Marvic Tours and Tales believe that modern travellers seek authentic adventures where they can choose the specific experiences to partake in. This is especially pertinent when it comes to long-haul destinations like South Africa. As with other cities, Cape Town offers so much that it could be difficult for the traveller to make the best choices. Victoria Koning from Marvic offers some helpful advice: “Firstly, travellers should consider their own needs. Do they have special requirements like preferring absolute privacy, or perhaps follow a special diet or have physical limitations such as needing wheelchair access? Travellers should also consider the things that they’re accustomed to, which might not be available where they’re going. Naturally, reliable travel providers can assist you in these matters.” “Secondly, travellers should assess their abilities and interests e.g. if someone has a fear of falling, opting for a bungee jump off Africa’s largest bridge may not be a good idea (or maybe it would!) or if their fitness level isn’t great, signing up for extreme adventures might just be too risky. Also, if a traveller is an active, on-the-go-all-the-time kind of person, he/she may not enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. We therefore recommend that travellers keep these things in mind when looking at the various choices.” “Thirdly, travellers should be aware of the impact that their perceptions of a destination have on their holiday. Discover these perceptions by asking questions like, “what appeals to me?” and “why am I considering this specific destination?” Koning asks travellers what they have heard about the destination. Would they like to investigate the rumours, or exactly the opposite? What does the traveller NOT want to see? For example, if a traveller is very sensitive, he/she may not enjoy visiting a poor local community that doesn’t have running water, or it could inspire them to see how these folk cope with their dire lifestyle.” “Lastly, the planning needs to be done and the experiences that travellers choose depend largely on how much time is available. It’s also good to know how long the adventure will take e.g. it would be a pity to get to Cape Point Nature Reserve and then have to turn back for another appointment without even seeing where the two currents meet!” Koning continues, “That’s where local knowledge is invaluable e.g. a day tour out of season won’t be subjected to the same traffic congestion as one in season. Who better to have available for your planning, than a local expert? Another tip: if you enjoy a relaxed pace while on holiday, it might be better to spend every second or third day on an authentic adventure.” Koning is proud of Cape Town, which is also known as “The Mother City” and coincidentally where she was born. She encourages travellers to select the most appropriate experiences to suit their own needs, and offers more information on day tours in Cape Town and about South Africa, “The Rainbow Nation” on their website, http://www.marvic.biz. |
