Curated travel for the curious

Braais, breaking bread and tours of black-owned wineries: Bheki Dube is the visionary behind a South African company that is diversifying travel for the tourist looking for budget-friendly innovation.

- Naomi Campbell

Backpacking doesn't have to just be a budget form of travel, and a hostel doesn't have to just be shared lodging for random strangers in a new place.

But when the two forms of exploring merge, the perfect concoction for curious travellers is created and the opportunity for community to grow is invited.

For one South African travelpreneur, this vision has been explored and executed for more than a decade. Bheki Dube, a poet, is the visionary behind Curiocity, a movement that is reimagining travel to connect locals and travellers through curated experiences that highlight Africa in an authentic and conscientious way.

Dube founded Curiocity in 2013 at the age of 21. Since then, he has grown it from walking tours to include safe spaces for travellers to stay.

Dube credits his late grandmother, who sold produce, for the creation of his intentional service.

"Curiocity is really a manifestation of my grandmother's teachings," he said.

"My grandmom used to narrate these stories of Africa. I thought I would be a photojournalist and document Africa, so I am sharing stories.

"Then the walking tour business, you are narrating and sharing stories, and Curiocity really then becomes a manifestation of all of these things for us to share our stories."

On a backpacking trip across Africa with friends, he explored the lodging industry.