Your Guide – Ray Haakonsen
One of Cape Town’s Top-Rated Guides
I am proudly born-and-bred African, with an intense love for my continent, South Africa and the Western Cape. Africa is in my blood and I am privileged to have the “Mother city “ Cape Town as my home. I have been an Air Force pilot, sales broker, Cross-cultural mission worker and Co-founder and Director of a Care Center for vulnerable and HIV/AIDS affected babies, before launching my golf/tour guide business. I am married to Sue and we have 3 happily married biological children, 2 unmarried young adult daughters and 6 grand-children.
I am a self-confessed people-person and have a general interest in many things, with a particular bent towards sport as a whole, golf, nature, travel, reading and writing and living life to the full. For each person ‘Life’ means a different thing, but it is my intention to share my experiences, knowledge, and personal love of life to provide my guests with an experience where “Spectacular is the norm”!
As I share time with you, it is my hope and desire that you would return home, your life enriched with wonderful memories of your visit to our extraordinary country.
Testimonials
Ray Haakonsen was a fantastic guide
Ray Haakonsen was a fantastic guide. He always kept us informed and was flexible when we wanted to change the itinery. His expert local knowledge is a great asset to him and his clients.
Not only did he take us to some of the greatest golf courses, we also got in quite a bit of sightseeing. Interesting facts and stories came out in rapid fire. Nothing was too much trouble for him.
Our group became very fond of Ray and already we miss him.
Not only did he take us to some of the greatest golf courses, we also got in quite a bit of sightseeing. Interesting facts and stories came out in rapid fire. Nothing was too much trouble for him.
Our group became very fond of Ray and already we miss him.
Ray Haakonsen
5
2017-04-14T18:18:26+02:00
Ray Haakonsen was a fantastic guide. He always kept us informed and was flexible when we wanted to change the itinery. His expert local knowledge is a great asset to him and his clients. Not only did he take us to some of the greatest golf courses, we also got in quite a bit of sightseeing. Interesting facts and stories came out in rapid fire. Nothing was too much trouble for him. Our group became very fond of Ray and already we miss him. http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/ray-haakonsen-fantastic-guide/
Informative, Professional And Fun!
Ray Haakonsen was an exceptional tour guide. From our initial email connection he listened carefully, proposed a tour, flexed when I wanted to add in some extras and then fully delivered. From the airport pick up to his informative anecdotes he was exceptional. Ray could answer questions from history to geology and had interesting funny legends that he passed on.
He was early each day, kept us on track and had us back to head to the pool when he said he would. The tours were relaxed and yet we covered so much. He showed us the peninsula, the wine route and the city - our group would go with him again in a heartbeat, and are already recommending him to friends.
He was early each day, kept us on track and had us back to head to the pool when he said he would. The tours were relaxed and yet we covered so much. He showed us the peninsula, the wine route and the city - our group would go with him again in a heartbeat, and are already recommending him to friends.
Colleen Milstein
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-08-02T15:50:00+02:00
Colleen Milstein
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/informative-professional-and-fun/
Fantastic Guiding in Cape Town
We had a marvelous time in Cape town with the best guide ever - thank you Ray !! We saw everything we wanted to see and got so much interesting history st the same time - we would recommend Ray any time !!
Thank you again!
Peter Yvonne and family
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:41:45+02:00
Peter Yvonne and family
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/fantastic-guiding-in-cape-town/
The fun loving guide!
Ray is a fantastic guide. We were a group of 58 Canadians on a custom tour of the Western Cape in South Africa and we had fun for 10 days with Ray.
Ray was always in a good mood, full of interesting and witty jokes and anecdotes, coupled with an extensive knowledge of South Africa, whether it be geographical, historical, political, cultural or else. He is a pleasant person to spend time with, is full of resources and is there to please.
As he was working with another guide and 2 drivers, he also demonstrated a capacity to work as a team and fully co-operate with others. We all have fond memories of Ray and I strongly recommend his services to anyone.
Ray was always in a good mood, full of interesting and witty jokes and anecdotes, coupled with an extensive knowledge of South Africa, whether it be geographical, historical, political, cultural or else. He is a pleasant person to spend time with, is full of resources and is there to please.
