The Little Karoo is the smallest of the Karoo region that includes the Great Karoo and the main Karoo.

This fertile valley is bounded by the Swartberg Mountain in the north and the Langeberg and Outeniqua Mountains in the south.

Oudtshoorn is not only the main artery of the Little Karoo, but is also the ostrich capital of the world. The little town rose to fame when ostrich feathers became a serious fashion accessory in Europe, especially for the use on hats.

Today the region is the leader in ostrich products, from meat to leather to artistically designed ostrich eggs, even ostrich races!

CJ Langenhoven was a local writer who provided much of the literature that formed the backbone of the Afrikaans language during its early development.

It is therefore appropriate that Oudtshoorn annually hosts one of South Africa's largest Afrikaans language arts festivals, the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival.

Also tucked away in the Little Karoo is a place offering sanctuary to a number of endangered species.

The Cango Wildlife Ranch and Valley of Ancients offers visitors the chance to physically interact with hand-reared cheetahs, Bengal tigers and tiger cubs.

Many of the activities are aimed to include children, a rare commodity in an age where children are rarely included in holiday activities.

The more adventurous can enjoy supreme hiking trails, mountain biking, caving, abseiling and rock climbing.

A unique feature of the Valley of Ancients is the crocodile cage diving, an all new in adrenaline sports.

Brave visitors are lowered into a heated crocodile pool in a specially designed cage, for a close encounter with an animal that considers man as prey.

The Cango Caves is an underground wonder world sculptured by nature through the ages.

Ten thousand years ago the Khoisan Bushman used the entrance of the Cango Caves as shelter, as the rest of the caves were regarded as superstitious.