Visit Oudtshoorn & Surrounds, South Africa

The Great Karoo is the arid semi-desert that comprises much of the heart of South Africa.

On its fringes is the Little Karoo, a slightly more hospitable environment which proved ideal for rearing ostriches. Thanks to the Victorian craze for ostrich feathers, the town of Oudtshoorn flourished. Whilst exploring the town you will see many of the "Feather Palaces", houses of the merchants who grew rich from the feather trade.

Outside Oudtshoorn are the Cango Caves, one of the premier natural attractions in South Africa. Huge caverns with stalagmites and stalactites are open to the public and have been lit in such a way as to make them especially dramatic. Another popular activity in the area is visiting an ostrich farm, where you can learn about these odd birds, and may get the chance to see them race.