Cape Care Route

About Cape Care Route

The Cape Care Route, situated in and around Cape Town, offers those who take it a chance to experience the 'other' side of Cape Town and the creativity and innovation that have come out of the more depressed communities in the Mother City.

Did you know? The Route gives both visitors and locals in Cape Town the chance to see how people live in underprivileged townships, how they grown their own food, build their own homes, and make crafts from recycled rubbish, in a way that is environmentally responsible.

Designed by the City of Cape Town and Cape Town Tourism, the Cape Care Route allows one to visit projects that have either environmental conservation or social rehabilitation, or both, as their founding principle.

The Route gives both visitors and locals in Cape Town the chance to see how people live in underprivileged townships, how they grown their own food, build their own homes, and make crafts from recycled rubbish, in a way that is environmentally responsible.

The route visits, amongst other venues: Kirstenbosch and Ukuvuka Firestop, the Montebello Design Centre, the Oude Molen Eco Village, Joe Slovo Informal Settlement, Self Help Mannenberg, the Edith Stephens Wetland Park, the Victoria Mxenge Lilies for Peace Project, the Abalimi Peace Park and Community Garden, Spier Wine Estate, Golden Flowers from cans, Moddergat River Improvement Scheme and Look Out Hill Khayelitsha.

The route is divided into the urban trail, the southern trail, and the northern trail, and starts in the townships, supporting emerging entrepreneurs by buying locally made goods and food. It visits a threatened wetland, home to a rather rare indigenous plant, and then on to various environmental projects, with a stop at more upmarket tourist destinations, like Spier, to see how they reduce their carbon footprint to promote a greener living environment. One can also volunteer for the Cape Care project and assist in the various projects.

The Cape Care Route is an example of partnership between business, government and communities to help protect culture and biodiversity in the townships.