Places to Visit in Oudtshoorn, South African, Africa

Places to Visit in Oudtshoorn, South African, Africa

Oudtshoorn is a South African city, situated in the province of Western Cape. It is one of the famous tourist destinations of the country, especially noted as the site of the largest ostrich population in the world. The city also houses range religious as well as cultural attractions in addition to museums, festivals and ostrich breeding farms. Oudtshoorn is home to the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, the largest art festival of Afrikaans language in South Africa. Oudtshoorn spans over an area of 37.6 sq, km and coordinates with 33°35′ S latitude and 22°12′ E longitude.

History of Oudtshoorn:

The history of Oudtshoorn says the Europeans first visited what is today’s Oudtshoorn in 1689 in the form of a trading party. Oudtshoorn originated with the construction of a church in 1839 and got its name from the Governor of the Cape Colony, Baron Pieter van Rheede van Oudtshoorn, during the colonial rule.

Connectivity to Oudtshoorn:

Oudtshoorn has no airport and the closest major airport to Oudtshoorn is Cape Town International Airport. This airport situated around 420 km west of Oudtshoorn and operates flights to London, Dubai, Johannesburg, Singapore and many other global destinations. Oudtshoorn is not served by any trains, so visitors are needed to choose either bus or rental car for airport travel. The local transportation of Oudtshoorn is well served by buses, rental vehicles like cars and taxis.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Oudtshoorn:

Oudtshoorn is the site of the largest art festival of Afrikaans language in South Africa, Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees.

Here are some nice shops in Oudtshoorn:

Cali Craft & Gems
ArtKaroo Art Gallery
Moooi Art Gallery

The famous restaurants in Oudtshoorn are listed below:

Buffelsdrift Game Lodge Restaurant
Jemima’s Restaurant
Safari Ostrich Farm Cafe
Karoo Pot Restaurant

Things to do in Oudtshoorn:

Visiting ostrich farms
Visiting ranches
Hiking

What to see in Oudtshoorn?

CP Nel Museum:

Located on 3 Baron van Rheede Street in Oudtshoorn, the CP Nel Museum is housed in the former Boys High School of Oudtshoorn. The museum showcases the features of both Ostrich population and the importance of people of Klein Karoo region with a wide collection of objects.

Safari Show Farm:

The Safari Show Farm is famous ostrich farm, situated five kilometers from the heart of Oudtshoorn town. Other than a large ostrich population, the farm also houses around 2,500 different animals. There is also a museum and tour is also provided.

Cango Caves:

The Cango Caves is one of the most famous tourist caves in the world and the finest in South Africa. The cave is situated few kilometers away from Oudtshoorn and there are regular tour conducted by Standard Tour and Adventure Tour.

Cango Wildlife Ranch:

Situated 3 km away from Oudtshoorn, the Cango Wildlife Ranch is a world class tourist destination, home to a wide range of animal species, including cheetahs and crocodiles. It will surely be a memorable experience for visitors.

Highgate Ostrich Show Farm:

The Highgate Ostrich Show Farm is situated around 10 km away from Oudtshoorn. The farm is mainly famous for breeding of ostriches and also conducts regular exhibitions year round.

List of other places of interest in Oudtshoorn includes:

Cango Ostrich Farm
Oudtshoorn Ballooning
Buffelsdrift Game Lodge
Dutch Reformed Church
Apostolic Faith Mission
Case Vittoriane
Arbeidsgenot
Roman Catholic Church
Waterval Rust en Vrede
Chandelier Game Lodge & Ostrich Show Farm

When to visit Oudtshoorn?

The best time to visit Oudtshoorn is from March to May and from September to November.

Where to stay in Oudtshoorn?

Being one of the top tourist destinations of the country, Oudtshoorn hosts dozens of the accommodation centres, including hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns. Some standard hotels in Oudtshoorn are as follows: