ABOVE: The town of Oudtshoorn is bordered by the Swartberge to the north and the Outeniqua mountains to the south.
The Little Karoo, or Klein Karoo in Afrikaans, stretches from the southern slopes of the Swartberg range to the N2 highway in the Western Cape. It begins at Meiringspoort in the eastern folds of the Groot Swartberge and ends at the quaint town of Montagu. Along this, one of South Africa’s most colourful and dramatic routes, travellers are always in sight of craggy mountains and never too far from a farm stall.
Highlights of this fascinating area include the astounding silence, the awesome Swartberge and Langeberg mountain ranges, the floral bio-diversity, the slightly challenging dirt road mountain passes, the tiny villages tucked into the mountain folds off Route 62 and the Cango Caves. The friendliness of local residents and the possibility of relaxing on a guest farm for a few days, doing next to nothing, are attractive antidotes to big-city living.
Like the Great Karoo on the northern side of the Cape Fold Belt mountains, the Little Karoo is arid. Its hot summers are punctuated by short, spectacular thundershowers crashing against the mountain peaks. But it also has some winter rainfall, usually a soft life-giving drizzle. During cold winter spells, snow can be seen on the mountains. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are the mildest and most beautiful seasons.
The vegetation of the Little Karoo is unmistakable – drought-resistant, knee-high, aromatic shrub that can seem less than spectacular from a speeding car. But pull over, walk among the plants, crush and smell their leaves. The scents of wild rosemary, sage, camphor and lavender can immediately be recognised. These are the plants that ‘season the sheep on the hoof’, as the locals put it.
Punctuating the land like exclamation marks are the aloes that flower flame red in winter. Travellers who take the mountain passes, and who have sharp eyes, will notice proteas and ericas in the heights. These fynbos plants belong to the wondrously diverse Cape Floral Kingdom, one of the most extraordinary ecosystems in the world. Thriving on poor soil, unpredictable rainfall, heat and cold, they burst into magnificent flower from September to November, showing true grace in adversity.
The ostrich has spawned an entire industry in the Little Karoo – and a slew of colourful rural legends to go with it.
Ostrich feathers were worn during the Art Nouveau period in Europe and the United States, and by the 1880s the ostrich industry was flourishing in South Africa, with Oudtshoorn as its capital. ‘Feather millionaires’ were building ‘feather palaces’ all over town, ornate mansions that still stand; evidence of the very good business these big-eyed birds had become.
Then, as the clouds of World War I gathered on the European horizon, all notions of fancy frippery were dispensed with. For nearly 30 years the South African ostrich business stood dormant, until, in the middle of World War II, ostrich farming was revived. This time it was a far more sustainable industry that was not exclusively reliant on fine feathers for its survival. Today, in a world that prefers healthy, leaner cuts of protein, ostriches are mainly farmed for their meat.
Meiringspoort is the winding, stately gorge linking the Great Karoo to the Little Karoo and the town of De Rust. Meiringspoort itself is worth a slow meander, and perhaps a picnic at one of the well-appointed stopping sites. A very interesting day drive from a base in De Rust would be to head due west towards Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves and then over the mountains along the spectacular Swartberg Pass. Stop over at the Victorian Karoo town of Prince Albert, where ghosts are said to move in the paintings over at the local hotel, before wending homewards through Meiringspoort.
ABOVE: Picturesque De Rust is situated at the southern entrance of Meiringspoort, and is worth a look-see.
If the Little Karoo has a capital city, then Oudtshoorn is it. Once the feather capital of the world, Oudtshoorn has reinvented itself as a bustling tourist destination and one of the cultural centres of South Africa. A highlight is the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (Little Karoo National Arts Festival), held in April or May each year. The rather diverse collection of writers, singers, actors and their thousands of fans who descend gleefully on Oudtshoorn every year represents the lighter, more creative side of what used to be seen as apartheid culture.
The success of the festival has changed perceptions of Oudtshoorn, and its year-long tourism appeal has provided employment for many of the ‘non-professional’ locals who make a living from the by-products of the ostrich industry – the eggs and feathers.
ABOVE: Red Stone Hill, 14 km outside of Calitzdorp, gets its unusual colour from the iron oxide present in the rock.
ABOVE: Keurbosch Farm Stall in Ladismith sells pickles, nuts, preserves and olive products from the region.
ABOVE: Ladismith, famous for its dairy offerings, makes for a great cheese-tasting sojourn.
