Oudtshoorn owes its elegant sandstone buildings to the feathers of a very large and bad-tempered bird. In the years before the First World War, ostrich feathers were fashionable in Europe and America, and farmers in the Little Karoo made fortunes supplying them. Merchants built grand houses known as feather palaces, with fine stonework and ornate interiors, and some of them still stand. The boom collapsed around 1914, when fashion changed and the war disrupted trade, but ostrich farming continues, now for meat, leather and tourism.
The town lies in a dry valley between two mountain ranges, the Swartberg to the north and the Outeniqua to the south, and the climate is hot and dry, with cold winter nights. It has a population of about sixty thousand and is the main hub of the Little Karoo, with fuel, supermarkets, hotels and restaurants. The CP Nel Museum tells the story of the feather era, and several farms offer tours where you can see the birds up close. They are strong, fast and not as friendly as they appear, so keep your distance.
For riders, Oudtshoorn is a gateway. Route 62 runs through the town, and from here the Cango Caves, a limestone cave system about thirty kilometres north, are an easy day trip. Beyond lies the Swartberg Pass, a gravel road built by the engineer Thomas Bain in the 1880s, which climbs in tight hairpins over the mountains to Prince Albert. It is a spectacular ride, but the surface is loose and the road is narrow, so check conditions and take it slowly.
The best seasons are spring and autumn, with clear skies and moderate temperatures. Summer afternoons can be extremely hot, and winter nights can be near freezing. Try ostrich meat, which is lean and tastes a little like beef, or a plate of Karoo lamb. Early morning is a good time to leave town, when the mountains glow and the air is cool.