Oudtshoorn is well known for ostrich farms and back in the day the town had a thriving ostrich-feather industry that, at the time, was worth more than gold and the profits built palaces across the small town that are still standing to this day. Today the town offers a wide range of activities and choosing a place to stay can be as tricky as choosing which activities to start with first, but I found De Zeekoe Guest Farm situated on 3000 hectares of a working farm just outside town to be a perfect gateway to all activities.
De Zeekoe offers a choice between chalets, honeymoon suites and deluxe rooms. I stayed in a deluxe room and my two favourite features was the outdoor shower for warm summer days, but because it was cold when I visited, I liked sleeping to the sound of a crackling fire in my room. With over 168 species of birds found on the farm, it is a bird-watchers paradise but there are a lot of other activities and these can be booked at reception.
The world famous Cango Caves are 45 minutes’ drive away from the farm and it’s an activity for the whole family; and if you are an early riser, the Five Shy Meerkats is also an option to see the meerkats in their natural habitat. If you prefer to start your day a little later, a guided star-gazing tour of about an hour long, is another way to spend your evening at the farm. The meals at the De Windpomp restaurant on the farm have many of South Africa’s favourites, with bobotie and milk tarts, not prepared by trained chefs, but recipes passed down from one generation to the next. Even if you choose the self-catering option, I would highly recommend at least one dinner at the restaurant for authentic South African cuisine.
I knew that I couldn’t go to Oudtshoorn and not visit an ostrich farm; especially as there is a working ostrich farm only a few minutes away from De Zeekoe. Safari Ostrich Farm offers tours daily, every hour between 08:00 – 16:00 and guides are on hand to explain all the aspects of Ostrich farming from incubation to adulthood. You can expect a unique experience as it is the only Ostrich Tractor Safari in South Africa and they also have white ostriches which are rare to find. You can buy food for the birds and get an opportunity to feed them, but be warned, they eat fast so it’s best to have your cameras ready. Most tours have a lot of facts that are easy to forget but standing on top of an ostrich egg just to test how strong they are adds a unique memory to the tour that is hard to forget. They also have large photo frames for pictures with the birds on the background.
We couldn’t buy any eggs because the breeding season had just started but the Farm shop offers a diverse range of high-quality Ostrich leather products, including handbags and belts. The farm has a deli with both indoor and outdoor sitting areas with a great Wi-Fi connection for those of you who want to stay connected even on holiday.
The Klein Karoo It is acknowledged as the 17th ‘World Hot Spots’ and I can understand why. In winter the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains are often covered in snow and offer breath-taking views; come spring you are right in the middle of overlapping flower regions and summer you can swim in several natural springs and rivers in the region. With all these options you can still find one of many game reserves to enjoy. I still have a few things on my to do list that I didn’t get to do; a weekend is not enough to explore the Klein Karoo, and I will be back!.
De Zeekoe Guest Farm and Safari Ostrich Camp are both Cape Country Routes members.
To book your own adventure visit the Cape Country Routes.