
When you visit the beautiful Oudtshoorn
…you will see that there are many things to do. There is something for everyone; the adrenaline junkie, the culture vulture and even the family man. Here are a few things we recommend doing when in Oudtshoorn and you are looking for a more cultured experience.
1. CP Nel Museum
Go back in time and discover the treasures of the historic CP Nel Museum. Here you will learn about the history of Oudtshoorn and the Ostrich Industry through a range of photographs, artefacts and unique displays. If you have a taste for history, the CP Nel Museum is the perfect treat for you!
2.
Le Roux Townhouse
In earlier years, many South African farmers had a townhouse (dorpshuis) in the nearest town to make overnight or longer stays possible. These townhouses were purely functional. But the Le Roux Townhouse – which now forms part of the C.P. Nel Museum-complex – was different. It was built in 1909, in the midst of the second Ostrich Feather Boom (1900 – 1914) and money was no object. It was designed by one of Oudtshoorn’s best-known architects, with the most modern innovations, and built with the best of imported and local materials. Be sure to put this on your bucket list!
3.
Swartberg Pass
Take a slow scenic drive through Swartberg Pass, a World Heritage Site, and absorb the slow pace of this tranquil environment. With acres of mountain and landscape views, this refreshing trip will leave you feeling brand new! This is a once in a lifetime experience that simply cannot be rushed.
4.
Swartberg Nature Reserve
Swartberg Nature Reserve stretches 121 000 hectares between the Klein and Groot Karoo, bordering the Gamkapoort Nature Reserve to the north and the Towerkop Nature Reserve to the west. The town of Oudtshoorn is 40km away. Visitors can be delighted in the reserve’s rich heritage.
5.
Arbeidsgenot
Oudtshoorn is one of the homes of the Afrikaans language and culture. The town’s most famous resident Cornelius Jacobus Langenhoven (1873 – 1931) is considered to be the father of Afrikaans. By 1914, he became a member of parliament where he fought to have Afrikaans recognised as a national language. He was a prodigious writer and authored important literature. Arbeidsgenot Oudtshoorn is the workshop where Afrikaans was formed and where “The Voice of South Africa” poured from the heart and pen of C.J. Langenhoven (this was the previous South African national anthem). Come experience this gem to uncover how CJ Langenhoven lived.