During our travels through South Africa we LOVED visiting the ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn! In fact, if you’re travelling to Oudtshoorn, South Africa, then chances are visiting an ostrich farm is on your list. To help you find the best ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn to visit, I’ve put together this guide. Enjoy!
The best ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn
There are a lot of ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn. I’ve done the hard work and narrowed them down, so you don’t have to! The following three ostrich farms are the biggest and best in Oudtshoorn…
Highgate Ostrich Show Farm
Located on R328, Oudtshoorn, 6620.
There are three levels of tour you can do at Highgate Ostrich Show Farm: the traditional ostrich farm tour, or the tour itself followed by either the class or premier meal. The tour takes one hour and twenty minutes, and each meal lasts for around an hour too.
What does the tour include? At Highgate Ostrich Show Farm you can learn about incubators and ostrich anatomy, look at gizzard stones, visit an ostrich breeding camp and even feed an ostrich by hand.
Both the classic and premier meals are 3 courses including ostrich egg and meat. Menu options are available on request when booking your tour. You can eat at the Pepper Tree restaurant regardless of whether you’re on a tour or not, too.
The traditional tour option starts from R187 which converts to just over £10 sterling, or around $13. There’s an on-site shop selling leather goods, regional snacks, feather dusters and more.
You can even get married at Highgate Ostrich Show farm! Wedding receptions take place on-site in the Karoo gardens, following ceremonies at the nearby Volmoed church. Highgate can help with decor, cake, a photographer, food and drink, and the DJ. As well as this, Highgate Ostrich Show Farm have partnerships with two nearby guest houses to arrange accommodation for your wedding guests!
Book tours online HERE
Safari Ostrich Show Farm:
Located on R328, Oudtshoorn, 6620.
There’s one type of tour offered at Safari Ostrich Show Farm – the ostrich tractor safari. Hailed as the only ostrich tractor safari in South Africa, visitors get to ride through the farm in a tractor with a guide. The safari guide will explain the ostrich breeding cycle, and if you visit at the right time you may get to see it in action.
Following the tractor ride, visitors can visit the incubator room. Sometimes, you may even get to see ostrich chicks hatching! You can also watch how ostrich eggs are carved, learn about leather and feathers, and get to know a bit more about ostrich evolution.
After this, visitors can see the rare white ostriches at Safari Ostrich Show Farm as well as the emus. Last but not least, guests are allowed to feed the ostriches too!
The tour costs R146 for adults (around £8.35 sterling, or $10.40) and is half price for children aged 4-14. Kids under go free. There is a 20% off deal when booking online, but you can buy tickets on site.
There is an on-site restaurant offering ostrich meat and a variety of other meals. Vegetarian options are available, but it’s best to arrange this in advance. The restaurant is open from 10am until 3pm daily. You can also get 20% off if you book your meal online.
Book tours and meals online HERE
Cango Ostrich Show Farm
Located at 1954 R328, Schoemanshoek, Oudtshoorn.
The ostrich tour available at Cango Ostrich Show Farm is a walking tour that lasts around 45 minutes. The tour is multilingual and they are conducted every 20 minutes by professional tour guides.
Visitors get to see eggs, incubators and chicks as well as grown ostriches. You can receive a ‘neck massage’ from ostriches, and have a cuddle with the friendly on-site female ostrich, Betsie. Visitors can feed the ostriches as well as learn about the history, industry and farming of ostriches.
There is an on site shop offering leather goods and more, as well as various regional wines. For groups of 10+, wine tasting experiences can be arranged.
The restaurant, Cafe Struisvogel, offers a la carte dining with stunning views of the Schoemanshoek Valley. There are also set menus offered at the dining halls on site: Rietkraal, Timjan, and Sam. These must be pre-booked, however.
Prices for the Cango Ostrich Show Farm tours are R120 for adults (£6.80 sterling or $8.60) and R65 for children (£3.70 sterling or $4.65). This makes it one of the cheapest ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn.
The Cango Ostrich Show Farm is near to the Cango Caves, one of the most popular caves to visit in South Africa. Tours of the caves are available, so a lot of visitors combine the Cango Ostrich Show Farm and the Cango Caves.
Book tours online HERE
Places to stay in Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn is a town located in the Klein Karoo area of South Africa’s Western Cape. Other than the ostriches, tourists can visit the Cango Wildlife Ranch, the De Rustica Olive Estate and the CP Nel Museum. There are also game lodges, a zipline and skydiving available in the area. If you’re planning a trip to Western Cape, consider these places to stay in Oudtshoorn.
Booking.comOffering apartments, cottages and luxury villas, the Karoo Retreat is a popular choice in Oudtshoorn. There’s a pool, WiFi, bikes available to use, air-con and en suite bathrooms. They offer free parking, and it’s around 45 minutes by car from the airport.
For the best-rated in terms of location, look no further than Riverside Lodge. With double rooms and a cottage available, this accommodation is really central and within walking distance of various restaurants. There’s a pool, free WiFi and an airport shuttle available. The views are pretty nice, too!
Something a little further out that comes highly recommended is the Zwartberg View Mountain Retreat – with 11 species for game viewing, a dining area with stunning views as well as a pool, bar and free parking, this hotel is a cut above. There are chalets and cottages available, and the airport is a 60 minute drive.
So there you have it – the best ostrich farms to visit in Oudtshoorn. Not only that but some places to stay, too. Outdshoorn is a beautiful part of South Africa and must-visit on any trip to South Africa, and hopefully this post will help you plan the perfect trip.