CAPE INSIGHTS'  ETHOS
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OUR BELIEF is that door opening journeys are about travelling with a curious mind, an open heart, and light steps. 

OUR MOTIVATION is to take travellers on a journey of discovery so that they visit out of the way places, do out of the ordinary things, have interactive conversations.

OUR OFFERING is special interest, guided, cultural tours in South Africa, predominantly but not exclusively around Cape Town: visitors get to hear multiple perspectives, content explained in context, accurate information provided by knowledgeable and authentic ‘story tellers.’  

OUR AIM is to share South Africa’s cultural richness, diversity and natural beauty in such a way as to beneficiate ALL involved.  

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ECONOMICALLY the tourism industry is the biggest generator of jobs in the Western Cape, while the biggest threat to social stability in the land is unemployment . 
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Clients receive comprehensive
pre trip information as well as a 
customised information pack on arrival. 
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On every escorted tour the 
historical, geographic & social backgrounds are contextualised
and insider information offered to guide free time choices, so that
visitors get to experience things
in-depth and up close.
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TAKING THE OPPPORTUNITY to showcase what is unique to the Cape, telling our stories accurately and informatively - and having the stories ’witnessed’ - substantiates our sense of self, our pride of place and our purpose of being.  
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RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL POLICY - OUR ETHOS

EACH STEP WE TAKE MATTERS

ENVIRONMENTAL STEPS
We uphold the philosophy of giving back, making a voluntary donation, calculated on the carbon footprint accumulated by each visitor's journey to, from and within South Africa, to Food and and Trees for Africa (FTFA) via its award winning Trees for Homes and National Tree Distribution programme.

We are linked to Friends of Conservation (FOC) for alternative ways to participate in projects that either extract CO2 from the atmosphere, reduce harmful emissions entering it, or protect wildlife and bring benefit to communities.

We endorse the South Africa Sustainability Seafood Initiative (SASSI) abiding by their approved seafood guidelines when making selections on clients’ behalf. 

We support The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) which aims to apply biodiversity guidelines to the wine industry and minimise further loss to threatened natural habitats, preferentially choosing its members when selecting wine estates to showcase.

We believe in leaving only our footprints: Golden rules in the natural environment include not picking flowers or removing any items, feeding the animals, littering, or deviating from paths – and in the built environment not wasting water, being ostentatious with possessions, ’handing out’ randomly or behaving respectfully among other cultures. 

We undertake to lighten our impact wherever possible: such as using the internet as our primary communication medium, limiting the size of groups, consciously selecting low impact options, biodegradable materials, recycling paper, and implementing 'turn it off' policies with equipment.

SOCIAL STEPS
We are a member of the Open Africa network of Afrikatourism, a collaborative movement linking the splendours of Africa in a network of tourism routes from Cape to Cairo, with the aim of creating jobs in synergy with conservation, under the patronage of Nelson Mandela. 

We support Fair Trade in Tourism in South Africa (FTTSA) and its members wherever possible, which is based on fair share, democracy, respect, reliability, transparency and sustainability. 

We seek out initiatives such as !Khwa ttu San Cultural and Educational Centre that highlights issues facing minority cultures; Solms Delta museum for its oral history focus; Grootbos Private Nature Reserve for its dedication to the Cape Floral Kingdom and eco tourism benchmarking; and Bushmans Kloof wilderness retreat for highlighting San culture.  

ECONOMIC STEPS
We support only local initiatives: family run hotels chosen for their warmth of welcome and charm, and owner managed restaurants that offer seasonal produce and regional wines.

We offer clients participation in interactive workshops wherever possible, such as the uniquely African genre of wire art on the Craft Art tour, a Cape Malay cooking experience on the Gastronomy tour or the opportunity to try out some drumming on other tours.

We select preferred service providers that are local and owner managed, such as for our transport. In our links we seek similarly-minded associates who share our vision, such as Mogalakwena Artist’s Retreat.

OPERATIONALLY we subscribe to an ethical code of conduct. We practise fair trade policies in respect of salaries. We passionately want to uplift tourism industry standards and assume responsibility for training, wherever required. To mitigate the impact of the long haul travel and minimise carbon footprints, we encourage adding Tangent tour options onto Set tours. We offer our web hub for the beneficiation of all involved with Cape Insights, based on the principles of abundance and co-operation.