Tailor-made Overberg & Klein Karoo: Introduction

Sandwiched between the Cape Region and the Garden Route, this area is not just somewhere to break your journey, it is well worth visiting on its own merits. Many itineraries and visitors bypass the region, heading straight for the better-known attractions of the Garden Route; the resultant lack of tourists in the area is a significant part of its appeal.

A real highlight is the coastal De Hoop Nature Reserve, which is unknown even to most South Africans and a place of wild tranquility. Grassy dunes are cropped by zebra and antelope, numerous bird species speckle the sky and whales glide serenely by off the beach. Route 62 winds its way north through ever more arid landscapes and golden sandstone hills, linking small towns with an unhurried, frontier atmosphere. It begins near Montagu, a pretty town surrounded by hills crisscrossed with well-marked trails, a real hikers paradise.

The greater intensity of the sun here means you move from wine to port territory as you head up into the Klein Karoo, and the weather is also perfect for rearing ostriches, so the countryside around Oudtshoorn is dotted with ostrich farms. Beneath the fields here lie the Cango Caves, arguably South Africa’s greatest natural wonder, caverns of vast organ-like formations, easily accessed and dramatically illuminated.

Selected Highlights

Our specialists have travelled the length and breadth of the country to research the best places to stay and things to do. Here they list a few of their favourite “unmissables”. Click here for more highlights

Cango Caves in Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn lies within easy distance of the Garden Route. The Cango Caves are located just outside of Oudtshoorn and is known as one of South Africa's...  [more]

Cango Wildlife Ranch

A fantastic project set up on the road out of Oudtshoorn, the Cango Wildlife Ranch is a chance to learn about some of animals of Africa. A short tour...  [more]

Klein Karoo Wine Route

Oudtshoorn lies on the Klein Karoo Wine Route, less well known but equally as fascinating as its cousin of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl. There...  [more]