spent, whether weeding and harvesting, or packing seedlings and veggies that are donated to local community feeding schemes. From R50 per person, morning sessions are bookable all year round, can last up to 4 hours (according to your timing preferences), and are suitable for groups of 4 – 20 pax.
	Donate essentials to under-resourced schools and the elderly Have some space to spare in your suitcase? Then why not fill it with essential items to be donated to some of the Winelands’ most vulnerable residents. As a proud member of the global initiative Pack-for-a-Purpose, we’ll distribute any school stationery, art supplies, children’s books, educational games and sporting goods you bring to under-resourced rural schools. If you’re able to pack adult toiletries, bedding and other household items, we’ll pass these on to Zandvliet Care Facility which looks after the elderly. Contributions are welcome all year round. Please click here to see what supplies are needed for our projects.
Tackling poverty one seedling at a time Enjoy an inspiring tour of the Tree-preneurs nursery on our farm, home to 23 000 indigenous plants! Project manager Lesley Joemat has empowered dozens of “Tree-preneurs” living in impoverished communities to grow indigenous trees and plants. Once the seedlings she’s given them to nurture have reached a certain height, they are exchanged for essentials such as food vouchers, clothing, agricultural goods, tools, bicycles and educational support. A R20 donation per person includes an indigenous, waterwise succulent (planted in a repurposed coffee cup) that will accompany you home. 1-hour tours are bookable all year round, and are suitable to individuals or groups of up to 15 pax. Can’t make the tour? For as little as R10 each, you can buy a succulent from Tree-preneurs to help support this project and the vital work they do.
	Taste wines in our organic vineyard There’s no better person than our Organic Winemaker, Tania Kleintjes, to show you around our farm’s organic vineyards. At the tour’s completion, you’ll unwind between the rows of vines as Tania pours you a taste of our three acclaimed organic Farm House wines. The cost of the tour includes two organic wines to take home. If the tour falls during the annual harvest (typically a several-week period in February and March), you’ll be able to both lend a hand with picking the perfect grapes and tasting them too! From R600 per person (including a tasting of three Farm House Organic wines and two bottles to take home), 2-hour tours can be booked on weekdays in February and March from 10h00 – 12h00, and are suitable for groups of 5 – 12 pax.
Visit and volunteer at the Sustainability Institute A close neighbour and longtime partner of Spier, the Sustainability Institute runs a range of activities and programmes aimed at creating more equitable and empowered futures. As a volunteer in its food garden, you’ll plant, harvest and enjoy a wild food tasting, followed by a harvest table lunch. Other volunteer opportunities through the Institute include tree-planting, soup-making, knitting, children’s reading circles and youth sports. You can also tour the Sustainability Institute’s campus, learning about its education programmes, as well as the renowned Lynedoch Ecovillage – an ecologically designed, socially mixed community built around the campus. A variety of volunteer opportunities are available all-year-round, and are suitable to individuals or groups of up to 60 pax.
	Explore regenerative agriculture and recycling Our Segway tours aren’t just exhilarating fun in the fresh air: they’re also a great way to learn about Spier’s deeply rooted commitment to the earth. As you glide effortlessly past our organic vineyards, you’ll get the lowdown on all things green — from recycling to regenerative agriculture. Along the way, you’ll meet happy, free-roaming chickens, visit our eco-friendly wastewater treatment plant (which recycles 100% of the farm’s black and grey water), and stop by the tranquil Food Garden, where delicious produce is cultivated without artificial fertilisers or inorganic pesticides. From R575 per person, this customised 2-hour tour can be booked all year round and is available in increments of 5, 10, or 15 pax. Not suitable for children under the age of 12.
Venture with raptors into the wild Walk amidst Cape fynbos with majestic hawks, learning how birds of prey keep ecosystems healthy and balanced as they enjoy their daily exercise and conduct natural “pest control”. Into the Wild sessions will begin at Eagle Encounters — the raptor rehabilitation, conservation and education centre at Spier — with an introduction to falconry. You will then enjoy a leisurely hike on the farm with the Harris hawks freely following on and gliding around you. Eagle Encounters is also open to visitors, with exhilarating personal encounters and spectacular interactive flying shows with even more birds of prey (including eagles, owls, kites and buzzards). You’ll also get to meet other critters, including foxes, snakes and lizards. From R500 per person and for a minimum of 2 pax, Into the Wild sessions are bookable all year round, take place between 17:00 – 18:00, and can be booked for groups of up to 10 pax. From R85 per person (R65 for children), entrance to Eagle Encounters (including access to the flying shows) are available all year round between 09:30 and 17:00. Suitable for individuals and groups of up to 70 pax.
	Become a patron of the arts The Creative Block project invites artists, both established and emerging, to create work on a small blank block. The blocks are submitted for critique, and the best are purchased and made available for sale to visitors – showcased across the farm. Creative Block is ideal for the budding art collector. With a modest budget, you're able to establish – or expand – a collection of delightfully diverse artworks. This will ensure you are among the early collectors that help to support artists at the beginning of their careers. We invite you to see how a collection of Creative Blocks displayed together becomes a newly created, composite “artwork” that honestly expresses contemporary South African society. Available in a variety of sizes, blocks are for sale all year round: 18x18cm (R1500 each), 20x30cm (R2000 each), 30x30cm (R3200 each) and 38x30cm (R3600 each). Curious to learn more about South Africa’s thriving art scene? A walking tour showcasing the highlights of Spier’s art collection (one of the country’s largest) is available upon request.
Connect and craft with local artisans The vibrant Craft Market at Spier is a sustainable social enterprise which improves local livelihoods, provides eco-friendly shopping and adheres to Fair Trade principles. As you browse the stalls, you can chat with the talented artists and artisans creating striking art and design. Their one-of-kind pieces range from paintings, carvings and jewellery to beadwork, textiles and ceramics. There are also extraordinary items made from recycled and upcycled materials. Give it a go! Individuals and groups can book a fun Make-it-Yourself session where you’ll try your hand at painting, jewellery-making, beadwork or wirework. Our experienced artisans will share their techniques and know-how, encouraging you to unleash your own creativity. From R250 per adult and R195 per child, 1-hour crafting sessions can be booked from September – May for individuals or groups of up to 30 pax. Exclusive crafting sessions for groups are available all year round in a private meeting room at an additional cost, and for a minimum of 10 pax. All materials and making equipment are provided.

Ready to make your stay at Spier Hotel meaningful, moving and memorable? Email your Time for Good booking request to reservations@spier.co.za.

Some activities are only available to Spier Hotel guests and meeting delegates. Published rates are subject to change without prior notice and exclude transfer fees. All activities need to be pre-booked and are subject to availability. Minimum rates apply for some activities. Rates are not commissionable to third parties.