Route 62 has experienced a growth of popularity with independent
travellers. Subsequently there are quite a few options for
backpackers to use for accommodation. Many of the hostels
and backpacker lodges cater to independent travellers. A
little off the beaten track Route 62 hostels are a refreshing
change from the major city hostels with more personal service
and attention.
Route 62 is a pleasant and shorter alternative to the N2
between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. It winds through the
fertile valleys of the Klein Karoo, sheltered by the rugged
Outeniqua, Langeberg and Swartberg Mountain ranges.
What to see and do
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Mountain Passes |
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The Uniondale Ghost |
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Soekershof Walkabout |
| Awesome. Swartberg Pass from Oudtshoorn
to Prince Alfred. Prince Alfred’s Pass from
Uniondale to the Garden Route. Cogman’s Pass
from Montagu to Ashton. Fill up the petrol tank and
drive. |
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Motorists stop to offer a lift to a
young woman at the roadside only to discover later
that the woman has vanished. She is believed to be
the ghost of a woman killed in a car accident in 1968. |
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You can wander for at least 45 minutes
in the world’s largest hedge maze before finding
a way out or being rescued. Between Robertson and
Ashton. |
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Wines and ports |
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Ostrich Show Farms |
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Cango Caves |
Calitzdorp and Robertson are famous
for their Shiraz. Calitzdorp also produces good desert
wines and Robertson good whites. |
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Head out to Oudtshoorn to ride these
large flightless birds, stand on their eggs or watch
a hatching. |
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The biggest stalagmite formations
in the world. Go for subterranean walks in the extensive
branching caves. |
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Where to stay
Robertson
A fertile valley town on the Breede River that enjoys the
best of wine, horses, fruit and fresh country air. Go rafting
on the river.
Oudtshoorn
Originally an ostrich farming town, Oudtshooorn is now
also home to a cheetah conservancy and a meerkat research
project.
Uniondale
A quaint farming town, sadly known more for its ghost than
for its charm. Quirky locals have some interesting alternative
remedies.
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