OUDTSHOORN AND SURROUNDINGS
From Mossel Bay we travelled to OUDTSHOORN – “the Ostrich capital of the World”. We followed the R328 that links Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn through the Robinson Pass, 840 m at the highest point. Beautiful scenery and an amazing view at the top. As we descended towards Oudtshoorn – the vegetation changed from lush and green vegetation to semi arid plains.
The area around Oudthorn is called Klein Karoo. The name Karoo is derived from the Khoisan (indigenous people of S.A) word meaning “land of thirst.”
There are many Ostrich farms in the area around Oudtshoorn and we saw many ostriches as we passed the plains.
We had read about the game lodge Buffeldrift just outside Oudtshoorn. It seemed a very interesting place to stay – so this was our next stop.
Buffelsdrift Lodge has a big dam which acts as a magnet for the game in the area. This includes elephants, rhino and Cape buffalo, giraffe, hippo, Cape mountain zebra, eland, kudu and springbok. Also 216 bird species can be found in the area – ideal for bird watchers!
There were available units and we decided to have a two nights stay. At the car park we were met by a guide who collected our luggage that were taken to our tents. We had two en-suite tents with wooden deck and view of the dam where we could observe the game. Absolutely fantastic place!
We enjoyed sitting at the little deck in the afternoon, listening to the sounds from the hippos in the dam. Now and then they came to the surface and showed us their wide-open mouths! We also saw three rhinos on the other side of the dam.
The weather was not so good when we stayed here..
In the evening we walked to the restaurant that is located on the edge of the dam. It has a nice terrace that we tried first, but after a while we heard thunder and then it began to rain heavily.
So the meal was taken inside. They had both a la carte and buffet. Lovely food!
The restaurant serves Karoo cuisine made from fresh, local produce which they serve with award-winning wines.
It was still raining when we were going back to our tents – but no problem – we were driven back with a kind of golf cart. Great service!
Heavy rain, thunder and lightning during the night as well. Not looking good for the morning game drive we had booked. As we had presumed – the game drive was cancelled. There were no game drives that day. What a pity, we had been looking forward to this!
The bush safaris (game drives) is the main activity here. They offer early morning or late afternoon safari drive in open wildlife viewing vehicles. You will experience true Karoo vegetation. Animals include hippo, giraffe, eland, zebra, buffalo, springbok and much more. The duration of the bush safaris is ± 2 hours. About midway through the safari, there is a refreshment break at one of the scenic lookout points.
Well – this have to be for another time, we really want to get back to this lovely place!
Because of the bad weather and no game safari – we decided to go to Oudtshoorn, and stay a night in the centre of town.
We got some nice rooms at a 4* Guesthouse Villa Ora.
It is a colonial style home, elegant entrance hall, spacious rooms with high ceilings and beautiful wooden floors.
These pictures are from Tripadvisor
There were no tours to any Osterichs Farms either in this weather. But the next day we visited one :
HIGHGATE Ostrich Show Farm
Highgate was established more than 100 years ago. The name hails from Highgate, London.
Highgate is a large osterich farming concern, and we joined one of their
guided tours:
The ostrich eggshells are used to manufacture all kinds of objects:
Feathers are excellent dusters! 
Information – use of the ostrich skin 
South African ostrich leather, with its distinct textured pattern of feather follicles, has a reputation of quality, durability and beauty. Ostrich skins are tanned to produce soft and strong leather and the leather can be dyed in up to 300 colours and used in a variety of applications from hipflasks to handbags.
One ostrich egg can take the weight of about 220kg vertically and 120kg horizontally. This means you can stand on ostrich eggs and they will not break. The egg shell is 2mm thick which sounds like nothing but is the strongest shell of any egg.
Someone tried to sit on an osterich 
And someone tried to ride one. ..:-)
The tour ended with a traditional ostrich race performed by professional jockeys. Fascinating!
This tour was not only enlightening but also fun for the whole family. We learnt a lot about ostriches; watched the staff expertly demonstrate the various crafts using the ostrich’s exquisite feathers, eggs, and leather.
WESTWARD ON ROUTE 62
After leaving Oudtshoorn we followed Route 62 westwards – and this
SCENIC ROUTE – has been named by CNN Travel as the world’s best road trip destination (2017).
Brandsouthafrica.com says in their article:
“CNN calls the road “a journey to the unexpected”, with something for everyone, highlighting the natural beauty of the region’s “fauna, rivers, valleys and plains” and the diversity of activities available that turn the seemingly mundane commute into an adventure.
Everything and anything from wine tours and safari drives, heritage and art tours, hiking and mountain climbing, water sport and fishing, or just quiet contemplation while watching one of kind views with a cold drink and a good meal, Route 62 has it all.”
Route 62 is also known as the Wine Route – it leads through the wine-growing areas of Wellington, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson and the Klein Karoo and is thus one of the longest wine routes in the world.
We travelled westwards through the little town Calizdorp and then to Ladismith where we stayed 2 nights.
Ladismith is situated at the foot of the Klein Swartberg, and is known for its fine wines, fruit and cheese. Popular activities in the area are hiking and walks, rock climbing and mountain biking, horse riding and wine tours.
We stayed at a nice B&B – Ladismith Mountainview.
The B&B has spacious bedrooms, nice garden and a small swimming pool.
But primarily – friendly hosts and excellent service!
They say you will arrive as a guest and return as a friend. And that is true, we had a warm welcome, and the hostess Marianne invited us for a drink in the garden when we came. It was not the only time during our stay we were sitting in the garden and having a nice talk!
Stine and I went hiking in the hills behind the B&B, with beautiful view of the Swartberg Mountains. First we went to the hillside with the town’s letters made in white stones:
View of the town from the hillside:
The first evening we had dinner in a local restaurant Kanna Kombuis – situated on R62 and just down the road from us. Friendly staff and cosy atmosphere.
