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Wine tasting, ostrich farms, mountain passes, and underground caverns, all in the Klein Karoo

A convenient stop along South Africa’s Garden Route, the Klein (Little) Karoo is a narrow valley that runs between coastal mountains and the Swartberg Range. The sunny, dry climate here is ideal for the area’s two major industries — wine making and ostrich farming.

Our specialists have explored the region and can plan a visit to the Klein Karoo that will offer you the chance to sample local wines as well as explore the history of the ostrich trade. In Oudtshoorn, Victorian merchants made their fortunes by catering to the mania for ostrich plumes on hats, and you can still see their ornate sandstone mansions, known as feather palaces. We can arrange for you to visit a modern-day ostrich farm to learn more about this very niche business. You might also want to visit the CP Nel Museum; set in a feather palace, the museum’s exhibits examine the region’s avian agricultural heritage.

Beyond Oudtshoorn, you can appreciate some of the country’s most impressive mountains by taking a guided driving tour along the Swartberg Pass, a steep, winding mountain road littered with wind-carved sandstone sculptures. Or, venture inside the Cango Caves, a sprawling complex of caverns and tunnels that were inhabited during the Paleolithic and rediscovered in the 1800s.

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who's been there
Audley Travel specialist Anna

Start planning your tailor-made trip to the Klein Karoo by contacting one of our South Africa specialists

Places to visit in the Klein Karoo

Featuring heavily on our experiences of visiting the Klein Karoo, these selected places are destinations that also prove consistently popular with our travellers. Our specialists can help you choose how to include them in your wider trip, based on your preferences.

Suggested itineraries featuring the Klein Karoo

Our itineraries will give you suggestions for what is possible when you travel in the Klein Karoo, and they showcase routes we know work particularly well. Treat them as inspiration, because your trip will be created uniquely by one of our specialists.

Map of the Klein Karoo

Places & hotels on the map

    Places in and around the Klein Karoo

    Accommodation choices for the Klein Karoo

    We've selected a range of accommodation options for when you visit the Klein Karoo. Our choices usually come recommended for their character, facilities and service or location. Our specialists always aim to suggest properties that match your preferences.