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Cape Trail Tours
A King Protea in bloom above the Cape coastline, with mountains and sea beyond
About us

Who We Are

South African hiking experts, trail runners and guides from diverse backgrounds, committed to sharing our love of our trails, adventure travel and our country with the world.

The cliffs and crescent beach at Diaz Beach, Cape Point, seen from the walking path above

Personal journeys, local knowledge.

Cape Trail Tours grew out of a simple idea: that travellers deserve the same Cape we get to enjoy as locals. The mountain at dawn, the swim afterwards, the farm lunch that runs long, the trail nobody else seems to know about.

We plan personally from the first enquiry, match routes to your ability and goals, and make decisions on the day with the benefit of knowing these mountains well. Our published programmes are starting points; almost every guest travels on an itinerary shaped around them.

  • South African hiking experts, trail runners and guides
  • Personal planning from the first enquiry
  • Routes matched to your ability and goals
  • Local knowledge and flexible decision-making
  • Experienced guides and operational support
  • Genuine connections with the places and communities we visit
  • Options for first-time adventurers and experienced trail runners
  • Bespoke travel rather than rigid packages
On the trail

A morning on the mountain.

Sunrise above the city, fynbos along the path and the coastline far below — a real morning out with one of our guides, filmed on the trails we walk every week.

Our Philosophy

Trail lovers and travellers.

Fascinated with what lies over the horizon, or what the view is like from the top of the mountain, hikers, trail runners and travellers share a spirit of adventure, an appreciation of their environment, a rugged individuality and a love of life.

Those are the people we build journeys for, and the people we are ourselves.

Starting points, not fixed packages

Our published programmes are starting points. You may want to be out on the trails all day, every day. You may only want to hike or run a few kilometres every other day and get in a couple of guided ocean swims. You may even want to dedicate a day or two to the Cape's glorious wine farms, delicious food and pristine beaches. Some guests want a serious physical challenge; others want to move gently and see as much as possible.

We build the journey around you, and we keep building it as we go.

Flexibility on the day

Mountains and weather do not follow itineraries. Because our guides know the Cape in every season, we can swap a summit for a coastal path when the wind comes up, move a Winelands day forward to catch the clear skies, or simply take the afternoon slowly when that is what the group needs.

Flexibility is not a fallback for us; it is how we get you the best possible version of each day.

Real places, good people

We prefer the farm where we know the family to the tasting room with the biggest car park. We eat where locals eat and walk the trails we walk on our own weekends. The people you meet along the way, guides, drivers, hosts, are part of what makes the Cape what it is.

No rush

The Cape rewards those who linger. We plan with space in the day: a swim after the descent, a second glass at lunch, an unhurried sunset. Even our most ambitious challenges are built with recovery, good food and the chance to enjoy where you are.

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The team.

Guides, planners and hosts who live for the trails and take real pleasure in sharing them.

  • Warren King

    Founder & CEO

    Focus

    Vision, journey design and the big picture

    Warren moved from private banker to hiking, trail running and adventure tourism entrepreneur. He spent 15 years at Investec Bank before helping create some of South Africa's most prominent trail-running events.

    A passionate traveller, outdoor adventure addict, accomplished open-water swimmer and lover of all things mountain, Warren has experienced the thrill of hiking, trekking, swimming and running in over 40 countries. His global hiking and running experiences have provided him with valuable insights into emerging active travel destinations like Georgia, Mongolia and Slovenia, giving him a unique perspective on the world of adventure tourism and its exciting future.

    Now based in Cape Town, he combines his love for active adventure and exploration with his entrepreneurial vision to create distinctive activity-based travel experiences.

  • Russell Nugent

    Director of Operations

    Focus

    Logistics, planning and guest support

    Russell brings together experience in healthcare, event organisation and endurance sport. He is a practising optometrist and the founder and organiser of a major annual road marathon in Upington, and has worked on one of South Africa's long-running multi-day trail events.

    As an ultra-distance trail runner and triathlete, he understands the physical and logistical requirements of endurance experiences from the inside.

    His role focuses on seamless operations, planning and guest support, and on delivering professional experiences for local and international travellers.

  • Angela Kavallieratos

    Head of Trail Experience & Guest Relations

    Focus

    Personalised itineraries and thoughtful guest care

    Angela is a competitive trail runner and mountain adventurer with a background in Speech Therapy and Audiology. Her experience spans European marathons, mountain expeditions in Nepal and extensive exploration of the Western Cape's trails.

    She creates personalised itineraries that show guests the best of the Cape while carefully considering different fitness levels, interests and confidence levels.

    Her focus is on combining strong trail knowledge with thoughtful guest care.

  • Nicole Smit

    Marketing & Customer Experience Manager

    Focus

    From first enquiry to the final day

    Nicole combines extensive travel-industry experience with a passion for hiking, trail running and horse riding. She has designed and sold holiday packages, coordinated travel logistics and managed customer communication for many years.

    She supports guests from their first enquiry through to the end of their Cape adventure, bringing together digital marketing, travel planning and personal customer service.

  • Zibele Bala

    Head Trail Guide

    Focus

    Guiding, mentorship and access to the mountains

    Zibele is a trail runner, mentor and advocate for making trail running accessible to more people. Originally from Qumbu in the Eastern Cape and now based in Khayelitsha, he has achieved strong results at events including the Mountain Ultra Trail by UTMB Marathon and the Cape Town Trail Marathon.

    He supports and mentors young runners through Trail Taxi, which helps athletes from under-resourced communities reach mountain trails.

    Through Cape Trail Tours, Zibele introduces visitors to the beauty and diversity of the Cape while guiding them safely through the mountains.

  • Kelly Shepherd

    Trail Guide & Running Coach

    Focus

    Fynbos, conservation and pre-tour coaching

    Kelly is a molecular biologist, conservation advocate, ultra-distance trail runner and certified running coach. Her research focuses on plant survival and conservation in the fynbos biome, including work involving the endangered Ceder tree.

    Her trail achievements include winning the women's category at the Cederberg Traverse 100km, finishing second at the MaxiRace Cape Winelands 75km and completing a 280km self-supported Drakensberg traverse.

    Kelly brings the Cape landscape to life through her knowledge of fynbos, wildlife and conservation, and can provide pre-tour coaching to help guests prepare physically and confidently for their adventure.

A guide briefing a group of trail runners on a rocky mountain path above Cape Town before a supported challenge

Come and walk with us.

Tell us whether you are imagining a mountain-focused holiday, a supported trail-running challenge, a Cape Peninsula journey, time in the Winelands or a combination made entirely your own.

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