They did not have any fixed menu – but several dishes to choose from. I had a tasty ostrich fillet.
The last evening our hosts – Marianne and Heinrich – made us a nice meal at their house. Very nice and friendly people!
After two lovely and relaxing days in Ladismith we continued on R62. After about 60 km we reached Barrydale – a small picturesque town (4000 inh.) – famous for its fruits and wine. We did not stop here but drove on to Montagu – a slightly bigger town (15000 inh) – known as “Little Switzerland”. Surrounded by fabulous rock formations – it is one of the top rock climbing destinations in the world. It is also known for the mineral springs and their muscadel wine – and they have an annual Muscadel Festival.
You will find many outstanding Cape Dutch and Victorian buildings in this town.
We had a lunch stop in Montagu, and thought this was such a nice town that it would be great to stay overnight. At the information center we got a list of the accommodation options, but when we asked at the Montagu Country Hotel they told us that there was motorcycle gathering that weekend, and not easy to find any available rooms in the town. Almost every accommodation options fully booked.
On the road again..We ended up at a the country lodge – Olive Garden – between Ashton og Robertson, only 25 km from Montagu. We were recommended this place by a B&B , and the information office in the town of Robertson gave them a call for us : Rooms available. It was not easy to find, but we found it at last, and were very happy with this choice !
We stayed here
It is located in a valley, Klaas Voogds West, surrounded by lovely nature and a great view to Langeberg ! A peaceful and fantastic place!
Olive Garden Country Lodge offers four cottage-style rooms, one 2-bedroom family cottage and two superior suites. We stayed in cottage-style rooms – well appointed, great comfort, covered patio and pool and jacuzzi just outside the door.
DINING
We did not need to go far to get the most special and best cuisine in the area – in their own restaurant in Olive Garden. Every evening we had a delicious three-course dinner – made by the hosts.
The owner Ferdinand is a Belgian chef and sommelier, and creates the most wonderful and elegant dishes which he pairs with exquisite South African wines.
They use freshly picked herbs, vegetables, and fruit, which are organically grown on the farm.
At Olive Garden we dined in style – the delicious and well prepared meals exceeded our expectations!
The breakfast was well prepared as well! We enjoyed the meal outside – in the peaceful and beautiful surroundings, with a great view to the mountains.
While staying at Olive Garden we visited the town Robertson. The town is located between the Langeberg Mountain and Breede River, known as the valley of wine and roses – at the heart of the wine route.
It is an attractive town with many Victorian Buildings, jacaranda-lined streets and beautiful gardens.
The region around Robertson and Ashton is best known for its wines, but besides winery tours and wine tasting – there are a variety of other attractions and activities. From lazy cruise on the Breede River to a vigorous mountain hike, an olive route and exploring the rich historical sites. The surrounding areas are a paradise for the nature lover and sports enthusiasts.
Taking about paradise – we visited the “Bird´s Paradise”, just outside Robertson. In a tropical setting – this bird paradise has about 200 different bird species – from all around the world. Flamingos, peacock, ducks, owl, and a wide range of parrots to mention some..
The Park also offers different animals from monkeys and goats to zebras and crocodiles. A great experience and a fun time for the whole family.
Rusticus Wine Cellar -one of Olive Gardens neighbors
In RUSTICIUS Wine Cellar, one of the Olive Gardens neighbours, the owners create their ‘artisan wines’ the same way it was done a hundred years ago. Most of their wines are sold directly from their cellar to private collectors and some top restaurants. They only produce small quantities of, amongst others, merlot, viognier and pinotage with no added sulphates. This is the only wine cellar in the Robertson Wine Valley that is “home of three 4 star Platter Wines”.
The owners of Olive Garden, Gina and Ferdinand, are from Bergium and they told us then that they bought this place a couple of years ago.
Committed to ecologically friendly practices and philosophy they built their small paradise here at the Olive Garden and produce award winning and internationally recognized olive oil.
After 3 relaxing days at their little paradise – we gratefully said goodbye to this lovely and friendly couple. We would love to go back there some day!
We travelled further west on R60 to Worchester ( about 50 km), along large plains surrounded by mountain ranges. Between Worcester and Ceres on R43, lush fields and several vineyards. Beautiful scenery especially as we approached Ceres, driving through Michel´s pass – incredible rock formations !
We travelled on R46 to Gouda and then R44 to Piketberg, a small farmtown. We were now surrounded by fields of wheat, fruit farms, vineyards and beautiful examples of fynbos ( fine leafed bushes).
We tried to find a place to have lunch, but is was a Sunday and we found no cafees or restaurant that were open. Had to find something to eat and drink from a Superspar! It was a quite warm day, 36 C, and we decided to reach the coast that day. We travelled on R399 to Velddrif , and passed flat and deserted areas. As we came close to Atlantic Ocean, the temperature sank to 23 C!
We ended up in Langebaan and got a nice flat in a holiday apartment complex called “Club Mykonos”. Club Mykonos is called “Greece of the West Coast” and is located by the beautiful Langebaan Lagoon. The resort provides timeshare but also direct accommodation, and you can choose between many different activities and facilities.
Facilities include – various pools (including a heated one), tennis courts, squash courts, a gym, a spa, mini golf, several restaurants, a shop and outdoor activities such as fishing, diving, jet skiing, sailing, golfing and more.
We just tried one of the pools and then visited the beach. Visited Langebaan centre for lunch, and tried one of the restaurants at Club Mykonos for dinner. Restaurant Bouzouki was nice, good food and the location was great – just by the harbour with a lot of sailboats.
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