The Curio(city) Case of Bheki Dube

Backpacking doesn’t have to be just a low-cost form of travel, and a hostel isn’t just shared lodging for random strangers seeking commonality in solo experiences in a new country or city. But when the two forms of exploring concepts merge, the perfect concoction for curious travellers is created and the opportunity for community to grow is invited.

In South Africa, travel has a new meaning, and for one 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, travellers, groups and even nomads with intentional and curated experiences that highlight Africa in an authentic and conscientious way, starting with his stomping grounds, SA.

Founded in 2013, Dube has grown Curiocity from organising walking tours at the age of 21 to developing safe spaces for travellers to not only experience short tours, but also have the option to extend their Curiocity experience through a hotel and hostel company.

Yet the vision wasn’t born overnight. Dube credits his late grandmother, who used to sell produce, for the creation of his intentional service.

“Curiocity is really a manifestation of my grandmother’s teachings. A large part of Curiocity is really the confluence of all of her teachings,” said Dube.

He also reflects on his grandmother’s own narrations while he was a child, which inspired one of his first ventures, walking tours in Johannesburg.

“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,” said Dube.

After a backpacking trip across Africa with friends, he noticed something about the lodging industry.

“It was very mom and pop run, it lacked innovation, lacked design, it lacked diversity, and on my journey back to Johannesburg, I thought it would be cool to open something of my own, where people can come together,” said Dube.

During his trek back to Johannesburg, he observed that Maboneng was undergoing urban regeneration. One of the patrons on the walking tour, Jonathan Liebmann, one of the lead developers of Maboneng, asked Dube what his dream was.

“Through that particular patron, he then endorsed me,” said Dube.

Aware of a lack of black-owned spaces in the hospitality and tourism sector, Dube wanted to create a hub for black people and innovators.

“It became quite apparent in my early entrepreneurship, the formative years, that in order to really change an ecosystem, to change an industry, to decolonise an industry, a network needs to be created,” said Dube.

His accommodation options are diverse, offering dormitory, co-living spaces and even apartment-style rooms. Apart from residency options, Curiocity offers immersion experiences that are engaging, enriching and educational.

“There is intentionality and it responds to geography, looks at the history of the space, and reimagines it,” said Dube.

With more than 18,000 followers – and counting – across social media platforms, Curiocity creates opportunities to build community and explore in a creative and comfortable way.

“It is beyond the refreshment station, behind the colony, where people like us can arrive and feel seen, and take part in stories that are not told and narratives that are taking the country forward,” said Dube.

On the website, travellers can choose their “curiocity” and what piques their interest. In Cape Town, travellers can select from scenic drives of the Cape Peninsula to a Taste of Bo-Kaap and Cape Malay-inspired cooking classes. In Johannesburg, experiences range from pub crawls to city cycle tours.

On a personal note, Curiocity isn’t new to me. During my one-month stay in Johannesburg, I visited multiple times and practically became friends with the staff.

Returning to SA through my classmate Laurenne Mvete’s pilot programme Founders Without Borders, in collaboration with my former internship iKapa Impact, I knew Curiocity would be the perfect stay for the cohort.

After reaching out to Dube, what began as a brief meeting turned into weeks of preparation, and soon the cohort was booked to explore Cape Town through Curiocity.

Though I was initially unable to stay with the cohort due to my financial situation, after a vulnerable conversation with Dube and the help of my parents I was able to stay two days and nights, and thankfully my good friend Bradly Cameron, who I met during my internship at the CoCreate Hub in Cape Town, allowed me to stay with him and his family.

Before checking in, I attended a workshop hosted at Curiocity led by Penguin Random House bestseller Popina Khumanda, the author of The Smallest Ones, which chronicles her life fleeing rebels in her birth country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo before embarking on a brave walk to SA alongside her sister.

Khumanda is also the founder of AnchorTech Academy, a learning environment equipping students with IT foundations and confidence.

Arriving at the Green Point location, I was greeted with lush greenery, a white brick building and the turquoise shade of the Curiocity logo. Brown couches, beige cushions and more greenery lined the walkway towards the reception. In the reception area, brochures detailed immersion experiences and merchandise was available for guests to purchase.

The co-working space stood out – green and pink artwork, a woven lamp, charging stations, a communal table – designed as a pocket of productivity meeting serenity.

