Bright morning in Knysna on day 14 and we were off to Oudtshoorn leaving the garden route behind us and off to the Little Karoo semidesert region.
First stop though was at the stunning beach of Wilderness, so much more impressive than the beach of Plettenberg Bay.
The actual journey then was another stunning journey taking the route via the Outeniqua Pass - some incredible views again!
Once in the Oudtshoorn area we had the choice between either visiting the Cango Wildlife Ranch (looks like a zoo on pictures) or the Cango Caves - a most easy choice for me and not just because I do not visit zoos in general.
The Cango Caves, Africa's largest show cave system at the foothills of the Swartberg range, were an absolute stunner.
You can visit them as part of a tour, either an easy 1 hour standard tour viewing a handful of chambers or as an adventure tour visiting some really narrow tunnels and chambers. We only did the standard tour but that was totally sufficient as so many impressions to take in.
There were two groups when we got there, one in German, one in English. With not only my travel group there but also another big German group I went on the English group - best decision as our group was just around 12 people compared to around 40 and the sweet guy doing the tour also showed us something special as we killed some time in the main entrance letting the other group taking off first - that painted elephant - apparently very special to be shown it (even my main tour guide said, who's been in the caves several times before has never seen it as he told me after the tour) as it is not normally shown to the visitors as they do not want tourists to touch it. So I won't say where you find it.
The next stop was at an Ostrich farm, how touristy!
Oudtshoorn is apparently the Ostrich capital city, so there are a couple you can visit.
Being a vegetarian you can imagine what my opinion is about such places, but still interesting to learn more about these (unfortunately rather stupid) animals whose eyes are heavier than their brain.
Lunch was also at this place, Ostrich steak for everyone but a vergetarian wrap for me.
Accommodation was at the Oudtshoorn Inn, as the original booking by another hotel got cancelled. It was an okay hotel, in need of a refurbishment but bearable for a night.
Once freshened up two of us went for a walk around the city. As it was Sunday, not a lot was open, but there were certainly some beautiful buildings.
Dinner was at the Black Swan restaurant where four of us went as a group. They even had more than one vegetarian dish on their menu - actually two!
Once in the Oudtshoorn area we had the choice between either visiting the Cango Wildlife Ranch (looks like a zoo on pictures) or the Cango Caves - a most easy choice for me and not just because I do not visit zoos in general.
The Cango Caves, Africa's largest show cave system at the foothills of the Swartberg range, were an absolute stunner.
You can visit them as part of a tour, either an easy 1 hour standard tour viewing a handful of chambers or as an adventure tour visiting some really narrow tunnels and chambers. We only did the standard tour but that was totally sufficient as so many impressions to take in.
There were two groups when we got there, one in German, one in English. With not only my travel group there but also another big German group I went on the English group - best decision as our group was just around 12 people compared to around 40 and the sweet guy doing the tour also showed us something special as we killed some time in the main entrance letting the other group taking off first - that painted elephant - apparently very special to be shown it (even my main tour guide said, who's been in the caves several times before has never seen it as he told me after the tour) as it is not normally shown to the visitors as they do not want tourists to touch it. So I won't say where you find it.
The next stop was at an Ostrich farm, how touristy!
Oudtshoorn is apparently the Ostrich capital city, so there are a couple you can visit.
Being a vegetarian you can imagine what my opinion is about such places, but still interesting to learn more about these (unfortunately rather stupid) animals whose eyes are heavier than their brain.
Lunch was also at this place, Ostrich steak for everyone but a vergetarian wrap for me.
Accommodation was at the Oudtshoorn Inn, as the original booking by another hotel got cancelled. It was an okay hotel, in need of a refurbishment but bearable for a night.
Once freshened up two of us went for a walk around the city. As it was Sunday, not a lot was open, but there were certainly some beautiful buildings.
Dinner was at the Black Swan restaurant where four of us went as a group. They even had more than one vegetarian dish on their menu - actually two!
