Drive through the semi-desert area of the Little Karoo, before visiting ostrich farms, meerkats and caves on an Oudtshoorn Tailor Made Holiday

As you make your way east from the lush Cape Winelands to the equally verdant Garden Route, the landscape changes somewhat, with greenery giving way to the dry, barren plains of the Little Karoo. This semi-desert area is often missed by visitors heading to more well-known areas, but for those with the time and inclination, it is a real gem of an area with some lovely spots for exploring.

The principal town here is Oudtshoorn, a historically important town home to a huge number of ostrich farms, initially fuelled by the demand for ostrich feathers during Victorian times. Many of the grand homes in the area were known as “Feather Palaces”, such was the money these flightless birds generated. Today it is a somewhat more modest town, although visitors can still spend time during their Oudtshoorn stopover at the ostrich farms, enjoy a dawn trip to see habituated meerkats and explore the Cango Caves.

Elsewhere the little town of Calitzdorp is famous for its port production, making it a great spot for wine enthusiasts to spend a couple of nights. A perfect experience to complement a few days in the Cape Winelands. Further West there is Montagu, a beautiful small town where visitors can enjoy some superb restaurants and really feel like they are getting off the beaten track.

Even if you don’t have time to stay for a couple of nights here, it is well worth passing through when travelling between the Winelands and Garden Route – the Swartberg Pass is an exhilarating driving route that offers spectacular views to the surrounding plains and the story behind Ronnie’s Sex Shop which you pass on the R62 never fails to raise a smile.