{"id":140,"date":"2026-03-09T07:28:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T07:28:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/?page_id=140"},"modified":"2026-04-01T10:01:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T10:01:25","slug":"klein-karoo-r62","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/klein-karoo-r62\/","title":{"rendered":"Klein Karoo | R62"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#242e42″ background_image=”https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sight-seeing-49.png” background_size=”contain” background_position=”bottom_center” custom_padding=”|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||5vw” custom_padding_phone=”” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”” box_shadow_vertical_phone=”” box_shadow_vertical_last_edited=”on|tablet” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ module_alignment=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”22px” text_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”PT Serif|700|||||||” header_font_size=”80px” header_line_height=”1.2em” background_layout=”dark” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”18px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”60px” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

R62 ROUTE<\/h1>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#ffffff” divider_weight=”5px” _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”100px” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”The Route 62 (R62) is South Africa’s” image=”https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Screenshot-2026-03-27-214023.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Iconic inland alternative to the coastal N2 highway, s<\/span><\/span>tretching approximately 850km <\/span>from Cape Town to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). It is world-renowned as the\u00a0<\/span>longest wine route<\/strong>\u00a0and is often compared to America’s legendary\u00a0<\/span>Route 66<\/strong> for its quirky roadside culture and historical significance.<\/span><\/p>\n

The “Route 66” of South Africa
<\/strong>\u00a0Living Legend:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Unlike much of the US Route 66 which was bypassed and declined, Route 62 has thrived by transforming into a vibrant tourism corridor that supports local farming communities.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

The Scenic Shift:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>It offers a dramatic transition from the lush, green Winelands of Paarl and Wellington into the arid, red-soiled plains of the Klein Karoo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quirky Landmarks:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>The route is famous for eccentric stops like\u00a0<\/span>Ronnie\u2019s Sex Shop<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>(a legendary pub born from a prank) and the vintage-themed\u00a0<\/span>Diesel & Cr\u00e8me<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>diner in Barrydale<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”The history and industry of the Route 62 (R62)” image=”https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/295efe5a-008d-449e-9c64-c0bca7403789-scaled.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Are deeply intertwined, evolving from an essential 18th-century ox-wagon trail into what is now the\u00a0<\/span>world’s longest wine route<\/strong>. Its economic story is one of dramatic booms, sudden collapses, and a resilient shift toward specialized agriculture and “slow tourism”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Historical Foundations
<\/strong>The Wagon Trail (1700s\u20131800s):<\/strong>\u00a0Before the R62 was a paved tourist route, it was the primary inland artery for transport riders. Ox-drawn wagons hauled heavy casks of brandy and produce from the Cape interior to coastal markets.<\/div>\n

Colonial Settlement:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Many towns began as “church farms” (kerkplaats<\/em>) in the mid-1800s. Farmers would gather for\u00a0<\/span>Nagmaal<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>(Holy Communion), eventually establishing permanent settlements like Montagu (1851), Robertson (1852) , and\u00a0<\/span>Oudtshoorn<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>(1847).<\/span><\/p>\n

The “White Gold” Era (1870\u20131914):<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>The region\u2019s most famous historical chapter was the\u00a0<\/span>Ostrich Feather Boom<\/strong>. High demand from European fashion houses made ostrich feathers as valuable as gold. This wealth built the “Feather Palaces”\u2014opulent sandstone mansions that still define the architecture of Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Evolution of Key Industries
<\/strong>Today, the R62 economy is anchored by three major pillars that rose from the ruins of the feather market collapse in 1914.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Viticulture & The “Brandy Route” <\/strong>the region has produced wine for over 200 years, originally focusing on\u00a0pot-still brandy<\/strong>\u00a0and fortified wines because they traveled better in wagons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Port & Muscadel:
<\/strong>Calitzdorp<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is the “Port Capital of South Africa,” specializing in Portuguese-style fortified wines.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Montagu <\/span><\/span><\/span>is world-renowned for its sweet Muscadel.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Modern Shift:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Since the 1970s, wineries like\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>Barrydale Cellar<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>have transitioned from pure brandy distillation to high-quality dry wines (Syrah, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Specialized Agriculture
<\/strong>The unique microclimates of the Klein Karoo allow for high-value niche crops:
Stone & Pome Fruit:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>The Langkloof Valley i<\/span>s South Africa\u2019s second-largest fruit producer, specializing in apples and pears. Towns like Ladismith<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>are major global producers of apricots and plums.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seed Marketing:
<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>Oudtshoorn <\/span>has become a global leader in specialized agricultural seed production, which is currently the biggest contributor to the region’s wealth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Olives:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>The Mediterranean climate has spurred a booming olive oil industry, with estates like De Rustica <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>winning international awards.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The Ostrich Industry (Modern Era)
<\/strong>Though the fashion for feathers faded, the industry survived by diversifying:<\/p>\n

Meat & Leather:<\/strong>\u00a0Today, ostriches are farmed primarily for their low-cholesterol meat and luxury leather used in high-end fashion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Market Share:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>The region remains home to the world’s largest ostrich population, accounting for roughly\u00a0<\/span>80% of global ostrich products<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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R62 ROUTEIconic inland alternative to the coastal N2 highway, stretching approximately 850km from Cape Town to Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). It is world-renowned as the\u00a0longest wine route\u00a0and is often compared to America’s legendary\u00a0Route 66 for its quirky roadside culture and historical significance. The “Route 66” of South Africa\u00a0Living Legend:\u00a0Unlike much of the US Route 66 which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-140","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1001,"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions\/1001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogardenroute.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}