South Africa offers a wide variety of caves for you to explore, from smaller overhangs to lengthy tunnels that interconnect massive chambers. Many of these caves have a rich human history. In recent times they have served as sheltered rest spots or smugglers dens, but before that, our ancestors used them as homes. In some caves hominid (human-like) fossils were found and in many you can still find San rock paintings on the walls.

Many of the caves found in South Africa are formed by acidic groundwater that slowly dissolves the limestone creating tunnels and cavities. These range from a couple of meters to many kilometers in length and depth. Knowing that a limestone cave takes millions of years to form, visiting one of the massive chambers of the Cango Caves or Sudwala Caves, you can imagine how long these caves must have been here.

Although there are caves in every province of the country, the Cape Peninsula and Drakensberg regions stand out. There are over 100 recorded caves in the Cape Peninsula region, such as Woodstock Cave, Elephants Eye Cave, Peers Cave, Kalk Bay Caves, Boomslang Cave and Wynberg Cave, some of which are more than 1 km long. If the idea of camping in a cave is what you are looking for, the mighty Drakensberg mountains offer just that. Here camping is permitted in over 60 different caves, many of them with San rock paintings.

Don’t worry if you are not in one of these two regions, there are other caves worth mentioning and visiting. For example the Cango Caves in the Little Karoo region. It is one of the longest and largest cave systems in the world with a staggering 5,3km of tunnels. Or what about one of the oldest known caves in the world, the Sudwala Caves near Mbombela (Mpumalanga). Sudwala are a series of caves in Precambrian dolomite rock, around 3.800 million years old, and the caves themselves are believed to be around 240 million years old. If you are more interested in early human history, them the Sterkfontein Caves near Johannesburg is where you need to be. Here scientists discovered fossils of early hominids dating back more than 4 million years.

Many of these caves offer a real adrenaline rush as you crawl and slide your way through the narrow tunnels, excellent for thrill seekers but they might not be on everyone’s bucket list. Fortunately, most of the bigger caves are commercialized which means you will be walking on a safe path with a tour guide, having plenty of space around you to move.

Cango Caves

With a discovered length of over 5 km (3.1 mi), the Cango Caves is the largest underground show cave in South Africa. It is also the oldest tourist attraction, with the first tour being held in 1891. Today tourists can only access about one-quarter of the entire cave, the rest is closed for conservation purposes. The caves run parallel to the Swartberg Mountains in a limestone ridge and offer the finest dripstone caves, massive halls and towering limestone formations in a variety of colors.

Dappat Se Gat

The Dappat Se Gat Cave is a small sea-side cave located just south of Gordons Bay. It looks like the ideal place to take shelter from the passing storm. With colorful orange-red rocks, a sandy beach and beautiful mountains on the side, this is a perfect place to relax. This cave can easily be combined with some hikes in the area, the crystal pools of the Steenbras River Gorge and the coastal drive on the R44 from Gordons Bay to Kleinmond.

Klipgat Caves

The Klipgat Caves is located on the coastline just north of De Kelders and is one of many massive caverns lining this stretch of coastline. Klipgat is by far the most popular of these caverns and consists of 2 chambers. The first one is the smallest and has a rocky floor that opens directly into the ocean. Adjacent is the entryway to the main cave, a huge dome-like cave with natural pillars to hold it up. Between the pillars are windows that offer beautiful views on the rocky coastline and beaches.

Stadsaal Caves

The entire Cederberg Wilderness Area looks like something out of this world. Many colorful rock formations in orange, amber, red and yellow come in all kind of weird shapes and sizes. The Stadsaal Caves are one of them. It is a series of caverns, arches and pillars carved into the rocks by natural forces. There is a small trail around the caves, start and end at the parking lot, that takes about 30 minutes to complete.

Sudwala Caves

The Sudwala Caves are one of the oldest known caves in the world. These caves have been accessible to the public since the 1960s, but our ancestors, Homo Habilis, lived and worked here some 1.8 million years ago. The main feature of the caves is the P.R. Owen Hall, also known as the Amphitheatre (70 m (230 ft) in diameter and 37 m (121 ft) in height), big enough to be a 500-seater concert hall. Other notable features are Samson’s Pillar, the Screaming Monster, the Rocket and a colony of over 800 insectivorous Horseshoe Bats.

Waenhuiskrans Cave

The Waenhuiskrans Cave is a large sea-side cave and a landmark of the surrounding nature reserve. Although the cave is quite large, believed to be the biggest coastal cave without supporting pillars, finding the entrance is not so easy. You will have to scramble along some rocks at low tide, but when you are in, it is well worth it. The cave has an almost perfect oval archway and the ferocity of the pounding waves echo inside. The darkness inside and the light bouncing of the waves into the cave create a beautiful contrast.

Wally's Cave

Wally’s Cave is a large rock overhang on Lion’s Head and the beauty of the cave lies in the view you will get once you are inside. You will see Table Mountain and a part of the Twelve Apostles within the frame that is the cave itself. The view from the cave is a true Instagram hit and a perfect place to watch the sunset.