More ostriches!
by Jenniflower
If you'd like to see ostriches and arent keen to drive all the way to Outdshoorn from Cape Town, go to Cape Point.
It is about 45 minutes from Cape Town Centre... and can be reached by following the road from the Kommetjie or Simons' Town sides.
Here they have a few male and female ostriches walking around the national park.
They are generally found near the waters edge.
The male has beautiful feathers, a dark black against stark white, and stands tall and proud... the prettier of the two (as things always are in the animal kingdom), and the female is smaller, with greyish brown feathers.
Cango Caves
by pmarshuk
Beautiful and spectacular cave formation just outside Oudtshoorn. Definitely worth a visit if you're into caves. This cavern was used in the film King Solomans Mines with Richard Chamberlain and Sharon Stone.
There are two different tours you can take the standard tour which last 60 minutes and the adventure tour which lasts for 90 minutes and takes you to some of the smaller caves. Because I suffer from arthritis I only went for the standard tour.
Camel Rides at Wilgewandel Restaurants
by Jenniflower
Many people like to ride the ostriches. I gather they arent aware of the permanent damage the ostriches sustain when ridden? I do wish this sport was stopped.
They are strong animals and adults can ride on them, but their ankles are thin, and, over time, become damaged, and they are unable to run.
A good option then is to rather ride camels!!!
There are quite a few around Oudtshoorn, one being at Wilgewandel.. which has restaurants, rides and antiques.
Wilgewandel Holiday Farm is close by, with more camel rides, an obstacle course, 100m foefie slide, mountain bike and walking trails, donkey cart trips, boat trips, trampolines and accommodation. Great for the kids!
Wilgewandel Restaurants is more for the passer-by.
Oudtshoorn - The Ostrich Capital of the World
by mikelisaanna
Oudtshoorn was one of our favorite parts of our recent trip to South Africa. We were originally planning to just do a quick pass through, but ended up spending three nights there.
Oudtshoorn is a town in the Little Karoo, a high desert valley surrounded by mountains about an hour inland from South Africa's southerrn coast. In the late 1800s, while other part sof South Africa were focused on gold and diamonds, Oudtshoorn built its fortunes on ostriches. At the time, ostrich feathers were highly valued for hats and other fashion items, and the local farmers turned Oudtshoorn into the world's largest producer of ostrich feathers. Since then, the market for ostrich products has had its ups and downs, but Oudtshoorn has perservered and still boasts dozens of ostrich ranches in the surrounding countryside.
A number fo the ostrich farms give tours for tourists. Other activities for tourists in and around Oudtshoorn include a good local zoo and cheetah rehabilitation center, the CP Nel Museum (a very good little museum that focuses on the town's history), and the Kango Caves, which are on of the most beautiful cave systems in the country.
Caves & Ostriches
by IIGUANA
Let's face it. Oudtshoorn is not a very touristic town. It's a rather small town with 2 things to see: ostriches and the Cango Caves.
Ostrich farms are fun if you're willing to ride the ostriches, but then again, you'll probably fall.
But the Cango Caves are amazing. This is why I went there. It's Oudtshoorn's main attraction, and they're worth visiting.
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One of Oudtshoorn's ostriches
Sitting on an ostrich, Highgate Ostrich Farm
Ostrich Race
Feeding the ostriches
