Your friendly tour and transfer expert in the Garden Route!
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Ostrich Farm Tour
* reservations required
Enjoy a fun filled, interactive ostrich farm experience. Meet the world's largest bird and learn about the ostrich farming industry that made a few barons in the past rich enough to build their own palaces right here in the Klein Karoo countryside. Learn fascinating facts about this prehistoric bird that is closely related to dinosaurs. Follow the guide who will explain the evolution and natural breeding cycle of ostriches and then visit an incubator room to witness some chicks hatching. See, touch and learn about the different types of ostrich feathers. Why are male feathers more valuable than the female feathers? See how you can tell a fake from real ostrich leather. And did you know, not all ostriches in Africa are the same? See how the ostriches from Kenya or Zimbabwe differ from the South African species and why only the South African ostriches feather quality is the best? Did you know ostrich meat tastes more like prime beef and contains 40% less fat than beef and high in calcium, protein and iron? Without these birds, the town of Oudtshoorn wouldn't exist today.
SAFARI OSTRICH FARM TOUR*:
Daily 09:00-16:00, every hour on the hour.
* times are subject to change without notice.
HIGHGATE OSTRICH FARM TOUR*:
Daily 08:00-16:00 - tour duration 2 hours 30 minutes
* times are subject to change without notice.
IMPORTANT:
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German and French guided tours need to be reserved in advance and are subject to availability.
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Suitable for families with children.
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Guests need to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to guided tour departure time to get tickets and use the toilet facilities.
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Tour takes place outdoors, so be sure to wear a hat and sunblock.
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Pay attention to the guide and keep shiny and loose objects away from the ostriches, whom are known to swallow them.
Cango Caves
Explore this underground wonder that was inhabited by humans since the later stone ages. This Precambrian limestone cave is an extensive system of tunnels and chambers 4 km in length, of which only a quarter of this is actually visited by guided tours. Cave paintings and artifacts indicate that the caves were in use throughout prehistory. Cango was later rediscovered in 1780 by a local Dutch farmer who only went as far as the first chamber which is as long as a football field. The illuminated halls reveal the stunning limestone and rock formations. The Van Zyl's Hall was used for hosting orchestras and musicals for its acoustics until 1994. The caves always remain a cool 18°C so it's a perfect diversion to the blistering Karoo summer heat outside. The "Standard Tour" is an easy walk through the first six chambers with an accompanied guide providing an entertaining and informative tour. The "Adventure Tour" consists of crawling through narrow passages and climbing up steep rock formations guided by small lights.
OPENING TIMES*:
Heritage (Standard) Tour: 09:00-16:00 every hour on the hour.
Adventure Tour: 09:30-15:30 every hour on the half-hour.
* times are subject to change without notice.
IMPORTANT:
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No wheelchair access.
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German and French guided tours need to be reserved in advance and are subject to availability.
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Suitable for families with children.
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Guests need to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to guided tour departure time to get tickets and use the toilet facilities.
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A certain degree of fitness is required for the Adventure Tour only.
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The Adventure is not suitable for persons who suffer from claustrophobia or persons who are too large to crawl through the narrow passages that are only 15cm wide.
Meerkat Safari
* reservations required
These denizens of the semi-arid Karoo have been portrayed in numerous wildlife documentaries, films and animation and thus are very popular with visitors. Their proper scientific name is "Suricate" in English, but are more commonly referred to by their Afrikaans name of "Meerkats". They have more charming names in other languages, such as "Stokstaartje" (Stick Tails) in Dutch and "Erdmännchen" (Earth People) in German. Whatever their names, they are actually related to the mongoose family. Meerkats are highly social animals that form packs of 2 to 30 individuals and live underground in burrow systems. They are predominantly active during the day, mostly early morning and late afternoon. Spotting them at most game reserves is a challenge as they tend to be very shy and their ranges are quite vast across the semi-arid Karoo landscape. However there are two nature reserves in the Oudtshoorn area that can offer regular sightings as the wild Meerkats have become acclimatized to the passing safari vehicles in their territories. If you want a photographic opportunity to see these little critters in their natural wild habitat, be prepared to get up before sunrise! Meerkat safari times vary in the season according to the time of sunrise and the weather conditions. Because they are wild animals, sightings cannot always be guaranteed but chances are better with a local ranger that is more familiar with the territory and the resident meerkat families living there. Just watching them stretch and yawn as they emerge from their burrows and their comical antics with one another, will be a heart-warming experience you will never forget.
MEERKAT EXPERIENCES ARE OFFERED BY:
Five Shy Meerkats Pty Ltd
Buffelsdrift Game Reserve
IMPORTANT:
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Be prepared to get up very early before sunrise to get to the Meerkats.
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Recommended pick up time in Plett is 2:30 am and for Knysna and Sedgefield 3am.
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Meerkat experience start approx. 5am-6am, but will be determined the day before.
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Reservations are required and may be subject to cancellation fees.
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Refundable if Meerkats do not appear during the tour.
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Not suitable for children under 12 as guests will be required to remain still and quiet during the 2-3 hour tour.
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Guests need to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to guided tour departure time to get tickets and use the toilet facilities.
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Don't forget your camera.
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Bring your own binoculars. Unfortunately we do not provide any.
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Wear something warm as mornings can be crisp in the Karoo.
Cango Wildlife Ranch
Established in 1977 as South Africa's first crocodile show farm, the farm was, as the name suggests, a place where crocodiles were bred to be sold. In 1986 Andrew & Glenn Eriksen purchased the farm and envisaged a whole new purpose for Cango as sanctuary for wild animals that are rescued or brought to Cango for rehabilitation. Today Cango Wildlife Ranch is home to more than just crocodiles. A host of other mammal, bird and reptile species are rehabilitated here. Cango Wildlife Ranch has been accredited by the internationally recognized African Association of Zoos & Aquaria (PAAZAB) and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquaria (WAZA) both which ensure the well being of all wild animals in zoos, rehabilitation centres and animal parks worldwide. The Cheetah Preservation Foundation is based here and contributes the needed funding in the field work of preservation of the endangered cheetah as well as other wild cats in South Africa as well as worldwide. Cango also has the Wild Animal Volunteer Program, that hosts up to 26 volunteers who assist in important chores at the park.
The daily guided tours inform you of their work and the importance of conserving the species that are seriously threatened by extinction. This is one of the few animal parks that allow interaction, under strict guidelines, with the wild animals. Popular is the Croc-Cage-Dive and hanging out with the Ring-Tailed Lemurs.
OPENING TIMES:
Daily: 08:30-17:00
IMPORTANT:
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Suitable for families with children.
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Wear a hat and sunblock as most of the activities take place outdoors.
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Guests need to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to guided tour departure time to get tickets and use the toilet facilities.
Port wine tasting
* reservations required
At first glance the arid, scrub Klein Karoo seems hardly the environment for viticulture with its hot summers and frosty cold winter nights and a poor rainfall average of 300mm. It was far better suited to that hardy bird, the ostrich, with which intrepid farmers made millions at the turn of the last century. But when the ostrich feather boom when bust in the early 1900s, farmers turned to grapes, organised themselves into cooperatives. Most of the co-ops continue in this vein today, bottling fortified dessert wines. The most common kind of fortified wine from here is traditionally called Cape port. As per the agricultural trade agreement signed between South Africa and the European Union, effective in 2012 all Port-style wines produced in South Africa are bottled with the prefix Cape followed by the appropriate style. Brandy is also produced in the area and its history is just as intruiging.
RECOMMENDED:
Boplaas Family Vineyards - Calizdorp
De Krans Wines - Calizdorp
Karusa Winery & Cape Brewery - Oudtshoorn
IMPORTANT:
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Wine tasting tours need to be booked in advance and are subject to availability.
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Not suitable for under 18 years old.
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Some vineyard tours take place outdoors, so be sure to wear a hat and sunblock.
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Most vineyards have shipping solutions, should you wish to purchase quantities of wines and export them to your country of residence.
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Otherwise, bring a bag to pack any of your purchased wines with you back to your hotel. It is recommended so that your bottles are protected during the rest of the tour.
Rust en Vrede Waterfalls
Take a leisurely hike to a special and tranquil spot that is simply magical. A short walk up a mountain trail takes you through ferns and lush undergrowth growing along a bubbling stream. From the car park the trail is 800m crossing several little bridges before reaching this secluded scene of natural beauty, with its cascading waters seemingly chiseled into the mountain itself. The name in Afrikaans translates to "Rest & Peace" waterfalls. The falls run all year round and is an important supply of fresh water into a pipeline that carries it to Oudtshoorn reservoir. It is definitely a worthwhile stop en-route to or from the Cango Caves.
OPEN TIMES:
Daily: 09:00-16:30
The R70 entrance fee can only be paid in cash
Call before going as access and opening times may vary: (044) 203-3112
IMPORTANT:
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No wheelchair access.
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Bring cash for the entrance fee as no credit card facilities available.
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Suitable for families with children.
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Wear a hat and sunblock.
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Wear proper hiking boots/shoes or comfortable closed shoes for the trail.
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Relative degree of fitness required to do the trail.
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This activity is not suitable in wet weather, as the trail is too slippery and dangerous.
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Access to the falls may be closed during severe weather conditions.