Oudtshoorn is a great place for outdoor activities. Surrounded by mountain ranges and blessed with a rich variety of bird and plant life the Klein Karoo reveals its beauty to those who get out and make the effort to explore.

Lots of history and culture here!  Visit the local museums and different architectural marvels.  Or take a township tour.  Thando, of Thando and Nandi’s Tours, will take you on an exciting tour through the Bongolethu Township where you will see the most interesting places and meet the warmest people. You will get an insight in the consequences of forced removal by the apartheid government and see how the people live these days.  Ma Bettie Jantjies runs her authentic Xhosa village with pride and diligence. Together with a women’s group, she prepares food according to old Xhosa traditions.  Entertainment is also offered in the form of energetic dancing by children from Bongolethu and stories told by a traditional healer (sangoma) accompanied by Xhosa singing.

The Wilgewandel Holiday Farm have recreated the era of the 1700 pioneers of Southern Africa with their Wilgewandel Pioneers Experience. See how they lived and dressed. Play the games they played. Listen to their music. Taste their cuisine.

Other main attractions are the ostrich show farms. You will have the opportunity to hug; ride or feed an ostrich. The Cango Wildlife Ranch offer interactive tourism combined with conservation. Activities include stroking a cheetah and diving with crocodiles!  Or discover the succulent Karoo, walking with wild meerkats and view other shy, secretive wildlife from the “shy 5” .  Meerkatmagic is the only wild meerkat conservation project in the world.

At the head of the picturesque Cango Valley, lays the spectacular underground wonder of the Klein Karoo - the Cango Caves. Situated in a limestone ridge parallel to the well known Swartberg Mountains, you will find the finest dripstone caverns, with their vast halls and towering formations.

The Klein Karoo is criss-crossed with secondary roads (dirt or gravel) which provide a large variety of interesting and scenic drives as well as the highest concentration of 4x4 routes in the country.  Around Oudtshoorn there are more than 19 4X4 routes to try:  Attaguas, Attaguaskloof, Bay to Bay, Bojaankop, Buffelspoort, Burchell, Duiwelsberg, Dwarsfontein, Glenmore, Gouritsriver, Kouma, Leopard Trial, Minwater, Moordkul, Oude Muragie, Swartberg, Tsitsikamma, Vleesbaai, Williamsburg.

Cellars in and around town are Grundheim Wines renowned for its “witblits” made in a traditional potstill, Kango Wine Cellar, producer of wine and brandy and Karusa Vineyards, producer of Cap Classique – the only in the Klein Karoo.

More actvities and sight seeing ...

Microlighting; kloofing; horse riding; hot air balloon game viewing; mountain biking; absailing; caving; kayaking; waterskiing; walk and feed elephants; hiking; forest and fynbos tours; quadbiking; game reserves; ride a camel; Art Cheese Chocolate Liqueur Route.

The R328, known as the "Cango Route" is 30 km long and stretches north from Oudtshoorn to the foot of the great Swartberg. It is the most traveled route in the Klein Karoo region - with some of the most visited tourist destinations in South Africa.

The route offers a diversity of activities, accommodation and a scenic drive through the Cango Valley. Must do activities and places to visit include the Cango Caves, Cango Wildlife Ranch, Cango Ostrich farm, Buffelsdrift Game Reserve, Swartberg Adventures, Wilgewandel Holiday farm and Karusa Vineyards.

The Cango Route is the entrance to the Cango Caves and entrance to the Great Karoo across the Swartberg pass. Please visit our website www.cangoroute.co.za for more information.

To find out more about Oudtshoorn and its surround, places to stay, where to eat or to get the contact details of the activities mentioned, please contact:

Oudtshoorn Info

Oudtshoorn Tourism Bureau

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