The Tintswalo Collection has introduced a new programme of conservation talks and experiences in partnership with South African National Parks (SANParks) and the SANParks Honorary Rangers. Conservation is deeply connected to Tintswalo’s sense of place and therefore the new guest experiences are designed to go beyond sightseeing, to connect guests with the conservationists, rangers and experts working to protect the Peninsula’s extraordinary biodiversity.
Each of Tintswalo’s three Cape Town properties – Tintswalo Atlantic, Tintswalo Boulders, and Tintswalo Summer House is ideally situated near some of the Cape’s most important protected natural areas, from the penguin colony at Boulders Beach and the Cape Point region, to the Atlantic coastline and Table Mountain National Park.
This proximity allows Tintswalo to offer something increasingly rare in luxury travel: the opportunity to experience nature while contributing to its protection and connecting with the people responsible for its future.
‘Tintswalo is proud to work with SANParks and the SANParks Honorary Rangers whose mission it is to protect Table Mountain and the remarkable natural heritage of the Cape Peninsula. Our privileged locations give our guests access to some of the world’s most extraordinary conservation landscapes, but this partnership now allows them to go beyond simply seeing these places. They can meet the people who protect them, hear their stories, understand the challenges they face and, importantly, contribute to safeguarding these precious ecosystems for future generations’, says Lisa Goosen, CEO of Tintswalo Collection.
The Cape Peninsula Conservation Experience begins at Boulders Beach, home to South Africa’s iconic endangered African penguins, before continuing into the Cape of Good Hope with members of the SANParks Honorary Rangers. Guests explore hidden corners of the Peninsula while learning about its wildlife, marine life, birdlife and indigenous fynbos, gaining insight into the interconnected ecosystems and the conservation work protecting them. The experience includes return transport from their Tintswalo hotel, park and entrance fees, a picnic lunch, as well as a mask, snorkel and towels.
The Back Table Mountain Conservation Experience reveals a more secluded side of this iconic landscape. Guests can choose between exploring the Orangekloof Valley and Disa River, following indigenous forest, rock pools and historic waterworks before a mountain picnic, or the Woodhead Reservoir and Echo Valley route, discovering the history of Table Mountain’s waterworks and hidden trails that provide habitat for the endangered Table Mountain Ghost Frog.
Tintswalo is also offering Conservation Science Talks at each of its three Cape Town hotels, led by SANParks Honorary Rangers and guest conservation experts. These interesting, interactive talks provide behind-the-scenes insight into South Africa’s national parks, current conservation initiatives and research, as well as the wildlife, ecology and biodiversity being protected.
‘As SANParks’ official volunteer organisation, members of the SANParks Honorary Rangers support conservation in South Africa’s national parks through fundraising, education, tourism support and hands-on assistance,’ says member Kenneth Carden.
‘Through the collaboration with SANParks Honorary Rangers, we invite guests to see the Cape not simply as a destination, but to experience it as a living ecosystem of extraordinary beauty, biodiversity and conservation importance – and to leave with a deeper understanding of what it takes to protect it’, Lisa Goosen concluded.
The conservation experiences and talks are available to guests staying at Tintswalo Atlantic, Tintswalo Boulders and Tintswalo Summer House in Glencairn, subject to availability and applicable excursion fees and contributions. Every booking includes a conservation contribution that directly supports projects undertaken by SANParks Honorary Rangers, helping to preserve the unique ecosystems of Table Mountain and the wider Cape Peninsula for future generations.
