Cape Care Route

The City of Cape Town initiated the development of this Afrikatourism route that offers visitors a different experience of the city, in that it focuses on sustainable development issues. More and more, tourists are showing interest in seeing how people work and live, and also how they interact with their environment. The Cape Care Route will fascinate tourists interested in seeing ‘behind the scenes’ of life, from an environmental and social point of view.

With the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in 2002, the time was ripe to develop a specialist Afrikatourism route on sustainable development in Cape Town. The purpose of this route is to provide a different Cape Town experience for the visitor by showing them how the people of Cape Town are putting the concept of sustainable development into practice. In order to provide the full story, examples of all types of approaches to sustainable development are included on the route. This means that projects started by communities, by the City, by non-government organisations and by small and large businesses are included. The main requirement for projects to be included on the route was that they demonstrate at least one social/people aspect and one environmental/nature aspect of sustainable development.

The following principles were used to identify projects that should be included on the route:

‘Green Principles’ such as the conservation of resources; innovative environmental technologies (e.g. clean technology, pollution control); the management of biodiversity; and the conservation of nature, wildlife or unique ecosystems; and

‘Brown Principles’ such as the rehabilitation of degraded environments; social development; skills development and education; community health and welfare; and cultural heritage.

The projects were then finally selected by factors such as geographic location, the variety of projects demonstrating different facets of sustainable development, interest value and the mix of project owners. The result is a 'basket' of projects making up the Cape Care Route. A number of projects from this basket were then selected to be showcased at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. More projects are continuously being added to the route which is evolving and growing over time. The route spreads out over the whole Cape Town area, including projects on the Cape Peninsula and projects on the Cape Flats where most of the townships are located.

In a nutshell, a visitor to the Cape Care Route will learn how communities are building their own houses, growing food for themselves and their families and developing skills to turn waste materials into contemporary arts and crafts. Projects that are aimed at rehabilitating degraded natural systems, as well as those that demonstrate how ecological systems are being protected, can also be visited. The route also includes upmarket tourist facilities to observe how they are reducing their consumption of resources and working with poorer communities in their areas. An important focus of the route is on projects that show how partnerships between business, government and communities are helping to protect the rich natural resources of Cape Town and provide healthier and cleaner living environments in poor communities. Above all, the route demonstrates the link between people and the environment, and the range of projects that are included will challenge visitors to view the relationship between humankind and the surrounding environment differently.

The Cape Care Route is in the same area as the Sonke Cape Route, which covers some of the townships in and around Cape Town.

Nearby routes

Caledon Blue Crane Route

Lying at the southernmost tip of the African continent, where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet, is the Overberg, a fertile area surrounded by mountains and sea starting from a point 100km east of the city of Cape Town.

Cape Nature Route

Western Cape, South Africa: This route highlights the 'benefits beyond boundaries' of all reserves under Cape Nature Conservation.

Dwars River Escape Route

The Dwars River Escape Route covers the entire Dwars River Valley, located near the university town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape of South Africa. The route covers a relatively short distance, but it is a valley packed full of attractions and activities for the tourist.

Khanyisa Cape Route

Western Cape, South Africa: This route goes through the townships of the Cape Flats. The Khanyisa Cape Route is all about pointing tourists to other destinations in the townships, not just the beaten track to struggle route landmarks.

KwaMandlenkosi Route

The township of Kwa-Mandlenkosi is situated just off the N1 highway approximately 1km south of Beaufort West, the home of the late pioneering heart surgeon, Professor Christiaan Barnard. This has become the focal point of one of the shortest Afrikatourism routes in the Open Africa project, and the first in the Great Karoo.

Mothers of Creation Route

The Garden Route is South Africa’s Garden of Eden, a combination of long, deserted beaches and tranquil lagoons, lush green forests and mountain ranges. Tourists can enjoy the abundant natural resources and meet local people while directly supporting the poorer communities and contributing to their sustainable future.

Porterville Blue Crane Route

The Porterville Blue Crane Route links the various attractions in and around the town under the banner of Blue Crane conservation, as the route is one of four Blue Crane routes in the Western Cape.

Sindwendwela Craft and Cultural Route

The route is situated south of the Great Karoo in the valley surrounded by the Groot Swartberg, Outeniqua and Kammanassie mountains, along the Garden Route in the Western Cape province, South Africa.

Southern Overberg Fynbos Route

The route stretches into the hidden corners of the Agulhas Plain, near the southern tip of Africa, as well as to Stanford, Gansbaai, Baardskeerdersbos, Pearly Beach, Elim and Wolvengat.

Southernmost Route

The Southernmost Blue Crane Route is set in the south Western Cape region of South Africa and as the name suggests, the key feature of this route is South Africas national bird.

West Coast Rock Art Route

The San (Bushman) rock paintings in the Cederberg, Nardouwsberg, Koue Bokkeveld and Olifants River Valley north of Cape Town are amongst the most accessible in South Africa. The sites on this route together have about 25 rock shelters with hundreds of individual paintings.

West Coast Sea Kayaking Route

This 250km stretch of coastline is truly one of South Africa’s jewels. Rolling hills, lush coastal forest, quiet estuaries, wild seas and friendly people. The Wild Coast, aptly named for its seas, can be wild and adventurous.

Xairu Blue Crane Route

The Xairu Blue Crane Route is one of four blue crane routes in the Western Cape. It is located in and around the town of Heidelberg, which is about 276km east of Cape Town on the N2 national road. Heidelberg is fondly known as the “gateway to the garden route”.

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