About Us ~ Ethos & Origins

Our inspiration is to offer to visitors what we’d like to experience when travelling – the opportunity to make authentic connections, hear multiple perspectives and follow an insider’s track.

We give you a taste of things uniquely South African, in a variety of fields:
Architecture, Gastronomy, History, Gardens, Art, Craft & Design, Ceramics, Archaeology. 
You experience hand picked highlights, landmark locations, World Heritage Sites – and enjoy exclusive access, private viewings and local gems.

Founder and owner, Marion Ellis was born on a farm in Africa, and after studying languages and
historyof art at the University of Cape Town, travelled extensively, sailing the oceans and crossing continents,
before settling on the slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town.

The inspiration behind her first business venture in South Africa was to provide the sort of food she couldn’t find after her return home.
To counter this gap, she created Rozenhof restaurant that resonated in the hearts of Capetonians and
earned her a singular reputation  – rising to “Number One in the Cape”, and appearing repeatedly in the
“Top 10 American Express / Style awards in South Africa”.

Her second foray found her searching for high-flying executives with hard-to-find-skills, in association
with a leading recruitment consultancy, which garnered her endorsements such as:
“Marion Ellis’ considerable network of Southern Africa’s most valuable people, her superb work ethic,
and unique skills in the service industry, make her an individual we would without hesitation recommend”
- Singita Game Reserves.

For a refreshingly different take on travelling around the Cape and the country, Marion now weaves diverse threads into a fabric of interconnectedness, honing her networks and harnessing associations, such as the Vernacular Architecture Society; International Wine and Food Society; Slow Food Convivium
and via her husband, the Botanical and Geological Societies of South Africa.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM COMMITMENT
As a boutique travel company committed to responsible travel principles Cape Insights upholds the philosophy of ‘Giving Back’. This is why we make a voluntary donation to Food and Trees for Africa calculated on your carbon footprint accumulated on your journey.  Find out more

OUR ETHOS  … is that door opening journeys are about travelling with
    a curious mind … an open heart … and light steps