Oudtshoorn is a fascinating town in the Klein Karoo, a beautiful semi-desert region beyond the Outeniqua Mountains. For many years, we included it in our four-day, five-day and scheduled Garden Route tours.
One of the great attractions of visiting Oudtshoorn is the journey itself. Route 62 travels through a completely different South African landscape, passing vineyards, fruit farms, rugged mountains and small country towns. It is not simply a road used to reach Oudtshoorn. The drive is a memorable part of the experience.
The Outeniqua Pass is one of the most spectacular roads in the Western Cape. It crosses the mountains between Oudtshoorn and George, offering sweeping views across deep valleys, rocky slopes and the green landscape towards the coast. As we descend, the scenery changes dramatically from the dry, open Klein Karoo to the forests and coastal vegetation of the Garden Route.
The Robinson Pass, which connects Oudtshoorn with the Mossel Bay area, is equally beautiful and often quieter. The road winds through the mountains and the Ruiterbos Valley, surrounded by fynbos, farms and enormous rock formations. Developed by the famous road engineer Thomas Bain, it feels more remote and untouched than many of the Western Cape’s better-known passes.
On a longer itinerary, we can use one pass to enter the Klein Karoo and another to return towards the coast. This creates a magnificent scenic loop rather than travelling along the same road twice.
Eventually, I decided to replace Oudtshoorn with Cape Agulhas on our four-day itinerary. This was not because Oudtshoorn was no longer worth visiting. It was about choosing the experience that I believe offers the most value when visitors have limited time in South Africa.
The journey from Cape Town towards Cape Agulhas is beautiful. Along the way, we can visit the African penguins at Betty’s Bay before continuing to the southernmost point of Africa. Standing at the Tip of Africa, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans officially meet, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I would find it very difficult to remove it from the itinerary.
We then stay overnight at the beautiful Arniston Spa Hotel before continuing towards the Garden Route the following morning. This gives our guests time to enjoy the Cape Agulhas region.
Oudtshoorn’s best-known attraction is the Cango Caves. They are impressive, although caves do not appeal to everybody. Its ostrich farms are also interesting and well worth experiencing, yet they may not be a priority for every visitor.
There is an excellent ostrich farm opposite the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Convoy Tours includes a free private Cape Peninsula tour with our Garden Route tours, so guests interested in ostriches can visit the farm while exploring Cape Point.
The Cango Wildlife Ranch is another popular Oudtshoorn attraction. It can be an enjoyable stop for families with children, although it will not appeal equally to every adult traveller.
Oudtshoorn remains a wonderful place and is absolutely worth visiting. On a four-day tour, I recommend Cape Agulhas, Betty’s Bay and Arniston instead. With five days, we can comfortably include Oudtshoorn, Route 62 and the magnificent mountain passes without rushing the rest of the journey.
That is why I always recommend five days when time and budget allow. Four days provides an excellent Garden Route tour. Five days allows us to show you almost everything.
