Adventure Travel, Designed Around You!
We provide sustainable adventure travel experiences that connect travellers with off the beaten track experiences in this diverse region through cycling, hiking, sailing, diving, off-roading and other low-emission methods of travel.
What We Do
Bespoke, Sustainable, & Ethical Journeys.
At Where It All Began, we take a very different approach to travel in Africa. Rather than isolating you behind steel and glass in a car or bus, we want you to experience this mystical region like the locals do, out in the open air.
We design bespoke journeys through southern Africa that are sustainable and ethical using low-emission methods of travel. We believe in slowing everything down. Africa is an experience to be savoured.
Designed Around You
Not everybody has the time or fitness for itinerant travel. Every journey is designed around your style. We’ll suggest the adventurous way, but we’ll also suggest the sedate.
- Beach Breaks
- Mountain Retreats
- Safaris
- City Weekends
The Impact in Numbers
R445 000+ Invested
R20 000 /yr
Reforestation & Greening
Greenpop
R10 000 /yr
Primary Scholarships
Capricorn Primary
R5 000
Capricorn Primary
R10 000
new SEN classroom
Capricorn Primary
R120 000
Indigenous & Black-owned
R50 000
100% Black-owned Consultancy
R25 000
Hannival’s Travel
100% Black-owned Operator
R200 000
Rural Marginalised Employment
our purpose
A business model turned on its head.
-
Greening & Environment
Doubling carbon footprint donations to Greenpop reforestation.
-
Education & Upliftment
Funding scholarships and new SEN classrooms at Capricorn Primary.
-
Employment Creation
Investing in 100% Black-owned consultancies and guides.
How We Do It
- Calculating and doubling carbon footprint donations.
- Raising money and advocacy for Capricorn Primary School.
- Creating brands to provide employment for local people.
- Only employing marginalised people (gender, race, disability).
- We don't pay a minimum wage, we pay a living wage.
the 'where it all began' difference
Why use us to plan your trip?
- We spend at least two months on the road every year seeking out high-quality, unusual places you'd struggle to find alone.
- We build the entire trip for you, taking care of logistics: flight times, car hire, insurance and payments.
- We work with your ideas: use us for the whole trip or just bits of it - flexibility travel agents rarely allow.
- We stay in touch with you on a daily basis whilst you travel, making sure things are set up exactly as you like.
- We're a Fair Trade approved and fully accredited, insured and licensed travel agency.
Accreditation
Fair Trade Approved
our history
About our founders.
Liz and Phil’s journey to South Africa began in 2000, when they relocated permanently from the UK with a shared passion for education and community development.
By 2006, the call for a new chapter led them to Cape Town, where they transformed a charming guesthouse called Parker Cottage. They grew it from number 148 to number 1 on TripAdvisor—earning the top spot for three consecutive years.
Their commitment to ethical tourism earned them the prestigious Fair Trade in Tourism accreditation. Drawing on years of insider knowledge, they founded Where It All Began – a travel consultancy dedicated to curating personalised, independent, and ethically conscious journeys.
"Our mission remains rooted in the values we brought with us: authentic experiences, sustainable tourism, and a love for the people who make South Africa unforgettable."
Meet the team...
Philip Rendel
Owner and Founder
Ann-lee Posthumus
Senior Journey Designer
Natalie Roodt
Booking Agent
Inga Sibiya
Journey Designer & Site Inspector
Melissa Botha
Website Manager
Itinerary Creation
How We Create Your Journey.
step 1
Initial Outreach
Call us or use the contact form to start the conversation.
step 2
Plan preferences
We plan an itinerary based on your unique preferences and style.
step 3
Detailed Document
We send you a comprehensive and detailed itinerary document.
step 4
Refine & Finalise
We work with you to refine the itinerary until you're happy.
Ready to Begin Your African Adventure?
Connect with our specialists today and start crafting a journey that matters.