Cape Town Trip with inVOYAGE
As part of the inVOYAGE Cape Town familiarisation and networking trip, supported by Concepts Collection, Dragonfly Africa and Belmond Mount Nelson, Sales Director Flow Hancox was whisked away for a whistle-stop, memory making experience. An 11hr flight away from the UK, South Africa lies in the Southern Hemisphere with the Atlantic Ocean to one side and Indian Ocean to the other. Cape Town, with its diverse landscape and ecosystem, offers dramatic coastlines and mountainous terrain – perfect for adventurous incentive activities.
The beautiful Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel or “Nellie” as she’s affectionately known, sits in the heart of Cape Town at the foot of Table Mountain. Surrounded by lush gardens, the Mount Nelson is a 5 star timeless classic. With 198 bedrooms and suites, multiple dining options, 2 swimming pools and fantastic meeting rooms, the hotel is a perfect base to explore all things Cape Town and surrounding areas. Our 20km coach journey from the airport took us through the stark reality of Cape Town and its extreme economic and social situation; the country has a long and complex history that is still etched across the city.
Our 3 day itinerary was packed with the best parts of the area – all easily accessible with relatively short distances to travel to ensure activity times are maximised. With 1:1 meetings filling our first morning, we were looking forward to getting out and about and seeing the area. Our first trip was to the Winelands and the Boschendal Family Vineyard. A working farm, the estate offers luxury accommodation, event space and the traditional wine tasting tours – both on foot and horseback. Our group spent the afternoon with Head Chef Eric Bulpitt, discovering how Boschendal are committed to sustainable farming with their “soil to fork” ethos. We picked edible flowers and herbs to be used in that evening’s dining experience. Chef Eric spoke to us about his love for fresh, seasonal ingredients on his menu and the importance of being custodians of the land for future generations. That evening was spent hearing from winemakers of colour and their stories of success. A moving and interesting talk from some inspiring speakers. Fabulous food, beautiful wine and a stunning performance from a local school choir; all in all an amazing activity for small and large groups.
Day two started with a 6.30am sunlight walk up Lion’s Head, the hill next to Table Mountain. These guided walks are a perfect opportunity to get the day off to a great start and see the city from a different perspective. Unfortunately for us on that morning, the wonderfully wet (wettest in 40 years!) weather meant that not only were we drenched we didn’t get to see any sunlight, and actually even the view had disappeared by the time we were coming back down. We saw the funny-side and it was definitely still a great start!
With more 1:1 supplier meetings taking us through to lunch we then had a jam-packed afternoon and evening ahead of us. Full from another fabulous lunch, we were looking forward to an eye opening talk from Zelda La Grange, Nelson Mandela’s former Private Secretary. An animated and eloquent speaker, she had the room enthralled. Zelda spoke with affection and passion about her time with Nelson Mandela; the effects of working for him as “the enemy” and how her and her family still feel the effects of her choices. Zelda introduced us to Rise Against Hunger, Africa, a charity striving to make a difference in communities by building empowerment, self-efficiency and resilience.
As part of inVOYAGE’s commitment to supporting and raising much needed funds and awareness during our trip they organised a meal packaging event, held at the Cabo Beach Club. Split into teams, the race was on to fill all of our boxes with meal packets for the charity. Finishing victorious as part of team two was satisfying and a brilliant end to an eye opening and inspiring afternoon.
Our final day was leisure time; and spent at height! First stop NAC Helicopters Cape Town for a trip around the bay – taking in the most incredible sights of Robyn Island, Bay of Good Hope, the Olympic stadium and right across the city. Although just a 20 minute trip it was breathtaking and a fantastic way to see the landscape that surrounds the city.
Next stop was Table Mountain. Over 3,000ft in height with a fabulous flat top, Table Mountain is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. We had the best day for it. Absolutely stunning views out across the city and across to Robyn Island and all that Cape Town has to offer.
Cape Town is the perfect mix of adrenaline and laid-back elegance. A great Incentive opportunity with so much to offer for team activities, rich in history and culture and excellent value for money.
Trip partners – inVOYAGE – https://www.invoyage.net/ Dragonfly Africa – https://dragonfly.co.za/
Concepts Collection Events – http://conceptscollection.co.za/
For a snap shot of a previous incentive trip we ran in South Africa click the link below:
