You’re cruising down Route 62 on your motorcycle, the South African sun warming your back as endless semi-desert landscapes unfold before you. Suddenly, the road curves toward a cluster of Victorian mansions that look like they’ve been teleported from another century, and you realize you’ve arrived in one of the world’s quirkiest destinations – Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the universe.
Rolling Into the Land of Giant Birds
Welcome to the Klein Karoo, where motorcycle tours transform into something delightfully bizarre. This isn’t your typical guided tour destination where you snap photos of ancient ruins or admire pristine beaches. No, here in Oudtshoorn, you’ll find yourself face-to-face with the world’s largest birds, crawling through underground caverns older than your wildest imagination, and discovering why this semi-desert region became the playground for eccentric millionaires over a century ago.
Oudtshoorn rose to fame during the 1800s when ostrich feathers became a fashion must-have on a world-wide scale. The semi-arid regions of the Little Karoo proved to be ideal for raising these large birds and by the time the railway network was extended to Oudtshoorn in 1913, the town had blossomed into a cluster of multi-millionaire farmers. Talk about a get-rich-quick scheme that actually worked – at least until World War I changed fashion forever.
The Journey: More Than Just Another Motorcycle Tour
Any decent motorbike tour through South Africa’s Western Cape will eventually wind its way through the Klein Karoo, but getting to Oudtshoorn is half the adventure. After renting a badass BMW F800GS from Cape Bike Travel, we set out on our own Garden Route self-drive motorcycle tour combining this coastal paradise with a trip to its inland Klein Karoo counterpart on Route 62. The journey from Cape Town takes you through some of the most spectacular riding terrain on the continent.
Most big biking tour operators recommend the scenic Route 62 approach, and for good reason. Route 62 is a South African classic, starting in Cape Town and ending in Port Elizabeth. The journey takes bikers through the Cape Winelands and Klein Karoo. You’ll pass spectacular mountain passes, world-class vineyards, and charming villages and towns. This isn’t just transportation – it’s pure motorcycling poetry on asphalt.
Conquering the Swartberg: Where Mountains Meet Desert
The approach to Oudtshoorn offers multiple route options, but serious riders shouldn’t miss the legendary Swartberg Pass. We begin with a ride over the iconic Swartberg Pass and a ride through the farmland south of the mountain range. This gravel mountain pass isn’t for weekend warriors on cruisers – it demands respect, skill, and a motorcycle tour guide who knows every switchback.
We spent ages on Swartberg Pass – just because it was impossible not to stop at every viewpoint. The pass cuts through the Swartberg Mountains like a carefully planned guided tour through geological history. One moment you’re surrounded by stark Karoo vegetation, the next you’re looking down into valleys that seem to stretch to the edge of the world.
Ostrich Encounters: Beyond Your Average Wildlife Experience
Once you roll into Oudtshoorn proper, the real adventure begins. This isn’t just another motorcycle tour pit stop – it’s a full sensory assault of the wonderfully weird. I would venture to bet this is one of the few places in the world where over the course of 60-minutes you can learn all about the world’s largest flightless bird, feed ostriches from the palm of your hand, fan yourself with ostrich feathers, stand atop ostrich eggs, eat ostrich steaks, make bets on an ostrich race and ride ostriches all in the same place.
The town hosts several ostrich farms that have perfected the art of entertaining motorcycle tour groups. Safari Ostrich Farm and Highgate Ostrich Show Farm compete for the title of most entertaining big biking tour stopover, and honestly, both deliver experiences you’ll be talking about for years. To ride an ostrich you have to weigh less than 70kg and to sit on a ostrich for a photo you have to weigh less than 80kg – so maybe skip the heavy motorcycle tour lunch beforehand.
Underground Wonders: The Cango Caves Experience
Just when you think Oudtshoorn has exhausted its capacity for surprises, someone mentions the Cango Caves. Located 29km north of Oudtshoorn on the R328, these limestone caverns represent one of Africa’s most spectacular underground networks. This isn’t some roadside tourist trap – we’re talking about genuine geological majesty that took millions of years to create.
The caves offer two distinct experiences, perfectly suited for different types of motorcycle tour adventurers. Tours are conducted at regular intervals on most days—there is a “Standard Tour” which takes an hour and an “Adventure Tour” which takes an hour and a half. The standard tour works fine for riders who want to stay clean for the next leg of their guided tour, but the adventure option is where things get interesting.