As he was working with another guide and 2 drivers, he also demonstrated a capacity to work as a team and fully co-operate with others. We all have fond memories of Ray and I strongly recommend his services to anyone.
Sandra (Canada)
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:09:01+02:00
Sandra (Canada)
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/the-fun-loving-guide/
Best Tour Guide in Africa!
Ray is professional, personable and brought South Africa to life in ways that only someone who has lived in Africa all his life can. We were part of a 60-person group and Ray’s constant stories and jokes had the entire bus laughing and entertained for the full the week. Whether, walking the streets of Cape Town, avoiding baboons at Cape Point or drinking wine in wine country Ray managed to keep a bunch of Canadians fully entertained for the week. Thank you for bringing the country of South Africa to life for our group. The world could use more people like Ray!
Greg and Geri (Canada)
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:10:27+02:00
Greg and Geri (Canada)
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/best-tour-guide-in-africa/
Best tour of my life
Ray’s tour of the Cape rates as one of the best tours of my life. He found us beautiful and fascinating sights, excellent food, and all the logistics were handled so smoothly it was like magic.
He arranged a whale-watching trip where we saw a mother teaching her baby to breach, a walk up to the Cape Lighthouse, a tour of a penguin colony, all with humor and fascinating stories about the history and culture of South Africa.
I have a new understanding and appreciation for the people and the beauty of South Africa. I strongly recommend anyone looking for a great tour to reach out to him.
He arranged a whale-watching trip where we saw a mother teaching her baby to breach, a walk up to the Cape Lighthouse, a tour of a penguin colony, all with humor and fascinating stories about the history and culture of South Africa.
I have a new understanding and appreciation for the people and the beauty of South Africa. I strongly recommend anyone looking for a great tour to reach out to him.
-Irene Voskamp (USA)
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:10:48+02:00
-Irene Voskamp (USA)
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/best-tour-of-my-life/
Wonderful Time With Ray: Knowledgeable, Friendly And Very Personable
Ray was able to keep a great balance entertaining the four children and the two retirees (ages 4, 5, 7, 8 and 60+). We had a total of 9 people in our group, but Ray had us all captivated with his knowledge and warm personality. He had a great sense of humor and was very patient with our photo requests (haha!).
Ray was attentive to our group’s needs and was very personable. We highly recommend him to anyone in need of a tour guide while visiting Cape Town.
Ray was attentive to our group’s needs and was very personable. We highly recommend him to anyone in need of a tour guide while visiting Cape Town.
Meca Flores (USA)
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:11:08+02:00
Meca Flores (USA)
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/wonderful-time-with-ray-knowledgeable-friendly-and-very-personable/
Simply the best
Apart from the fact that Ray is an old friend of our family, he gave us just the best time here in the Cape. We hired his services under an alias, so he did not know it was us until we arrived, and his planning of our trips were diligent, personalised and efficient as well as friendly as he thought we were strangers. Even though he ended up guiding friends I could still see his professionalism as he guided us round the peninsula, into the winelands and out to Aquila game park.
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:12:09+02:00
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/simply-the-best/
He obviously knows his stuff
Ray knows his stuff and is a great communicator, telling us stories wherever we went…..and as a good friend i can also be a fierce critic!!!! On days we didn’t spend with Ray he gave us good tips on what to do and where to eat.
Our Cape Town holiday has been perfect in every way and it will be remembered by us for a long time. Thankfully we have the Rayfies to help us remember the fun times together.
I want all my friends to have the same experiences as us but I will be green with envy when they do. Thank you Ray and so glad you enjoyed our surprise visit. Keep doing what you do best.
Our Cape Town holiday has been perfect in every way and it will be remembered by us for a long time. Thankfully we have the Rayfies to help us remember the fun times together.
I want all my friends to have the same experiences as us but I will be green with envy when they do. Thank you Ray and so glad you enjoyed our surprise visit. Keep doing what you do best.
-Jenny Dobson (UK)
Ray Haakonsen
5
2022-09-03T02:12:49+02:00
-Jenny Dobson (UK)
http://epictourssouthafrica.com/testimonials/he-obviously-knows-his-stuff/
5
9
Ray Haakonsen