My first day checking in included unpacking, exploring Green Point and attending Dube’s braai! After mentioning that I was pescatarian, I was treated to a perfectly seasoned fish alongside blackened corn, tossed salad, crisps and biscuits.

The next day, before attending an all-black wine tour hosted by Curiocity, I interviewed Dube. Learning about his journey from conception to commercialisation was inspiring.

Dube is part of what I like to call the “Youth of Yeoville”, changemakers of the inner city. One of his mentors is Sanza Sandile, chef and storyteller of Yeoville Dinner Club.

“I was very fortunate to grow up among a lot of elders. Sanza and them were the first people to really move the needle forward in terms of black intelligence, black excellence, knowledge systems, but also really pushing the culture forward, so being exposed to a calibre of people of that nature really makes you think outside of the box,” said Dube.

While he has grown a successful travel company, it has had its challenges. Originally, Dube had Curiocity operating from three cities in SA, including Durban. But due to the pandemic, the site closed.

“Entrepreneurship is not easy, it is not a romantic endeavour. It’s one’s life calling,” he said.

Despite that challenge, what makes Dube’s arc deeply moving is his devotion to uplifting black youth through employment in hospitality and tourism. For Dube, Curiocity is larger than himself.

“I think a lot of kids need to see that they can come into this industry and become entrepreneurs and grow scalable businesses, and move the needle forward,” he said.

Following the interview, I waited for the wine tour. Some of Dube’s staff – Chief Experiences Officer Asanda Daza, Group Revenue Manager and Reservations, Kaltooma Ariefdien, and Digital Marketing Consultant Jeanne – also attended the tour and helped to guide the day’s activities.

As I waited in the lobby with other guests, I heard the sound of an engine signalling the attendees’ attention. The turquoise van awaited us, guiding the curious group through the city.

Our first stop was Aslina Wines, where greeting winemaker Ntsiki Biyela and sales coordinator Yoliswa Masekwana felt so surreal. Am I really back in SA? This time I was no longer just the interviewer, but an attendee and I was able to delight in the storytelling and wine tasting from a new angle.

Next was the Seven Sisters Vineyard, where Vivian Kleynhans shared the story of her family’s separation and eventual reunion, and her journey into winemaking after hearing a speech by the then minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Angela Thoko Didiza. She became interested in exploring the land and the wine industry.

From the cooling sensation and lime aroma of the Chenin Blanc 2025 to the majestic horses in the vineyards, Seven Sisters Vineyard is a separate story that I will write about.

Many sips and chats later, it was time for lunch, but there was a change in plans due to the fires affecting various areas across the Western Cape. We stopped for a bite at Boschendal and I ordered a vegetarian pizza topped with garden spinach, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, fresh rocket and my new favourite napolitana sauce.

On the ride back to Curiocity, I dozed in and out of sleep, grateful to have my curious city experience.

When I returned, I learned that I could stay two more days, this time with a room change. Instead of the blue aesthetic, my room was decked out in pink with a balcony overlooking Green Point’s high rises. As I explored the hostel, I even found a miniature pool, perfect for dipping your toes in and to cool down in the Cape sun.

My final days included exploring the Waterfront, riding the ferris while. Trying paneer masala at Ninety One – Indian Restaurant, and writing a story for Tony over a strawberry matcha at Off the Gluten Path.

Before checking out the next day, Dube invited me to Black Brick Gardens, a wellness-led hotel with a rooftop pool and intentional working spaces, another extension of his collaborative spirit.

My afternoon ended with a tour of Curiocity Kloof Street. On this site, travellers can expect to be whisked away by artisanal coffee and the beautiful views of Cape mountains.

From Klipfontein to Kloof Street, Curiocity is more than a hostel and hotel service. It is seeking to decolonise travel and expand how travellers engage with places and people.

On my last day at Curiocity, I took my time getting ready to soak in each moment. Before leaving, I dragged my luggage up the stoop and though I could have taken the staircase around the corner, I opted for the longer route – a straight path down the hall overlooking the high rises in Green Point one last time, at least for now. Who knows, maybe next time I will check Curiocity Kloof Street off of my bucket list. DM

Naomi Campbell stayed at Curiocity as part of her internship arrangements with the iKapa NGO.