"The captivating Little Karoo is a diverse area that’s wedged into a valley formed by Cape Fold Mountains. While much of it has been tamed into pretty vineyards, orchards and ostrich farms, some say its true charm lies in the villages, which often draw people favouring a quieter and more creative life. ”
- Narina Exelby
Little Karoo
It is very difficult to resist the lure of the Little Karoo. The undulating hills that rise and fall within the valley roll back in shades of green and gold towards the blue craggy mountains that hold this region together. Trapped within the landscape are pockets of aloes – spectacular when in flower – and lonely windmills, gaggles of ostriches, tufts of shrubs and succulents, and the occasional explosion of trees. The roads either stretch way ahead into the distance, or gnarl themselves through crude mountain passes that reveal the curved lines of once-horizontal rocks crumpled like soft tissue paper.
It is in the Little Karoo that you’ll find the world’s longest wine route; out here, too, are natural hot springs, heritage and art tours, rock faces loved by climbers, hiking trails, nature reserves, and an abundance of wildlife.
The quirky Route 62 winds through the Little Karoo. It’s an inland alternative to the Garden Route (which lies just over the mountains) that connects the charming villages of this semi-arid region, taking travellers east through Montagu and historic Swellendam and on towards Oudtshoorn.
Montagu is a pretty town with wide streets and old Cape Dutch buildings; from there the road winds through the wine and olive farms around Barrydale and Calitzdorp. The region’s padstalle – farm stalls – are themselves a reason to travel this route: the small roadside shops sell homemade delicacies like rusks, dried fruit, chutneys and biltong. In Oudtshoorn, the unofficial “end” of the Little Karoo, there are the ostrich farms and impressive rock formations of the Cango Caves – and throughout the route an abundance of photogenic windmills.
When to go
Find out when is best to visit
- Excellent
- Good
- Poor
SUMMER
A good time to visit with average midday temperatures of 30°C/86°F, occasionally temperatures can, however, spike to 40°C/104°F and over. Morning are a much more pleasant 10°C/50°F.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
SUMMER
A good time to visit with average midday temperatures of 30°C/86°F, occasionally temperatures can, however, spike to 40°C/104°F and over. Morning are a much more pleasant 10°C/50°F.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
SUMMER
A beautiful time to visit with average midday temperatures of 26°C/79°F, 11°C/52°F at night.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
AUTUMN
A beautiful time to visit with average midday temperatures of 24°C/75°F, 9°C/48°F at night.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
AUTUMN
A beautiful time to visit with average midday temperatures of 20°C/68°F, mornings average a rather chilly 6°C/48°F at night.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
WINTER
Given the regions semi-arid climate, days are generally dry, bright and sunny. Temperatures, on the other hand, are somewhat on the cool side, with average midday highs of 17°C/63°F, mornings average a rather cold 3°C/37°F at night - make sure to pack extra layers!
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
WINTER
Given the regions semi-arid climate, days are generally dry, bright and sunny. Temperatures, on the other hand, are somewhat on the cool side, with average midday highs of 16°C/61°F, mornings average a rather cold 2°C/36°F at night - make sure to pack extra layers!
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
WINTER
Given the regions semi-arid climate, days are generally dry, bright and sunny. Temperatures are beginning to warm up, with average a pleasant midday high of 19°C/66°F, mornings remain rather cold 4°C/39°F at night - make sure to pack extra layers!
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
SPRING
A beautiful time to visit with average midday temperatures of 22°C/72°F, mornings average a rather chilly 6°C/48°F at night.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
SPRING
A beautiful time to visit with average midday temperatures of 25°C/81°F, mornings average a rather cool 11°C/52°F at night.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
SPRING
A beautiful time to visit with average midday temperatures of 27°C/77°F, mornings average a rather chilly 8°C/46°F at night.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
SUMMER
A good time to visit with average midday temperatures of 30°C/86°F, occasionally temperatures can, however, spike to 40°C/104°F and over. Morning are a much more pleasant 10°C/50°F.
The Little Karoo can be best described as having a semi-arid climate, with very little and sporadic rainfall through the year. With this in mind, there is no real good or bad time to visit, but it is worth bearing in mind that the summers are hot and winter surprisingly cool. We would, therefore, recommend the spring and autumn months as the best time to visit.
Explore Little Karoo Properties
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Buffelsdrift Game Lodge
Buffelsdrift Game Lodge
Buffelsdrift is very proud of its elephant experiences which allow you to get up front and very personal with their tame elephants. Children and adults who are confident with animals will love it. It may lack the sense of ..
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Galenia Estate
Galenia Estate
An olive estate on the slopes of the Langeberg Mountains, Galenia estate is a four-star accommodation with a contemporary Cape Dutch design. Enjoying all the privileges of being close to town yet with the tranquillity of a natural ..
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Schoone Oordt Country House
Schoone Oordt Country House
With its pretty Victorian façade surrounded by lawns and rose gardens, Schoone Oordt Country House is a luxury boutique hotel in the idyllic Western Cape. Swellendam marks the halfway point between Cape Town and the Garden, ..
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The Manor at Samara
The Manor at Samara
The Manor at Samara is housed within a historic homestead boasting incredible mountain views. Reflecting the local Karoo landscape in its design, the house is warm and comfortable accommodation with luxurious living spaces and ..
What People Say
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The personalised service provided was far beyond my expectations. A three week trip visiting four countries in Africa, multiple game reserves, wineries and much, much more was flawless. While a close encounter with a leopard and her cubs…
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We got in touch after hearing about Hide & Seek from a friend. Have to say hats off to Jamie, he was so patient throughout, even through our indecisiveness! Ultimately we ended up with the most incredible holiday of our lives. Thank you again, we will be back!!
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Thank you for arranging our Safari holiday in Kenya and Tanzania for us. It was to celebrate our 40th. Wedding anniversary which was on July 1st. 2018, and through your arrangements, we have had a holiday that we will never forget...
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Thanks so much for a truly unforgettable once in a life time holiday. Hopefully we will be in touch again soon!
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Spot on in terms of itinerary . We not disappointed by any of the suggestions and had the best holiday ever! Thank you!
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Jamie was very helpful throughout the booking process and recommended the perfect holiday. There was nothing we would change having now been out to Tanzania. I would highly recommend Hide & Seek to friends and relatives.
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Jamie was excellent. Once I described what we wanted I knew he would come up with the business. ..and he did!!! 5 stars
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We spoke to numerous travel agents over the period we looked at booking our honeymoon and only hide and seek gave me the confidence I was looking for. Really pleased with our decision.
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Hide and seek dealt with our last minute travel plans extremely well. Obviously, our accommodations shifted as availability diminished but ultimately they came up with a vacation that we will never forget.
