South Africa’s winter months – from June through to August – bring with it the ideal opportunity for wild food foraging. The cooler, wetter conditions allow mushrooms to flourish in the country’s pine forests and it’s also a good time to discover indigenous botanicals and edible seaweeds along the coast. Knowing where to forage and what to forage is not that simple, though and therefore, guided food foraging experiences are probably the best way to go.
Delheim Estate’s Wild Mushroom Foraging Experiences
Although Delheim is known for its world-class wines, it’s not all about wine on this Stellenbosch wine estate. In fact, as winter settles, mushroom lovers and nature enthusiasts have the opportunity to step into the estate’s mountain pine forests, discovering the fascinating world of wild mushrooms.
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This year’s guided mushroom foraging adventure will be led by mushroom expert, Gary Goldman on Friday, 3 July 2026 and Saturday, 4 July 2026 and with Delheim being home to more than 20 species of wild mushrooms, you’re in for a real treat! Learn to identify mushrooms, to forage safely and sustainably and more.
The day includes a welcome drink at the Delheim Vat Cellar, an engaging mushroom identification session, and an exciting foraging experience.
Read more here.
Join The Wild Food Revolution for a Foraging Tour
With a passion for wild foods, Chef Gregory Henderson (aka The Forage Chef) has become quite the expert in foraging and scouting for indigenous and wild ingredients over the years. He believes in preserving the heritage of indigenous ingredients and promoting biodiversity in our ecosystems and through The Wild Food Revolution with Gregory Henderson, you can learn to do that too.
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His platform offers foraging tours throughout South Africa’s nine different biomes, with each tour curated around the seasons – a sensory experience that allows you to see, taste, touch and smell the various local ingredients of these biomes. In addition, The Wild Food Revolution also offers an Indigenous Food Masterclass for those who want to dive even deeper into the incredible world of wild food and foraging.
For more information, click here.
Responsibly Identify Edible Coastal Greens with ReWild Food
If you’re looking for foraging experiences that will help you slow down, reconnect and celebrate the extraordinary natural beauty of the Cape Peninsula, look no further than ReWild Food’s exciting getaways or their Coastal Foraging experiences which could include from wild food picnics and cooking workshops to a paired four-course meal.
Through ReWild Food’s workshops you can explore the scenic beaches of the Cape Peninsula and learn to identify and gather edible wild greens and molluscs. They even offer a Snorkel Forage experience where you can explore the Cape’s famous kelp forests – an immersive adventure that promises unforgettable encounters with life beneath the ocean’s surface.
Read more here.
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Book a Food Jams Foraging Feast
Available in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, Food Jam’s The Foraging Feast is a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure that starts in the wild and ends at the table. The experience includes an expert-led foraging walk through either Cape Town or Joburg’s natural landscape, seasonal and sustainable ingredient harvesting, a welcome drink and light snack as you return to the kitchen, a hands-on cooking experience where you use foraged ingredients, and finally, a harvest-style shared feast and plated dessert.
Whether it’s coastal fynbos or forest trails from which you forage, you’ll gain valuable insights on identifying edible plants, herbs and mushrooms, a seasonal menu shaped by what you gather, and a chance to connect, cook and celebrate.
Like their website states: “Slow down, dig in and discover the wild side of cuisine!”
For more information, visit their website.
Let Veld & Sea Guide You to Deepen Your Connection with Nature
Veld & Sea’s seasonal public workshops allow you to immerse yourself in the wonders of our local ecology – whether it’s land or ocean. The team of foragers, facilitators and chefs guide you to discover all kinds of edible ingredients during these workshops, making for a wonderfully interactive day for those who want to deepen their connection with the natural world and learn about sustainable foraging practices. Here, you’ll learn how to process and prepare your harvest and you’ll get to enjoy a delicious, foraged feast.
Upcoming workshops to look forward to include: Mushroom Foraging with Justin Williams and Veld & Sea, a Wild Food Land Foraging Talk, Walk & Tasting, a Guided Fynbos Walk with Rupert Koopman and Veld & Sea, and a Wild Food and Forage Weekend Workshop. For more information, click here.
Food Foraging and Feasts at Grootbos
According to Clayton Niemand, an expert guide from Grootbos, “we have the freshest food all around us, we just need to learn what to look for.” Through Grootbos’ Forage & Feast adventures, you’ll learn what to look for and experience a whole lot more as you explore the fresh flavours along the destination’s marine shores. From the freshest finds in tidal rockpools and rocky outcrops along the shore, to the most interesting tales about how native inhabitants used fynbos for centuries, the food foraging adventures that await at Grootbos will leave you in awe. Visit their website for more information.
The key to sustainable food foraging is being educated and these workshops and adventures are the perfect starting point. If you’re a keen cook and a curious forager, be sure to book one of these special adventures this winter.
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