About Us
Fowler Tours specialises in Catholic and Christian pilgrimages to the world’s most sacred pilgrimage sites. Based in Cape Town, we serve the entire Southern African region, partnering with trusted Christian service providers in every country we visit. We also offer holiday, business and personal travel solutions.
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Catholic Pilgrimages from South Africa to the World’s Holiest Places
While we’re best known for our Catholic group tours, Fowler Tours also offers personalised travel services for leisure and business travellers. From your first inquiry to the moment you return home, we take care of the details — so your journey is smooth, meaningful, and entirely stress-free.
Flight & Travel Planning
We arrange flights, visas, transfers, and accommodations. Whether you’re joining a pilgrimage or booking your own itinerary, we make it easy.
Personal Touch on Every Trip
Every tour is guided or supported by a dedicated Fowler Tours representative. Often, it’s Gail or Michael themselves.
Service That Builds Relationships
Many of our travellers come back again and again. We’re proud to say they become part of our travel family.
Meet the Team Behind Fowler Tours
Gail Fowler
Gail, the founder of Fowler Tours, is often your first point of contact — and the guiding force behind our unforgettable pilgrimages. Her journey as a tour leader began in 2000 with her first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, a region she holds dear for its rich history, sacred sites and warm-hearted people.
Beyond the Holy Land, Gail has a special love for Italy’s Rieti Valley, where St Francis of Assisi spent much of his later years. She is also passionate about the Camino de Santiago, having braved its trails — even hiking in the harsh winter, alongside Michael.
A skilled events coordinator, whose CV includes the national marketing federation, Gail brings meticulous planning and whole-hearted dedication to every journey. But for her, arranging pilgrimages is more than just logistics — it’s a calling. She says: “To me, organising pilgrimages isn’t just about business; it’s a service — to my Lord and to our pilgrims.”
Michael Simmermacher
With a background in tourism studies and experience in the industry since 2019, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge and a gift for solving even the trickiest travel challenges. He credits his tourism studies and mentors in the industry for shaping his expertise, but it’s also his calm nature, sharp problem-solving skills, and great sense of humour that make him such an important part of Fowler Tours.
A keen traveller himself, Michael lists Thailand, Spain, Ireland, and New York, among his favourite destinations. He frequently accompanies our pilgrim groups, ensuring smooth and seamless journeys, and is also working on launching new special interest tours.
Michael’s philosophy is easy travel. He says: “My job is to make travelling stress-free. And if things don’t go as planned, I’m just a WhatsApp away to help solve the problem.”
