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10 Caverns & Caves in South Africa That You Shouldn't Miss
in the African Union (light blue)
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1. Elephant's Eye Cave
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By NazlieD1 - Milnerton, South Africa
We are a team that hike every second week on one of the trails in Cape Town on a Sunday morning. This week’s hike took us from Silvermine to the Elephant Eye Cave. The trail is a round strip of about 6km and took just under 2 hours to complete. A person need to be moderately fit, even though it is a very easy climb. The route is well mapped. It is best to do this hike in a group as there were past security incidents. Some of the routes are shared by mountain bikers and hikers. The views are fantastic. The cave has seating where you can enjoy your snacks. There are lots of photo opportunities throughout the trail. At the start of the trail, you will walk past the Silvermine dam which is a super dam to swim in. The triathletes and water lovers swim the circumference of the dam as practice. The Silvermine area is part of the Table Mountain National Park and easy to find. It is best and safer to park inside the park. You can expect to pay R35 per person for a day visit.
2. The Cango Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,151 reviews
Though damaged through shortsighted tourism schemes in the 1960s, these caves are still worth a visit for their eerie dark tunnels and stunning limestone formations.
Reviewed By magsboy - North Vancouver, Canada
The Cango Caves are well worth the visit to see to large underground caverns and the awesome geologic formations (we only did the Heritage Tour) and you can get some spectacular photos - we took the earliest available tour and glad we did because the tour buses were rolling up when we left and hordes of people were arriving - I do think they need to limit the numbers - and also enforce their requests for visitors not to sit and touch where they are asked not to!
3. Wondercave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 169 reviews
Reviewed By 563rabias
Quite a bit cave in a most unexpected place. Filled with interested formations and massive stalagmites/stalactites. You can often get a private tour as you may be the only visitors at the time.
4. Sterkfontein Cave
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 606 reviews
Situated an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Sterkfontein Caves are world-famous for their fossil finds and are a popular visitor destination. After an extensive facelift in 2005, the Sterkfontein Caves site is now home to a top restaurant and conferencing facilities, offering easy access to the caves with modern walkways and a boardwalk past the excavation site where globally acclaimed fossils have been discovered. The Sterkfontein Caves are owned by the University of the Witwatersrand, whose scientists have been responsible for the main excavations at this World Heritage Site. They are credited with many of the most notable discoveries in the caves, including the world-famous fossils of Mrs Ples and Little Foot, the latter being an almost complete Australopithecus skeleton dating back more than three million years. The tours at the Sterkfontein Caves, which start above ground and then take visitor
Reviewed By MhG011 - Sandton, South Africa
Great guided tour ...we enjoyed the history and exploring the caves with out awesome tour guide who had plenty of historic information to share
5. Sudwala Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 588 reviews
The Sudwala Caves is the oldest known caves in the world and lie in the Drakensberg escarpment.Regular guided tours take you 600 meters in and 150 meters underground. Tours leave every 10 min (approx) and take about 30 minutes.The caves have some amazing formations including stalactites, stalagmites, flow stones and pre cambrian fossils. The most famous formation is the Screaming Monster. This is actually a stalactite that has joined with a stalagmite and has formed a column that is 200 million years old.
Reviewed By mkrish1960
We were staying in Sudwala Lodge and decided to go up to the caves as a way to kill time .. good decision. The caves are huge and are well displayed with appropriate lighting and excellent guides .. The nearest to these that we have seen were in Gibraltar and these are as awe inspiring as those. It's a bit of a hike uphill throughout the caves and 60 - 70 steps from the parking to the cave entrance .. The amphitheatre and the stalactites and stalagmites are really ancient and fabulous .. Well with a trip if you are in the region. The butterfly garden which is included in the to cket price is quite ordinary. Well worth a visit if in the region !!
6. Waenhuiskrans Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 152 reviews
Reviewed By 269andreh - Cape Town, South Africa
Visited on 12-14 March 2021. We heard about this cave but did not realise it was so spectacular. Very easy to find as most locals hang out here as there is a small beach , quite a few walking trails & mountain biking opportunity. Some nice sand dunes to climb. The cave is only accessible at low tide by walking over the rocks so some footwear is advisable. We wore slops & it was fine. The entrance to get inside the cave is a small hole in a rock on your right as you walk towards the ocean. This gives you access to quite a big cave where you have amazing views of the ocean. You cannot access the cave from the ocean side as its a bit dangerous. Great photo opportunities within the cave and all the surrounding areas. If you have a 4x4 you can stop fairly close to steps to get down to cave area otherwise like most you park in the public area & walk , about a 10-15min on sea sand & there are signs showing the direction of the cave , the signs are a bit weather worn. The rock steps lead down to the ocean & you keep to the right walking towards the ocean. Definitely a must visit if in Arniston or surrounding areas
7. Stadsaal Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By MuKWilderness - Wilderness, South Africa
such a picturesque place - peace and tranquility that's what one finds there - besides the uncountable possibilities of capturing stunning images. Especially the light early in the morning and late afternoon. We stay near the caves in a self catering cottage so it takes just 15min to get to the entrance. It's useful to get as much information about the Stadsal beforehand to find all the special named rock formations.....
8. Klipgat Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By Chikjo01 - Johannesburg, South Africa
My highlight of visiting the Klipgat Caves was climbing the steps, being rewarded with the great views of the coast and throwing caution to the wind by picking up shells on the beach, like a little girl.
9. Sterkfontein Caves
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 69 reviews
Reviewed By alenao635
Beautiful caves. Our tour guide was very friendly and answered most of our questions. I enjoyed this tour, this is definitely a place you should visit if you are looking for adventure and also you are interested in geography and archeology. The temperature drops in the caves so wear something warm. A great way to spend the weekend!
10. Echo Caves
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 84 reviews
Reviewed By tsheozamoloto2006
Learning how the Bapedi people defeated the Swazi. The most exciting thing to learn was how the people stayed in the caves though not literate but were able to take decisions that made their stay in the cave comfortable.
