about us
FROM CAPE TOWN TO BRISBANE,
BYRON & EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN.
Born in South Africa and raised in southeast Queensland, Drew honed his craft for curating original and enriching experiences after moving to Cape Town following his university years, where he founded Kiff Kombi Tours in 2016. Taking visitors on an alternative exploration of the city’s top attractions and secret gems, Kiff Kombi Tours is still in operation and has been nominated for two prestigious awards: World’s Best Sustainable Tour Operator at the Global Youth Travel Awards in Edinburgh in 2018, and Cape Town’s Best Sightseeing Tour at the 2019 Cape Town Experiences Awards. Leading travel agency, TravelStart, has also rated Kiff Kombi Tours among the Best Tour Companies in South Africa.
Drew realised that the Kiff Kombi Tours concept was ideally suited to his old stomping ground, which is now known as one of regional Australia’s hottest food and drink destinations. Teaming up with old friend Alex, a Gold Coast local and comms and digital content whiz, the pair launched Kiff & Culture in mid-2021.
A natural people person with a lifetime of local knowledge, Alex was a natural choice for Kiff & Culture’s first guide. Alex also looks after Kiff & Culture’s marketing, while company director Drew keeps everything ticking along smoothly. After living and working all over the world between them, the boys are stoked to be able to share their corner of Australia with you now.
LOCAL & Sustainable
We love taking our guests to our favourite local spots that travellers may not otherwise experience. Not only are our itineraries and experiences guided by local knowledge, but at Kiff & Culture we’re also committed to supporting local business.Â
We don’t work with just anyone. All our handpicked partners follow a strict eco-friendly ethos, whether they’re boutique booze-makers, gourmet restaurants, farms or sustainable luxury hotels. Zero kilometre cuisine gets us all hot and bothered. Our tried-and-tested favourites (like Cape Byron Distillery, The Farm Byron Bay and Harvest) pluck garden-fresh ingredients straight from their fields or rainforest.
Paddock-to-plate gastronomy is our jam. But where 0km food isn’t feasible, we preference partners sourcing produce from local and ethical supply chains. Provenance is important to us. We want to inspire Australians and people abroad to eat, shop, and holiday in a sustainable way.
What is Kiff?
‘Kiff’ is South African slang for something that is cool, epic or awesome, and Drew’s first company, Kiff Kombi Tours started off offering experiences in Cape Town in an old school VW Kombi named Veronica. The Kiff brand grew to Australia, and the Kiff & Culture Kombi logo pays homage to her spirit. Although both companies in South Africa and Australia now use modern vans of all shapes and sizes according to the group size (jazzed up with a pretty kiff decal), our experiences replicate the adventurous, fun and carefree spirit Veronica – and the humble Kombi – embodies.