Hi, We are Phil & Linda Putzel from The Gumtree Guest House in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape.
OUDTSHOORN IS BEST KNOWN FOR the world famous Cango Caves and being the Ostrich-Capital of the world!
GET YOUR PICTURE TAKEN AT an Ostrich Showfarm riding an Ostrich (or feeding an Ostrich). The best farms to visit are Highgate, Safari and Cango.
THE BEST scenic PICTURES CAN BE TAKEN from Swartberg Pass which has magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and incredible road.
OTHER HAPPY SNAPS AT Cango Wildlife Ranch while stroking a baby cheetah or tiger.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S GOOD, I LIKE TO sit out on the pooldeck at Gumtree watching the birds around the river.
WHEN THE WEATHER’S BAD, I LIKE TO enjoy a glass of Karusa red wine in front of the fire in the Gumtree bar.
I THINK THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT IS anytime, BECAUSE Oudtshoorn has 330 days of sun each year.
MY FAVOURITE BREAKFAST SPOT IS Gumtree Guest House, but if I have to go out, then Café Brule at the Queens Hotel is very pleasant for breakfast.
FOR LUNCH, I SUGGEST Karoo Tapas at Karusa Winery in Schoemanshoef accompanied by the tasting of some excellent wines.
MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IS Bello Cibo, for good Italian style food in a casual and cheerful atmosphere. It is open Monday to Saturday from 17h00 til late.
BEST LATE NIGHT SNACK FROM from La Dolce Vita which is perfect as a last-stop before walking back, round the corner, to Gumtree Guest House for the evening.
MY FAVOURITE relaxing SPOT IS the deck at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge where one can watch the hippos at the waterhole while enjoying a cocktail or a meal.
FOR A NIGHT OUT ON THE TOWN start it at Bello Cibo, one of our favourite restaurants – don’t forget they are open til late so you are sure to have a fun night out.
IF YOU WANT TO MEET LOCALS, GO TO Ma Betty’s Xhosa Cultural Experience where you can enjoy the delicious food, traditional dances and magnificent stories of the rich Xhosa culture.
Oudtshoorn’s BEST KEPT SECRET IS Art, Cheese, Chocolate and Liqueur Route which allows one to indulge a lot of the senses during a few magical hours.
MY FAVOURITE THING TO DO WITH FRIENDS IS to cook a meal for them at the Gumtree, which is something we do regularly for guests (and new friends) too.
FOR SOME CULTURE, I LIKE TO GO TO Art Karoo where one can see some amazing works from local artists.
TO RELAX AND RESTORE MY SOUL, I LIKE TO play 18 holes of golf at Oudtshoorn Golf Club which has some interesting holes and is a good example of a typical Karoo golf course.
IF YOU’RE FEELING ADVENTUROUS, TRY driving to Hel and back in a day. The trip over Swartberg Pass to Die Hel is stunningly beautiful, and requires some attentive driving and lots of patience. Visit Die Hel for lunch (advance reservations required) and experience one of the most peaceful and remote locations in South Africa.
MY FAVOURITE DRIVE IS Swartberg Pass to Prince Albert for the day, returning to Oudtshoorn via Meiringspoort and De Rust.
MY FAVOURITE bird WATCHING SPOT IS Gumtree Guest House where we have huge variety including Hadidas, Eagles, Owls and Louries in and around the garden and river area.
IF YOU’RE HERE IN April, JOIN IN THE FUN AT the Klein Karoo National Cultural Festival (KKNK) – but we advise you to make accommodation reservations well in advance as rooms fill up quickly.
MY FAVOURITE MUSEUM IS the CP Nel Museum. It is walking distance from the Gumtree and gives one a good insight into the histories of Oudtshoorn and the Ostrich Industry.
MY FAVOURITE BUILDING IS CP Nel Museum, FOR ITS beautiful sandstone design and façade.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN? We recommend spending a few hours at Wilgewandel near Cango Caves which offers many different activities for children such as Camel and Donkeycart rides, pedal gokarts, boat rides, trampolines, miniature golf, etc.
BEST CHEAP AND CHEERFUL OUTING IS walking over the historic Suspension Bridge that crosses the Grobbelaars River and afterwards enjoying a refreshing swim and/or drink at Gumtree Guest House.
WHEN MONEY’S NO OBJECT, I LIKE TO suggest a Balloon Ride over Oudtshoorn and the Klein Karoo for a magnificent view of our beautiful surroundings.
THE MOST UNUSUAL THING I SEE HERE IS Meerkat Tours – spend an early morning with a Meerkat community at De Zeekoe and learn about their complex society.
I Love Oudtshoorn BECAUSE it is a true reflection of the real South Africa and a wonderful place to be!
Oudtshoorn Info:
Desirable Digits
Cango Caves: +27 (0)44 272-7410
Cango Ostrich Show Farm: +27 (0)44 272-4623
Highgate Ostrich Farm: +27(0)44 272-7115
Safari Ostrich Farm: +27 (0)44 272-7311 / 2
Cango Wildlife Ranch: +27 (0)44 272-5593
Café Brule: +27 44 272-2101
Karusa Wines: +27 (0)83 995-5927
Bella Cibo: +27 (0)44 272-3245
La Dolce Vita: +27 (0)44 279-3269
Buffelsdrift Game Lodge: +27 (0)44 272-0000
Ma Betty’s: +27 (0)83 597-5289 or +27 (0)82 7310-985
Die Hel: +27 (0)23 541-1107
Oudtshoorn Golf Club: +27 (0)44 272-4201
CP Nel Museum: +27 (0)44 272-7306
Meerkat Tour: +27 (0)44 272-3077
