Mark Peake is the Front-of-house Manager at Cape Canopy Tour. A member of Cape Country Routes, Cape Canopy Tour is a zipline canopy tour in the company of soaring eagles, surrounded by breath-taking Cape fynbos panoramas and mountainscapes.
It is only an hour’s drive from Cape Town by car. Thrilled zipliners who have completed the course have described it as super safe. One commented that the quality of the structure and equipment was reassuringly high and had made her fear of heights irrelevant.
Lonely Planet recently listed Cape Canopy Tour, located in the Elgin Valley near Grabouw and scaling the rugged Hottentots Holland mountains in the Cape Nature reserve of the same name, as second on the list of the world’s hottest new tourism experiences for 2015. Cape Canopy Tour was the only African attraction to make the list! It has been described by Lonely Planet as “vertigo-tinged fun” and “an exciting aerial perspective”.
Mark is someone you need to get to know, and here is why.
What is your job description and what does your role involve?
I’m lucky to have a very dynamic role within Cape Canopy Tour. I oversee the operational running of the business – liaising with clients and agents from all over the world; overseeing the staffing needs of the business and overseeing and implementing all systems and SOPs of the business, all the while making sure that safety and client satisfaction remains the highest priority of the business.
Which parts of the travel industry do you work with?
As Cape Canopy Tour – a member of Cape Country Routes – is an adventure activity, we work with inbound tourism agencies from all over the world, Cape Canopy Tour caters for the leisure industry, corporate team builds, year-end functions, nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
What do you love most about your job?
My role, being very dynamic, ensures that every day has new challenges. Looking for solutions to problems is what I love best. I enjoy looking for ways to make the business as streamlined as possible to ensure that all role-players have the easiest experience while dealing with us. I feel this results in a joyous experience where clients and agents feel welcome from the initial enquiry right to the end of the tour.
What are the challenges of your role?
As we work in the wilderness, challenges generally are weather- related. Our goal is to make every client’s tour as comfortable and memorable as possible and therefore operate in most weather conditions; however, there are those days when the weather is not particularly co-operative. Calling off the day due to bad weather is never a nice experience, but, as true South Africans, a bit of rain doesn’t scare us off.
What do you wish the travel industry did more of?
My feeling is that the travel industry needs to be easy to work with and each role player in the industry needs to understand the needs of the client, thereby making the process for the client or agencies as easy as possible.
How can the travel industry work with you?
Agents, tour operators and public can visit our website to find out more about Cape Canopy Tour by visiting our website: www.capecanopytour.co.za
What is your favourite African experience and why?
Well, who could not love the thrill and adventure of Cape Canopy Tour? So, I would say that my favourite experience is right here, where we are situated in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, a UNESCO world heritage site! Really the best place to be. Temperatures are cool all year round, the air is clean, and we operate in an environment where guests get to explore their limits in a previously inaccessible ecosystem.
Where is your next African adventure to?
Sunny South Africa. I love the county we call home. And here in the western Cape we live in the most beautiful part of the country and in this industry, every day is an adventure.
What are your top tips for travelling Africa?
- Dress for the climate, South Africa can have hot summers and cool winters
- Always have sunblock and protection from the elements
- As South Africa can get humid in places, always have insect repellent on hand
- Come with an open mind and experience the climate, culture and beauty firsthand
Contact Name
Email: mark@capecanopytour.co.za
Website: www.capecanopytour.co.za
