Some places are seen. Others are painted, slowly, in the shifting light of a single afternoon, until they belong to you. This is a week built for that kind of seeing.

Vineyards stretching towards the mountains in the Cape Winelands

The Journey

A week of light, colour and canvas

Thula Travel is delighted to partner with artist Joanna Lee Miller to bring you an immersive art experience, where creativity and nature meet in a truly beautiful setting.

Together we invite a small group of painters, up to ten, to the Cape Winelands for six unhurried nights. Guided by Joanna, each day is shaped around the landscape itself: the nature reserve at dawn, sculpture gardens at midday, vineyards in the golden hour before dinner. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is overpacked. Every day holds space to paint properly, and to simply be here.

This is not a course. It is a week in South Africa’s most painted valley, led by an artist who knows its light intimately, staying in a home built for gathering, painting and lingering over a long table.

Vineyards and mountains in the Franschhoek Valley, Cape Winelands

Your Home for the Week

A private villa in the heart of the Cape Winelands

Your group stays in exclusive use of a private villa in the heart of the Cape Winelands, cradled beneath the mountains among vines. The property is yours alone for the week: private, unhurried, with a private chef preparing meals drawn from the valley around you.

Is This You?

Who this retreat is for

This retreat is specially designed for people who love painting, who love the outdoors, and have always wanted to combine the two. Perhaps you have painted indoors for years and have always been intrigued by painting outdoors, but it has felt a little intimidating. Perhaps you are already comfortable painting outdoors, and you want to deepen your technique while discovering new scenery. This retreat meets you where you are and takes you forward.

Over seven days in the Cape Winelands, you will paint from life in some of the region’s most beautiful landscapes – vineyards, mountains, charming towns. You will learn to read a scene and create a successful composition, understand values and colour theory, and respond confidently to conditions that shift by the hour. You will receive daily critiques and demonstrations in materials, composition, values, and painting techniques. You will also have the option to join group discussions to share how your experience is going and to learn from the other participants.

Your instructor

Your instructor Joanna Lee Miller trained at the Florence Academy of Art and has spent 10 years painting en plein air, with the last six years immersed in the Cape’s light, mountains, beaches and vineyards. Her approach blends Classical Realism and Impressionist techniques, and is designed around painting directly from life, seeing and translating what is in front of you rather than working from photographs.

Read more about Joanna and her work →

You will leave with

  • A body of your own original artworks painted on location across the Cape Winelands.
  • A solid technical foundation in composition, values, and colour theory.
  • The confidence and know-how to keep painting outdoors, including the practical side of plein air painting: materials, clothing, and how to navigate changing light and weather conditions.
  • A week fully immersed in nature, painting alongside others who share the same passion.

The Itinerary

Seven days, thoughtfully paced

Each day is shaped around the landscape and its light: painting demonstrations and guided plein air sessions, a morning among sculpture and mountains, a village day among galleries and lanes, a hike to paint the valley from above, and an unhurried day of rest in the middle of it all. Enquire for the full day-by-day itinerary.

Request the Full Itinerary

What’s Included

Every detail considered

  • Luxury accommodation Six nights in a carefully selected five-star villa offering exceptional comfort, elegance, and authentic Cape Winelands character.
  • All meals & select beverages Daily gourmet breakfasts, lunches, and dinners prepared to the highest standard, accompanied by select house wines and beverages, plus two celebrated dinners out in the valley.
  • Premium airport meet & assist Upon arrival, you’ll be personally welcomed at arrivals, a seamless and reassuring start to your journey.
  • All ground transportation All in-country ground transfers and transportation during the retreat, including excursions and entrance fees as outlined in the itinerary.
  • Exclusive art instruction Technique, demonstrations, and guided plein air sessions with a classically trained en plein air artist based in Cape Town.
  • Curated cultural encounters Immersive opportunities to engage with local traditions, estates, and people to enrich both your art and your travel experience.
  • Workshop materials support On-the-ground logistical support for your easels and painting materials.
  • Personalised hosting Dedicated, on-the-ground support from the Thula Travel team to ensure every single detail is handled with absolute care.

Not Included

  • International airfare Travel to and from South Africa is arranged separately, allowing you complete flexibility to choose your preferred routes and airlines.
  • Travel insurance Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is required for participation, to ensure your complete peace of mind throughout the journey.
  • Personal extras Discretionary items such as premium or imported bar beverages beyond the house selections, spa treatments, laundry services, and souvenirs.
  • Optional add-ons Any extra excursions, activities, or extensions not specifically outlined in the itinerary.

Good to Know

  • Easels, canvases/panels and solvents are included; guests to bring all other art materials.
  • The artistic instruction will be based on oil paints. If guests would like to work in another medium (e.g., watercolours, acrylics), this is welcomed. The technical concepts and plein air painting approaches will apply across all mediums.

Up to ten painters, accompanied by artist Joanna Lee Miller and a Thula Travel host. All levels are welcome, and solo travellers are warmly welcome too, as they are the norm on retreats of this kind. Enquire for dates and pricing.

Enquire about Cape Vines & Visions

Come and find your still.

Looking for something different? Explore our other journeys →