We spent the first week of our holiday in the Oudtshoorn area. Oudtshoorn is situated in the Klein Karoo and its economy is basically split between farming and tourism. The word Klein means small or little in Afrikaans (also in Dutch) and Karoo is a Khoisan word that means Place of Thirst.
The Klein Karoo is flanked by the magnificent Outeniqua (the word means Men laiden with honey in the Khoisan language) Mountains to the south and the majestic Swartberg (Black Mountains in Afrikaans) to the north (above).
Both these mountain ranges have well known historic passes crossing them. I drove both the Swartberg Pass and the Montagu Pass for the first time and wasn’t disappointed. Also took lots of pics of both. Actually took lots of pics of all the places we visited.
Oudtshoorn has a rich history and has a lot of historic sites that I also got to visit during our stay…
… while it is also known as the ostrich capital of the world. Thus lots of ostrich pics. Ostriches close up, from afar, in large groups, on their own, at sunset, big ones, little ones… More tomorrow..
GPS: 33°35’4.31″S, 22°11’54.71″E
That's the CP Nel museum, right? My grandfather was schooled there. I worked in Oudtshoorn for two summers… it's a magical little town. My family is in George, but I secretly prefer this side of the Outeniquas!
Jonker, welcome home. These are marvelous. I am curious about the Little Karoo area and would like to see some of it in March. Do I see your little car there and are those gravel roads? Your photos excite me as to the possiblities in SA.
Nice series! I'm looking forward to your post tomorrow!
Lovely !!! Such a beautiful area! Elaine came back last night from a holiday with boyfriend and family to Plett – went through the pass between Plett and Uniondale (she can't remember the name) – beautiful but rather scary she said .. narrow, dirt road with no places to pass – and she suffers from motion sickness!
I miss south africa!!!!!!!!!!!!
…and I miss the Cape… boohoohoohoo!
Wow! If it weren't for the ostrich, these shots remind me a great deal of where I was born in the U.S. (the Owens River valley in California). Yours is rather more green in spots, but the combination of desert/sky/mountains is very similar. These are gorgeous; they belong in a tourist brochure!