Crawling for Glory: The Cango Adventure Tour
The tour will require you to crawl, slide on your belly (or back) and climb to get a genuine idea of what spelunking is. Through memorable spaces like Lumbago Alley, Devils Chimney and the aptly named Devils Postbox, this experience is one never to be forgotten. This isn’t your typical motorbike tour activity – you’ll spend ninety minutes squeezing through passages that make motorcycle gear seem wonderfully spacious by comparison.
Unfortunately, because this tour was meant to appeal to the masses, experienced spelunkers out there will more than likely be disappointed by how dulled down the caving is. Having said that, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed our 90-minutes of climbing, squeezing and scooting. For motorcycle tour participants used to the freedom of open roads, the claustrophobic passages provide a fascinating contrast – and bragging rights that few other guided tour experiences can match.
The Karoo Landscape: Motorcycle Heaven
What makes this region special for motorcycle tours isn’t just the destinations – it’s the journey between them. South Africa has no shortage of scenic drives and road trip options to explore — many of which include astounding coastal roads and dozens of mountain passes built by some of the world’s most revered engineers more than 100 years ago. The Klein Karoo represents the country’s answer to America’s Southwest, but with better roads and stranger wildlife.
The Karoo is South Africa’s answer to Australia’s outback. Its particular rare mix of ragged mountains, vast open spaces, idiosyncratic little towns, star-studded skies devoid of light pollution, sheep farms, and back of beyond windmills make it road trip country like nowhere else in the world. For big biking tour enthusiasts, this translates to hours of uninterrupted riding through landscapes that change character every few kilometers.
Beyond the Obvious: Hidden Karoo Gems
Smart motorcycle tour operators know that Oudtshoorn offers more than just ostriches and caves. The surrounding Klein Karoo region contains secrets that most guided tour groups never discover. Here, long, winding, underdriven roads and epic mountain passes connect an intriguing network of small towns that most South Africans haven’t even heard of.
Towns like Calitzdorp, famous for its port wines, and Prince Albert, with its Victorian architecture preserved in the middle of nowhere, provide perfect overnight stops for motorbike tour groups seeking authentic Karoo experiences. Die Handelshuis, Calitzdorp. Home-made ostrich or lamb pies (R35) that’ll make your mouth smile. These aren’t just fuel stops – they’re cultural immersion opportunities that transform a simple motorcycle tour into something approaching enlightenment.
Technical Terrain: What Your Bike Needs
The Oudtshoorn region caters to various motorcycle tour preferences and skill levels. The tour offers eight days of riding through an area best described as motorcycle adventure touring heaven. The region is known as the Garden Route and for good reason too. It boasts a variety of stunning experiences including amazing scenery, winding roads, lagoons, a beautiful coastline and verdant, ecologically diverse vegetation.
For riders planning their own guided tour, the roads around Oudtshoorn mix excellent tar surfaces with challenging gravel sections. Level of Difficulty: Easy-Intermediate (good tar roads with some good gravel roads) Most big biking tour companies recommend adventure bikes or dual-sport motorcycles, though experienced riders have tackled the region on everything from cruisers to sport bikes.
Seasonal Considerations for Your Motorbike Tour
Timing matters when planning a motorcycle tour through the Klein Karoo. The Garden Route’s all-year-round temperate climate is perfect for riding and playing in its great outdoors. Temperatures are highest during the summer months (November to April), although bear in mind that this stretch of coastline gets very busy over the Christmas school holidays.
The Karoo’s semi-arid climate means less rainfall than coastal regions, making it ideal for motorcycle tour planning. Summer temperatures can push into uncomfortable territory for riders in full gear, while winter mornings might require heated grips. Most guided tour operators prefer the shoulder seasons – April through May and September through October – when temperatures stay comfortable and tourist crowds thin out.
Local Flavors: Fueling the Adventure
No motorcycle tour through Oudtshoorn is complete without sampling the local cuisine, which extends far beyond ostrich steaks. Diesel & Créme, Barrydale. Legendary milkshakes and burgers. You can also enjoy a great night’s sleep in fine linen on a comfy bed at the Karoo Moon Motel. The Route 62 corridor has developed a reputation among big biking tour groups for punching above its weight in the culinary department.
Local restaurants have learned to cater to motorcycle tour appetites, which tend toward the substantial after hours of riding through mountain passes. The region’s wine estates also provide excellent guided tour opportunities, though responsible riders save the serious tasting for after they’ve parked their bikes for the day.
Accommodation: From Feather Palaces to Farm Stays
Oudtshoorn’s accommodation options reflect its eccentric character. The town became filled with ‘feather palaces’ – large, ornate and lavishly decorated mansions made from sandstone in an art nouveau style with circular turrets and intricate iron railings. Many of these historic buildings now operate as boutique guesthouses, providing motorcycle tour participants with accommodations that match the region’s quirky character.
For those seeking more authentic Karoo experiences, farm stays in the surrounding countryside offer motorcycle tour groups the chance to experience traditional hospitality. Dennehof Karoo Guest House, Prince Albert. Beautiful old farmhouse converted into guest rooms. From R580 pp sharing. These establishments understand the needs of guided tour groups – secure motorcycle parking, early breakfast options, and local route advice.
Photography Gold: Capturing the Experience
The Klein Karoo provides motorcycle tour photographers with subjects ranging from Victorian architecture to lunar landscapes. The contrast between Oudtshoorn’s ornate feather palaces and the surrounding semi-desert creates opportunities for images that capture the region’s surreal character perfectly.
Measuring 18 meters high by 50 wide and 90 long (59 x 164 x 295 feet), this great hall was named after the farmer Jacobus Van Zyl who was first to discover the Cango Caves in 1780 after being lowered down into the giant cavern with only the light of an oil lamp. Inside the caves, photography becomes challenging but rewarding – the limestone formations create natural sculptures that no human artist could imagine.
Planning Your Route: Integration with Bigger Tours
Most motorcycle tour companies integrate Oudtshoorn into larger Garden Route or Klein Karoo itineraries. Participants also enjoy a full day safari in the Addo National Elephant Park, giving you a chance to spot the Big Five – lion, elephant, rhino, leopard, and buffalo, after which we ride inland to Graaff-Reinet in the vast, semi-arid Great Karoo. The town serves as a natural hub for exploring the broader region, with day rides radiating out to various attractions.
Smart guided tour planning allows 2-3 days in the area – enough time for cave exploration, ostrich farm visits, and at least one serious mountain pass adventure. This is a more leisurely day. You will leave Prince Albert and en route to Oudtshoorn, you will ride through the spectacular Meiringspoort. This is a truly unique experience, especially on a motorcycle.
The Verdict: Why Every Big Biking Tour Should Include Oudtshoorn
After experiencing dozens of motorcycle tour destinations worldwide, Oudtshoorn stands out for its sheer unpredictability. Where else can a guided tour seamlessly blend geological wonders, Victorian architecture, agricultural tourism, and genuine adventure riding? If you’re looking for a combination of unique animal encounters, Oudtshoorn is an ideal destination.
The region rewards motorcycle tour participants who arrive with open minds and flexible expectations. This isn’t Tuscany on two wheels or the romantic highlands of Scotland. Instead, it’s Africa distilled to its eccentric essence – beautiful, strange, challenging, and utterly unforgettable.
For riders seeking motorbike tour experiences that generate stories worth telling for decades, Oudtshoorn delivers in ways that conventional destinations simply cannot match. The combination of accessible adventure and genuine cultural immersion creates the kind of guided tour memories that transform casual riders into lifelong adventure seekers.
Ready to Experience the Ostrich Capital?
The Klein Karoo waits for no one, and motorcycle tour spots fill quickly during peak seasons. Whether you’re planning a solo adventure or joining a guided tour group, Oudtshoorn represents everything that makes South African motorcycle touring special – spectacular scenery, challenging roads, unique experiences, and stories that improve with age.
Where Big Bike Tours actually runs today
Big Bike Tours no longer operates departures in South Africa. This article stays online because Oudtshoorn and the Karoo is worth reading about and because riders keep asking about it, but we cannot take you there, and we would rather say so than let you write to us about a tour that does not exist.
What we do run is Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Japan, the Philippines, and New Zealand end to end. If what draws you to Oudtshoorn and the Karoo is the semi-desert country and caves, the closest things in our current range are the 10-day Mongolia Wild West Ride and the 15-day Real Himalayan Ride.
The full tour range is here, and the tour dates page shows what is running when. Message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you honestly what we do and do not operate, including when the answer is that somebody else runs it better.
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