If time permits, try to spend a few days exploring the area. This would include the town architecture and museums, and visits to a series of interesting surrounding farms. The Gamkaberg Nature Reserve outside Oudtshoorn offers fynbos, succulent Karoo, Cape mountain zebra and several hiking trails.
ABOVE: Ostrich feathers are used to make flamboyant feather dusters.
ABOVE: The otherworldly Cango Caves are a fascinating attraction in the Little Karoo.
ABOVE: Although only about 1,5 mm thick, ostrich eggshells are super strong.
This is port wine country and a more picturesque wineland setting would be hard to find. The Gamka Valley with its trellised vineyards embraces the little town of Calitzdorp, where those with a sweet tooth can feast on superior carrot cake in a place called Rose of the Karoo.
One of the better day-trip drives is to head through the Red Hills to the Kruisrivier community of fruit farmers, painters and potters.
Driving in the Ladismith district, traveller’s eyes are magically drawn to a jagged peak called Towerkop (‘bewitched peak’) up on the Klein Swartberge. It stands out like a beacon and carries a quaint tale concerning a witch, a wand and fit of pique. Legend has it that she blasted the peak in two so she could get through the mountain on her way to the sea.
Ladismith itself is a charming town known for its wines, fruits and cheeses. A little more than 30 km south of Ladismith, on a good dirt road, is the mountain village of Vanwyksdorp. The drive alone makes this detour worthwhile, because the return trip through the mountains takes the magnificent Rooiberg Pass back to the R62.
This small town is something of a contradiction – it has the arid Little Karoo on the one side and the lushness of the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve on the other. Barrydale lies at the foot of the Langeberg and has a number of good restaurants and guest houses to choose from. In recent years, it has become a hub of creativity as artists and media folk have settled here.
ABOVE: Enjoy spectacular views of the Klein Karoo as you traverse the historic Montagu Pass.
ABOVE: The tranquil town of Barrydale is a typical Klein Karoo dorp.
If time permits a detour, try the Tradouw Pass between Barrydale and Swellendam. Like the Swartberg Pass, it was built by that ‘man with the theodolite eyes’, Sir Thomas Bain, and it, too, has stood the test of time. There are hot springs, museums, hiking trails and gardens galore here. There are also a number of wineries in the area.
The road through Barrydale is lined with antique shops, eateries and coffee shops. Just outside the town is a nondescript little building bearing the legend ‘Ronnie’s Sex Shop’. Not really a sex shop, it is famous in these parts as a great little roadside bar.
ABOVE: Ronnie’s Sex Shop is a popular spot to wet one’s whistle.
Situated near the country town of Heidelberg, the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve has excellent hiking and cycling routes as well as well-priced accommodation. There are more than 196 bird species in this reserve.
One of the most sought-after villages in the Western Cape, in terms of property and retirement investment, is the exquisitely positioned Montagu in the Langeberg Valley. Drivers approaching from the direction of Cape Town on the R60 will have come through Cogmans Kloof, one of the best local examples of the Cape Fold Belt mountains and a very good area for hiking, walking and rock climbing.
More than 20 of Montagu’s Cape Dutch and Victorian buildings have been declared heritage sites, and a sense of old-time elegance and history permeates its streets.
ACTIVITIES
• Crocodile-cage diving at Cango Wildlife Ranch near Oudtshoorn
• Riding ostriches in Oudtshoorn
• Touring the Cango Caves outside Oudtshoorn
• Tasting and buying port from the cellars at Calitzdorp
• Sampling local produce at the farm stalls along Route 62
• Farm stays in the Oudtshoorn, Kruisrivier and Calitz dorp districts
• Stopping at Ronnie’s Sex Shop on the outskirts of Barrydale
• Hot-air ballooning from Oudtshoorn
• Birdwatching around Ladismith
• Sampling witblits (moonshine) at Barrydale and De Rust
• Cheese tasting in Ladismith
• Mountain biking throughout the Little Karoo
• Geological tours around Calitzdorp
• Meerkat Magic tour outside Oudtshoorn, where a suricate expert takes visitors to see a tame colony of meerkats
• Rock climbing and enjoying the hot springs at Montagu
• Rock climbing, abseiling, hiking and swimming in Barrydale
ABOVE: Apricots dry under big African skies in Montagu.
ROUTES AND TRAILS
• Hiking outside Montagu
• Route 62 Brandy Route (272 km) from Montagu to De Rust
• Klein Karoo Wine Route (272 km), which stretches along Route 62 from Montagu to the Langekloofberge, passing through Barrydale, Ladismith, Calitzdorp and De Rust
