The Forgotten Route Tour

Posted on Fri September 23, 2016.

daars n trein toe-toe-toe toe-toe-toe
die trein na matjiesfontein!

The Forgotten Route Tour departs on Fridays from the Tourism Information Centre in Cape Town at 8:30 am.

Participants do a short city walk around Cape Town and then make their way to the Kimberley Hotel (the official departure point in the old days to the mining fields) before heading to Rawsonville on bus where guests meet the Le Roux family for a spot of wine tasting at their boutique estate.

After wine-tasting, the guests hop aboard the Shosholoza Meyl to go to Matjiesfontein.  On arrival you'll join John on the famed Red Bus tour of the town (the shortest tour on earth), followed by some piano honkey tonk in the Laird's Arms.

Dinner is a traditional Karoo lamb braai under the stars followed by an night stroll around tour town, coupled of with guided stargazing! 

Lodging for the night for this tour is in the original farm cottages situated on Rietfontein Nature Reserve.

The next day, the tour stop somewhere in another small town for even more adventures.

The tour departs from the Tourism Information Centre in Cape Town | Open: 08:30 on Fridays (other days on request) | +27 (0)21 462 8011 | info@traintokaroo.co.za

 

*Image via: www.travelground.com

Further Reading

Milestone birthday in Matjiesfontein Mon March 2, 2026

On 20th January, Ben Rawdon celebrated a milestone birthday of 90 years choosing Matjiesfontein for the celebrations. Attended by family and friends, this special occasion ensured many glasses were raised in Ben’s honour.It was also a time to acknowledge and celebrate Annette and Ben’s 60th wedding anniversary – an amazing milestone achieved! The hotel has been throwing legendary celebrations for over 125 years now, and this was no exception with staff joining...

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Nestled in the heart of the Karoo, Matjiesfontein has always been a place where history and heritage meet the endless beauty of the South African landscape. Now, this beloved village is adding a new chapter to its story — one that looks firmly toward the future.

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Under the Karoo Stars: A Journey with the Shepherds Behind Our Lamb Tue July 8, 2025

At The Lord Milner Hotel in Matjiesfontein, our team recently embarked on a 125 km transhumance trek with a local Karoo sheep farming family, gaining deep insight into the heritage behind our beloved Karoo lamb. This time-honoured journey through the rugged landscape, marked by resilience, tradition, and connection to the land, revealed the true soul of the Karoo and the people who sustain it. Now, every dish of Karoo lamb we serve...

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