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 Oudtshoorn
is one of the ten most popular tourist venues in South Africa and
therefore the tourist is very well catered for. Activities abound and
you can do just about anything from diving with crocodiles to exploring
the beautiful cango caves. Oudtshoorn has an airfield
about 15 km's from town.
The most popular venues are the Cango Wildlife Ranch, situated 3
km outside of Oudtshoorn on the R62, the Cango Caves, also on the R62,
and the ostrich farms. Keep in mind not all ostrich farms are show farms
and therefore may not be accessible to the public.
The town of Oudtshoorn was proclaimed in 1863 and named after Baron
Pieter van Rheede van Oudtshoorn. Oudtshoorn, according to some, is the
ostrich capital of the world. In 1826 some ostrich feathers were
exported, but it was not until 1867 that ostrich farming was
commercially viable.
For twenty years before the First World War ostrich feathers were in
high demand and it started the "feather baron" trend. Huge, expensive
homes were built, and ostrich farmers lived in opulence. But the boom
did not last and many ostrich farmers went bankrupt.
 Oudtshoorn
has camping and caravan facilities. It also has several hotels,
self-catering chalets, bed and breakfast lodges and guesthouses.
Facilities include hiking, outdoor pools, golf, air conditioning,
fireplaces, bowls, horse riding, squash courts, satellite TV and
Internet access.
Entertainment and
Activities
The town of Oudtshoorn went through a boom in the early 20th century
when ostrich feathers became a much sought after fashion item. The
ostentatious houses of the ostrich barons remain to this day with their
fascinating stone architecture
Some of the interesting things to see and do in the Oudtshoorn area
include:
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Hidden
away in a limestone ridge in the Swartberg Mountains of the Klein
Karoo lies one of South Africa's oldest and most spectacular
geological formations - the Cango Caves. For over 200 years the
caves have been a major tourist attraction to the area.