Little Karoo Plateau

The Little Karoo (Klein Karoo) is a semi-arid inland valley region in South Africa’s Western Cape province. It is a distinct agricultural and tourism region bounded by mountain ranges and containing several small towns and agricultural districts.

The region offers a mix of arid valley landscapes, karst limestone features, vineyards and ostrich farms; the town of Oudtshoorn is the area’s main service and tourism centre. Notable visitor attractions include the limestone Cango Caves and scenic mountain passes such as the Swartberg Pass that connect the valley to adjacent regions.

Scenic driving routes such as Route 62 traverse the Little Karoo, linking towns like Prince Albert and Calitzdorp and providing access to wineries, fruit farms and rural guesthouses. Outdoor activities include hiking in mountain foothills, cave tours and wildlife viewing on private reserves.

The Little Karoo was originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples and later settled during European colonial expansion; agriculture and stock farming developed through the 19th century. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw an ostrich-feather boom centred on Oudtshoorn, which left durable economic and architectural influences in the town.

Lying inland in the Western Cape, the Little Karoo occupies the valley between the Swartberg Mountains to the north and the Langeberg/Outeniqua ranges to the south. It is an interior region of the Western Cape, accessible by regional roads from Cape Town and the Garden Route.

• Best time to visit: Spring brings prolific wildflowers and lambing season across the valley, making it a particularly attractive time for landscape visits.
• Tourism hub: Oudtshoorn is the region’s tourism hub and the main place for arranging cave tours, ostrich farm visits and local wineries.

What to See#

• Oudtshoorn: Oudtshoorn - the largest town in the Little Karoo and a historic centre for ostrich farming, with transport links to surrounding passes and caves.
• Cango Caves: Cango Caves - a system of extensive limestone caverns near Oudtshoorn, developed for guided visits and spelunking tours.
• Swartberg Pass: Swartberg Pass - the mountain pass that carries a gravel road across the Swartberg range, constructed in the 19th century by engineer Thomas Bain.
• Route 62: Route 62 - a scenic inter-town route that runs through the Little Karoo and is promoted as an alternative to the coastal N2 for travellers.

The Little Karoo is accessible by road from Cape Town (roughly 3-5 hours depending on route) via the N1 toward Laingsburg and then smaller regional roads into towns such as Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert.

• Base a road trip through the Little Karoo on a small town like Prince Albert for local food and access to sites.
• Travel outside peak summer heat and expect wide temperature swings between day and night.
• Explore lesser-known farm museums and mountain passes - the region's geology is best appreciated from a slow drive.