EPIC Tours South Africa

18/01/2024

Yesterday was the final leg with the family from USA/South Africa and as I dropped them off I thought about the last 10 days together. Our byline at EPIC Tours South Africa is "Where spectacular is the norm" and we make a point of trying to provide that for our guests.

What a privileged opportunity to be part of this important journey for them and to play a role in making it fun and varied. Below are the 2 testimonials from the "Ladies" of the group, who clearly have full authority to speak on behalf of them all. 👍

Thank you Sirgute, Mike, Patty, Herman, Hylton, Jaffa and Zeru for a fantastic time with you all 🙏

"We just concluded a wonderful 10 day tour along the beautiful Garden Route with Ray of Epic Tours! Ray was fantastic. We stayed at spectacular Guest houses and hotels. Every day was filled with great experiences that we will never forget.

There were 7 of us (all related) on the tour and we all had a great time. Ray’s knowledge of the Garden Route, and his ability to make it fun, memorable, and exciting was awesome. We would enthusiastically recommend Ray and Epic Tour to everyone. It was a 5-star tour!!

Sirgute, Mike Norville and Family"

"Thank you Ray Haakonsen, Owner, Driver and Guide of Epic Tours of South Africa for planning and organizing a FABULOUS 10-day tour called the Garden Tour which included delightful towns to explore; and each night a charming place to stay, including a Bed and Breakfast, , Art Hotel, Game Lodge, Country House Inn, several wonderful hotels.

One of my favorites was next to the ocean and going to sleep several nights hearing the surf explode onto the rocks!! The exciting itinerary he planned each day included such choices of activities as zip lining, elephant experiences, wine tasting, cave exploration, Bush Safari, and much more!

Every detail and daily experience was carefully planned by Ray, and Herman, family, and I so appreciated his excellence in doing so! Also appreciated by all of us was Ray’s patience, kindness, and sense of humor!! He will forever be our South African Tour Guide of choice and highly recommend him to everyone!! Thank you Ray!!

Sincerely,
Patty Webster

11/12/2023

So what's happened so far 🙈0

24/08/2023

What must rate as the strangest guiding day since I began 7 years ago, also ended with much hilarity between myself and my 3 guests 😂

Pretty much everything planned did not work out that way. From an hour and a half later than planned start, a longer than expected breakfast, crazy traffic at table mountain cable station, and unscheduled drives in off the beaten track places, and a drive for my guests in a 3 million $ Bentley. So what's unusual???

Bottom line. My 3 guests got to their Kosher breakfast, (a complimentary Shofar blowing) enjoyed their walk on the top of the mountain, forego the 'standard' Cape Point and Penguins on the Peninsular tour.

Instead they asked for drives into 2 townships, which as I'm accustomed to them, obliged. One of the guests commented that "they want the different" to be reminded of the privileges they have.

At what was to be a routine "bathroom break" ended up in the guests hitching a ride with a grand gentleman in his classic and rare Bentley.

A fun drive back to drop guests off ended for me in a changed initial perspective of my guests as quiet, introverted private young men. Minutes before saying our goodbyes we had a great laugh at the unexpected turn of events of the day and our initial perceptions of each other 😉

Never a dull moment in my guiding experiences 🙏

PS: No Rayfies due to request from guests 😉

23/08/2023

So after 5 loooonnngg days of being "Man down" with the 'lurgy', it was time to jump back into the Guiding saddle 👍

Still not 💯 but markedly better. Late night pick up at the airport of 3 young male guests from New York city. Only here for one day so a lot to fit into tomorrow 🤪

About 4 hours sleep ahead before early am pick up in the morning. 💤

18/02/2023

"Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken"! I adopted this quote some years ago and although I don't always get it right, today I practiced it. It stood me in good stead 👌

Originally expecting to pick up my 2 guests at 8:00 am, a 'little' matter of a massive cruise ship being delayed outside the harbour due to wind, meant a patient wait. One more delay but eventually, thankfully meeting and greeting my guests at 12:15 we set off for a shortened Cape Peninsular tour on a windy Cape day.

Penguins, although mainly bracing against the wind, were a hit, then onto Cape Point. Furnicular not working due to loadshedding meant an abbreviated visit to the top, and visit to Cape of Good Hope was so quick I missed the pic....that's a first 🫣 Did see a couple male Ostriches and a lone Zebra.

All in all a lot of flexibility needed but generally guests seemed happy despite shortened day due to late docking 👌 Guests were from same ship I guided other guests 3 weeks ago 😉

Tomorrow is a new day and perhaps the quote contents needed again? Whatever may come, a day guiding, for me, is a good day 🙏

16/01/2023

Wonderful to receive such an encouraging review from a guest today. I've had such a great time with Terri and "the lads" and they feel like family 🤗

If you or anyone you know is planning on coming this way and needing guiding services, please contact me via Facebook or by emailing [email protected]. 🙏

Thanks so much Terri, Paul and Alan for making my job such a joy 🤗🙏

20/10/2022

For an update of the latest tour by Ray check out the link below and have a look at the website at the same time. Id love your feedback ;-)
https://epictourssouthafrica.co.za/2022/10/20/trip-down-the-garden-route/?fbclid=IwAR1Srw13RCItxysTnhtPFnzGGMRJ3C1Mcz4p0yt2ElG6l_lakv-XaU60ATQ

Trip down the Garden route Post author:EpicToursSouthAfrica Post published:October 20, 2022 Post category:Touring with guests Post comments:0 Comments Ready to roll Last week I guided a group of 4 including the co-owner of a new Tour operator, (NextStopAfrica), their marketing and tour facilitator a...

20/10/2022

Progress on the re-inventing of my Tourism guiding platform with new business cards professionally done by friend Retha Badenhorst.

Please feel free to share ;-)

18/08/2022

01/08/2022