Overview
#Oudtshoorn The town was named after Baron van Reede van Oudtshoorn, governor designate to the Cape Colony. Oudtshoorn was something of a backwater up to about 1860. From then on, especially from ±1880 it became a boom town, due to ostrich feathers becoming the vogue in Europe. The feathers reached excellent prices with Oudtshoorn being the main supplier.
Merchants soon became so-called feather barons. As symbol of their new found wealth many built extravagant mansions with sandstone, the building material of the day. Many of these beautiful buildings are still around on view for present day visitors. The onset of World War I in 1914 caused the feather market to crash and many of the feather barons went bankrupt overnight. However, ostrich farming is still alive and well in Oudtshoorn. The town is still known to many as the "ostrich capital of the world".
Today tourists from across South Africa and the world flock to Oudtshoorn. The two main attractions are, ostrich show farms and the Cango Caves. Both of these feature among South Africa's top 20 tourist attractions. The town's geographical location is perfect for tourists as it lies virtually on the border of the Garden Route and is located on the popular Route 62.
Tours that visit Oudtshoorn
popular
Scheduled tours
13 Day Highlights of South Africa Southbound
On this tour you learn more about Johannesburg, stay at two private game reserves and experience open vehicle game drives, do game viewing in five different regions, interact with ostriches and elephants, engage in whale and dolphin watching on an ocean safari and travel to beautiful Cape Town and Cape Point. An excellent tour for first time visitors to South Africa.
from R31,145
popular
Scheduled tours
16 Day HIghlights of South Africa Northbound
On this tour you journey through the most popular areas of South Africa, following the most-travelled, tried and tested route for first time visitors to the country. The tour provides a mix of cities, countryside, historical sites, scenic drives, nature, wildlife, culture and people.
from R20,910
popular
Scheduled tours
16Day Highlights of South Africa Southbound
On this tour you journey through the most popular areas of South Africa, following the most-travelled, tried and tested route for first time visitors to the country. The tour provides a mix of cities, countryside, historical sites, scenic drives, nature, wildlife, culture and people.
from R20,910
popular
Scheduled tours
3 Days Cape Town to Port Elizabeth Tour
Experience beautiful scenery with constantly changing views of mountains, valleys and gorges as you travel along the popular Route 62 and the lush Garden Route.
from R6,845
popular
Scheduled tours
3 Days Port Elizabeth to Cape Town
Experience constantly changing scenic views of mountain passes, valleys, coastal towns and small villages as you travel along the lush Garden Route and the popular Route 62 .
from R6,845
popular
Scheduled tours
Garden Route and Route 62
On this scheduled tour you travel from Port Elizabeth through the Tsitsikamma Forest, and visit Storm's River Mouth. You travel along the Garden Route, enjoy a sunset oyster cruise and an ocean safari. You visit an ostrich farm in the Klein Karoo, interact with elephants, do a tour of the Cango Caves and travel along the scenic Route 62 to Cape Town.
from R9,980
Scheduled tours
4 Days Route 62 and Garden Route
This 4 day tour takes you through the dramatically changing scenery of the popular Route 62 and the Garden Route. You will experience ostriches up close, spend time with elephants, tour the Cango Caves, do a sunset cruise on the Knysna Lagoon, do an ocean safari on the Plettenberg Bay in search of dolphins, seals and whales, visit the Tsitsikamma Forest and Storm's River Mouth.
from R9,980
Scheduled tours
The Cape Discovery
On this scheduled guided tour you experience the scenic beauty of Route 62, you visit the iconic Cango Caves and interact with ostriches. Your route takes you along the Garden Route. At Knysna you enjoy a Sunset Knysna Oyster Cruise. You visit the museum complex at Mossel Bay, post a postcard at the famous Post Office Tree. Enjoy game viewing in an open safari vehicle on the lookout for the big five. Do cheetah tracking and visit the southernmost point of the African continent. Return to Cape Town via a wonderfully scenic coastal drive.
from R12,065
Things to see
Attraction
Cango Caves
##Cango Caves The Cango Caves are located in the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains, some 28km north of Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo near South Africa's popular Garden Route. The Caves, a national monument and one of South Africa's top 20 tourist attractions, feature huge concert-hall sized chambers as well as narrow passages and rooms.
7 tours visit here
Region
Klein Karoo
##Klein Karoo The Klein Karoo (Little Karoo) in South Africa is the smaller brother, of the Great Karoo to its North. The Klein Karoo is a hot and dry fairly narrow valley that runs from East to West, bordered to the North by the Swartberg Mountain range and to the South by the Outeniqua Mountains.
1 tour visit here
Attraction
Oudtshoorn ostrich farms
##Oudtshoorn ostrich farms Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo, South Africa, is known as the ostrich capital of the world. Today a visit to one of the ostrich show farms in Oudtshoorn is rated as one of the 20 main tourist attractions in South Africa. These visits are not only very informative, but also highly entertaining.
7 tours visit here
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