Oudtshoorn Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town in the Western Cape, South Africa
About Oudtshoorn
The town was founded in 1847, but scarce local water supplies limited the town's growth. However, despite the lack of water, ostrich farming proved to be a prosperous local industry, leading to significant growth during two "feather booms". During the first boom, which lasted from 1865-1870, the value of ostrich feathers (per pound) nearly matched the value of diamonds. Overproduction led to falling prices, although a smaller boom occurred from 1900-1914. Today the town's economy is primarily reliant on tourism and ostrich farming, with the largest ostrich population of any place in the world — about 200,000 in 2012. The human population is about 67,000 (2017), making it the largest town in the Little Karoo region.
Top Attractions in Oudtshoorn
Explore the best things to see and do in Oudtshoorn:
- ★Barons Palace Gaming Centre
- ★Bufflesdrift Game Lodge
- ★Cango Caves
- ★Cango Ostrich Show Farm
- ★Cango Wildlife Ranch
- ★CP Nel Museum
- ★Highgate Ostrich Farm
- ★Meerkat Adventures
Where to Stay in Oudtshoorn
- 🏨De Oude Meul Country Lodge
- 🏨Karoo Soul Travellers Lodge
- 🏨La Pension Guest House
- 🏨Miles B&B Guest House
- 🏨Straussennest
Oudtshoorn Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 10 sections including: