Testimonials & Reviews

Paul Theroux, travel writer and novelist, asked to be shown around some ‘’unusual places’’ while on a journey in southern Africa. He wanted to meet ‘’extraordinary people’’ and hear ‘’compelling stories’’ …

‘’I want to thank you for your help in showing me some fascinating aspects of Cape Town. I deeply recommend you as an insider / guide  … for finding just the sort of places you know’’.

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Lew Rood, Manager PR & Trade Relations – Singita Game Reserves

“Marion Ellis has worked long and hard in every field of endeavour she has pursued, and is today on the insider track of providing the visitor to Southern Africa with sights, activities and places they could never access through the regular travel trade, and she does this with quiet and sophisticated modesty.”

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Traci and Carol Greenberg, Philadelphia

”Our time with you has truly been memorable.
We will look back and always remember your warm heart and adventurous spirit. ”

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Linda Grossman & Richard Bass, New York
“The scope of the trip was amazing – anyone looking at the itinerary was overwhelmed by its magnitude. The opportunities of meeting indigenous people making crafts was beyond anything I could imagine. I don’t think we could have had a more soul searching, full travel experience”

Lowery Sims, Curator: Museum of Arts and Design
“The itinerary allowed an experience of the wealth and challenges that are the reality of life in South Africa. The example of the curator at the Lwandle Migrant Labour museum and the guiding spirit of creative collaboratives, were important hallmarks of the trip. Because of the thoughtfulness and completeness of the planning, the experience was seamless’’

Holly Hotchner, Director: Museum of Arts and Design
“What stood out most was the balance of topics and interactions, from township to cities to luxury life. While the inclusion of special guests who were well selected was a real addition to our understanding of Africa. Could not have dreamed of a better way to experience South Africa’’

Beverly & Jerry Siegel, New York
“We got the best of the best. Not just seeing the country, but really gaining insight and understanding … because of gracious home entertaining, attention given to us at galleries, meeting the artists and activists who care about others. The soul of the trip was Marion who brought out the best (in every way) of her incredible country. This was not just a trip – it was the experience of a lifetime”

Mary Bloom, Texas
‘I am still totally fascinated by the country and culture. We did so many things that brought home its variety and complexity.  Loved the art exposure, the traditional and contemporary scene, the artistic creativity on so many levels and the variety of regions we saw. Marion was the gem of the trip”

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Barry Schoenfeld & Ron Klimek, Los Angeles

”The aspect of service that most stood out was … your willingness to listen to our desires for not just a specific itinerary, but to the “style” of tour we desired”.

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The Hickeys, London

”The honeymoon we received exceeded our expectations.
The places that we stayed were fantastic.
The safari experience was personal and felt privileged, with meals and location stunning.
We cannot really put into words the overall experience we received while on our honeymoon.
It was fantastic and more.”

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The Williamsons, Toronto

”We wanted a custom-designed and personal tour to fit with our particular interests and schedule. Many companies are not flexible in this regard but Cape Insights was willing to design an experience for us.

They were also willing to go the ‘extra mile’ to facilitate our particular interests and to ensure that we met with people and scholars who were willing to share their expertise with us.
As professionals, this is a most important service and one that is exceedingly rare.

While we found the knowledge and experience outstanding, we particularly enjoyed the warm personality of Marion and her enthusiasm for introducing visitors to the special features of the Cape.
Her background and the fact that many locals were familiar with her history in the hospitality business, meant that they were eager to match her pursuit of excellence.’

After hearing about Cape Insights, we checked out the website and then initiated an exchange of emails that provided all of the information we required and gave us a clear level of comfort with the company.”

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The Stills, Moscow

”The pre-booking information was thoughtfully tailored to suit what we wanted. This made it easy to select the activities and accommodation we decided upon.
We were also impressed with the ease of choosing and making the booking, the quality and clarity of what was offered and the after-sales service.”

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The Harts, Woods Hole

”You just know that there’s no such thing as “one size fits all.”
So you paid attention to our needs and wishes and set about to create – and deliver – a very special experience with infectious enthusiasm.
It’s not all hype and advertising. You deliver what you preach.

You clearly know the landscape, foodscape, funscape like you know how to breathe.
Following someone who loves what they’re sharing is a no-brainer.
It’s almost like getting that perfect massage, just when you need it most.
Recommending an experience of a lifetime, tailored to us, is not hard.”

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The Kolbs, Washington

”What most stood out for us was the personal service and great insights into SA culture and history.
Our expectation was that we would have a knowledgeable “driver” to take us places we wanted to see – we found an expert with many connections to the cultural and historical roots of South Africa and a warm guide who became a friend.
The quality of the tours, the expertise of the guide and the attention to detail – everything was wonderful.”

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