Karoo

TheWestern Cape’s Karoo is dry, arid region that is home to an incredibly diverse number of plants and animals, all having adapted to life in this harsh climate. That is not to say that the Karoo is a place one should avoid. The landscape, although dry has a beauty unique unto itself and the creatures of the Karoo National Park are fascinating to behold. As the day goes on and evening approaches the unforgiving sun sets over the Karoo and the sky seems to catch fire, displaying an amazing array of colours, from the brightest orange and reds to dark purples and blues. Anyone fortunate enough to see a Karoo sunset will remember it for the rest of their days.

Oudtshoorn and Ostriches

Oudtshoorn is the principle town of the little Karoo; it is a fertile oasis in the baking landscape. Oudtshoorn is the perfect little stopover town for travelers going from Cape Town up to Port Elizabeth. The Klein Karoo is also one of South Africa’s eight wine regions, producing some of the countries most diverse wines on the banks of its few rivers.

To South African’s Oudtshoorn is known as ostrich country. Numerous amounts of these enormous birds can be seen running wild all over the Karoo landscape, but if you want to get up close and personal with the largest flightless bird in the world then you can head to one of the many ostrich farms in the area and if you’re feeling particularly adventurous you can even ride one. These farms are a great place to pick up any ostrich memorabilia that you could want. Things like ostrich feathers and eggs, ostrich leather handbags or the wonderful taste of ostrich biltong (a South African specialty).

Cango Caves

Just west of Oudtshoorn is where you’ll find the Cango Caves, a 2km stretch of underground caves that have formed from over 20 million years of rainfall slowly eroding and molding the rocks. In 1938 the caves were declared a national monument and possess some of the most spectacular rock formations to be found anywhere in the Western Cape or South Africa.