Trip to the Cango Caves

Q; Is it possible to take a leisurely drive from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn in one day? We want to visit the Cango Caves and would like to know whether they are ever closed for visitors? What are the opening hours? Also, could you recommend good mid-priced accommodation which would suit my parents (in their 70s). - Michael King

A: The distance from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn is around 450 kilometres, so you should easily be able to do that in a leisurely day's drive with a stop for lunch. The Cango Caves are open 364 days a year and only closed on Christmas Day, 25 December. Opening hours are 9am to 4pm. There are many hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts operating in and around Oudtshoorn. You can take a look at many of them on the www.oudtshoorninfo.com website. One hotel which may suit your parents is the Protea Hotel Riempie Estate, which is situated in a farm-like setting on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn. Accommodation is in thatched rondavels, so there are no stairs for them to climb. The rooms have television and coffee and tea-making facilities. The setting, only 20 minutes drive from the Cango Caves, ensures that it the hotel is quiet and relaxing. You can contact the hotel on Telephone 044 272-6161.