Oudtshoorn, the "Ostrich Capital of the World", is a town located in the Western Cape (We put this article in the Eastern Cape section beause it made sense regarding to our itinerary, we don't try to invente a new geography in South Africa). The town counts many farms and activities dedicated to the animal. Leather, feathers, eggs or biltong are available everywhere. Even so it feel like Oudthoorn is exclusively turned around the ostrich, the town make a great base for exploring the area of the Litlle Karoo. However, the tourism is mainly focused on the animal : safari, visits, tasting and racing. 

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OSTRICH RIDING

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We didn't have a particular interest to go to Oudtshroon but during our trip in South Africa we heard about ostrich riding and made us curious about it. So we decided to stop in Oudtshoorn on our way from Jeffreys Bay to Cape Town. We went to visit Highgate Ostrich Show Farm. It is a pretty big farm with dozens and dozens ostrichs, with a shop where you can buy every product related to the animal. Highgate offer differents tours around the farm, in some of them you can feed ostrichs or taste a special meal in their restaurant. They also have a tour called "Ostrich Ride", and this is the tour we were wondering about. What an ostrich ride means ? Is it a walk on ostrich back through the fields ? Is to take a picture on the back of an ostrich and that's it ? So many questions... for so less answers ! We tried to understand what was this "ostrich ride" but the only answer we got from the farm workers was "you ride an ostrich", and to the question "How long is it ?" we got only a "Depends". The scene was pretty absurde but really funny. So we decided to try this "ostrich ride" and see for ouself. One thing is sure, we would never guess what it was about... After paying the 200 ZAR (13€) per person for the ride, the farm worker told us we need to drive two or three kilometers away from the farm. He came with us in our car and we arrived in another farm that looked pretty abandoned. There, two dozens of ostrich were in a small enclosure, and we understood the "ostrich ride" was taking place inside these four  walls. Then, two workers made us climb on the ostrichs and the ride lasted... not more than 50 secondes ! Indeed, instead of "ostrich ride" they should write on their brochure "ostrich rodeo". The animal runs so fast in the enclosure you can not last so long on his back. Good. Because it doesn't feel right at all to be on its back ! Dozens of other ostrichs around are runnng in the same time because we guess they don't really get what is happening. This "activity" take place in a really wierd atmosphere, and after we experienced it, we couldn't stop debating if its was right or not.It will be lying to say we did not have some crazy laughing doing this ride because of the absurdity of the situation. But we didn't feel it was so right (you are riding a bird, that's super wierd) and for sure it will stay a one time experience.