Meet the Organizer: Jessy, from Cape Town!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessy, one of the awesome Gidsy organizers from the newly unlocked Cape Town! 

Keep reading to learn more about Jessy, what she would do if she only had 2 days in Cape Town, and why she thinks her city & Gidsy are a perfect fit. 

Tell us a bit about yourself, and how you found out about Gidsy.
I came to Cape Town 9 years ago and was only supposed to stay for 5 months. After finishing a 5 month project - opening a hotel - I decided to stay and start my own boutique travel company. It gave me the opportunity to get to know the country very well. Now I’m mainly based in Cape Town and take every opportunity to explore the country and surrounding countries as well like Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zambia. 

A Dutch colleague from the tourism industry told me about Gidsy. She saw the founders on TV and thought this would be great for Cape Town too! That’s when I started looking into it and saw the massive possibilities for the Cape Town tourism industry.

You can basically run your own company from the Gidsy web site which is fantastic.

Why was it important to you that Gidsy launched in your city?
Of course because Cape Town is the most beautiful city in the world, and people have to come and experience it for themselves. I think that for all the local guides and activity organizers, the “1-man-bands” as I call them, this is a great way to reach travelers globally without any marketing costs. You can basically run your own company from the Gidsy web site which is fantastic.

What are you organizing on Gidsy, and what can people expect from your activities?
I love to walk, and Cape Town is a great city to walk through and explore. So I take people on walks, either in the city or on my favorite mountain, Lion’s Head. My knowlegde of the country can help them with the rest of their trip if they start off in Cape Town. I also know a lot of really nice restaurants and always try to stay up to date with what’s happening. I love to create positive ambassadors for Cape Town and South Africa and make guests talk positively about the country and city. So they hopefully come back and bring more family and friends.

What’s your favourite thing about Cape Town?
The fact that I’m in the middle of a nature reserve after a 5 minute drive. The views around are just amazing. And this all in a fabulous city with great infrastructure, fantastic restaurants and never a dull moment.

What’s an activity you’d love to see up on Gidsy?
People who share their passion for the city with their passion for a certain activity or interest will do best on Gidsy, I think..So it can be from historical to cultural to culinary activities, or entrepreneurial workshops. Soon I will be looking for activities with kids..

What is a place you’ve always wanted to visit, and why?
Aj, it’s difficult to just choose one place because my bucket list is still quite long. I’ve never been to New York and it just sounds like a magical city. And then Bhutan. It must be such a special place where GDP is measured in happiness. The Galapagos Islands because of the special nature.

People who share their passion for the city with their passion for a certain activity or interest will do best on Gidsy


What’s the number one thing you always bring with you on an adventure?
My head lamp haha!! My favorite gadget to be able to ‘braai’ everywhere! And I love my backpack. I used it on many hiking trips around Southern Africa.

If you only had 2 days in Cape Town, what would you do?
Day 1: I would walk up Lions Head in the morning and enjoy the views. Then go to the cable car and go up Table Mountain. Come back down and do a little walk around the city centre. High Tea at The Mount Nelson Hotel. Then perhaps go for a Catamaran sunset cruise from the V&A Waterfront. Late dinner at the Harbour House. 

Day 2: Supposing that you’re there on a Sunday, start off with a visit to Langa Township to the Gospel church, have lunch at Mzoli’s in Gugugethu, after lunch go to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. On Sundays in Summer there’s always a concert from 17h30 to 19h00 where the whole of Cape Town just chills with Bubbly and picnics. It’s the most stunning concert venue in the world.

Thanks so much for the interview, Jessy!