Having grown up here in the Cape one thing has become clear over the years – us locals tend to neglect many of those really touristy attractions, only getting to them when friends and family come to visit from abroad and we are forced into action.

Sometimes taking visitors along for a lekker day out is a a treat, but other days it really can seem like a bit of a chore. Then there’s the whole ‘take a few days off work’ conundrum, where playing tour guide eats into the end of year leave that allows you to escape Cape Town and head somewhere quieter.

Thankfully help is at hand, because now your visitors can have a local show them around town without you having to call in sick. Meet the team of legends over at Gummie, who have handpicked the things you should be doing when visiting our city and a team of guides to maximise the day out.

If you’re feeling generous you can even book friends and family an activity as a gift, which should really take the sting off passing the buck.

Then again there’s always the option of hopping on board yourself – we often talk a good game about how much we love our city, let’s get out there and explore like those from aboard manage to do when they get here.

A quick look at Gummie’s listing for Cape Town shows they tick just about every box – city walks, hiking, kayaking, food classes, the list goes on.

Let’s check out two classics, the Chapman’s Peak scenic hike and an ocean kayaking experience.

Chappies up first, with the info below from the Gummie site:

If you love nature and being active, this experience is for you. Explore one of the most beautiful locations in the world — Chapman’s Peak and the Hout Bay harbour on this 4-hour hike through the nature reserve.

Starting halfway up the famous Chapmans Peak Drive you begin our ascent to a 360-degree summit for a unique view of the Cape Peninsula, while enjoying a snack. Guided by Stuart Coffey, a professional nature guide and passionate adventurer, you will learn about the unique Cape’s vegetation, spot the rare plants that look as if they could be from another planet and take in some of the best views on the planet.

So how does it work? You book and pay online, the guys at Gummie collect you from wherever you are in the city and voila.

Next let’s hit the water with the kayaking experience:

There is no better way to experience Cape Town’s natural wonders than a kayaking journey right here, in Sea Point. The trip is guided so don’t worry about not being a kayaking pro. Join a small group of 4 to 10 kayaks for the ultimate Cape Town experience: paddling in the deep blue sea and admiring the city skyline from the water. The best part is spotting the dolphins, seals and whales if you’re lucky! Also, it’s a great arm work out.

Same thing here – book and pay your R350 online, wait for your pick-up and off kayaking you go.

You know what all of this means don’t you? No more feeling guilty about not being able to play tour guide. Just point our impending guests in the direction of Gummie, throw a few suggestions their way and it’s a win win situation.

It’s all about ensuring that those lucky enough to make it to our shores leave happy and ready to come back again, and those of us who call Cape Town home make the most of the opportunities we are surrounded by

Hey, overseas visitors, bring that foreign currency too, we love it when you guys splash the cash.

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