Discover Ladismith on foot

Start at the Otto Hager Church (Tourism Bureau) in South Street for a short talk on the history of this beautiful neo-Gothic church, designed and built by the German architect Carl Otto Hager in 1874.  Proceed from here (on foot or by car) through the town to view the different building styles.  The town boasts with at least 6 different building style, eg Victorian (ranging from lavish to simple), neo-Gothic, Rural (Karoo), Cape Revival, the Ladismith style (simplified Georgian), Regency and most probably the only Lithuanian style in the country (the old synagogue).  Click here for more on architecture.

Guided tours by appointment:  Tourism Bureau.  Tel:  +27(0)28 551 1378

Scenic drives 

The Valleys

  Travel west on the Laingsburg road and visit the picturesque, fertile  Voorbaat, Van Zylsdamme, Buffelspoort, and Dwarsrivier where you can meander through the vineyards and orchards and visit a unique private chapel (seating only 24 people) on a private farm.  Proceed via the Knuyswagendsdrift road where the water monument can be seen,  to Hoeko valley, abundant with colours in autumn and spring, then onto Amalienstein and the magnificent Seweweekspoort with its breathtaking rockformations.  (See Passes and Poorts).   Visit Winkelplaas and Vensterkrans on the western side of town to see the awsome damage that was inflicted by the Laingsburg flood in 1981, when the railway line was washed away.

Seweweekspoort, Bosluiskloof  Pass and Gamkapoort Dam 

Drive through Seweweekspoort (turn-off 23km from town), turn right at the end of the poort to proceed down Bosluiskloof Pass to the dam (25km from the turn-off).  Just after the turn-off the ruins of the old toll-house can still be seen.  Rumour has it that the ghost of a toll-keeper can still be seen on stormy nights, warning the traveller with his lantern!                                                                         

The pass has a beauty of its own and the roads drops down to the Gamkapoort Dam which was completed in 1969 and thus cut off the continuation of the road to Prince Albert.   From a point about 5 km west of the dam a narrow footpath to Gamkaskloof ("The Hell") takes off.  One section of this path is known as "The Ladder"  - here it zigzags down an almost vertical drop of about 450m.  Only for the strong at heart and nimble of foot!  

 Seweweekspoort - Vleiland

  Drive through Seweweekspoort, turn left at the T-junction at the end of the poort and proceed through Vleiland and Middelplaas area towards the Laingsburg road, then back via Anysberg, Vanzylsdamme, Voorbaat and Dwarsrivier Valley.

Rooiberg Pass(Vanwyksdorp)

 The Rooiberg Pass  forms part of the Rooiberg Conservation area - 60000 ha of intact veld - with its incredible views of the Klein Karoo.  Proceed  to Calitzdorp for some port tasting at the wine cellars.  This route forms part of the newly opened Gouritz Meander, which starts at Mossel Bay and proceeds onto the Cango Caves at Oudtshoorn.   Return via Huisrivier Pass to Ladismith.  Click here for more information on passes.

Aardvark Nature College

Situated on the R323 on the way to Riversdale. Trained guides will take you on an ecological discovery event.  Explore tracks and signs of a wide variety of animals, including the elusive aardwolf, aardvark and honeybadger.  A two-day horse-back trip with tented overnight facilities is another option of exploring this wonderworld of the Klein Karoo.

By appointment only:  Contact: Johan Fourie   Tel:  +27(0)28 551 2562

Swartberg Pass & Prince Albert

Proceed via Route 62 to Calitzdorp and drive via the Groenfontein road over the Swartberg Pass to Prince Albert for lunch.  The pass was built by Thomas Baine.   At the top of the pass a road turns left, winding down to Gamkaskloof ("The Hell") - this is a full-day trip to get down and back again.  Visit the museum in Prince Albert where a wonderful collection of fossils can be seen.  Proceed from Prince Albert via Klaarstroom through Meiringspoort, De Rust, Oudtshoorn and then back to Ladismith.