Gcwihaba Caves
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The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
South of Tsodilo we turn off the highway onto an extremely small sandy track that we follow for hour after hour before finally arriving at the Gcwihaba Caves. These caves are undeveloped and remote, and boast a North and South entrance. Rumor has it seriously adventurous people can actually get from one to the other underground, so I am immediately chomping at the bit.
We bring headlamps, lighters, cameras and LED lights and venture into the cave. The formations are extremely impressive, and there are multiple caverns, corners and areas to explore. After a ton of false starts we venture deep into the cave system from one end, almost crawling on our bellies and squeezing between rock.
Before long it is extremely dark and silent, and the going only gets harder. I climb down a tricky section and realize how revolting all the rock and sandy bottom are thanks to the thousands of bats that call the system home. The going gets too adventurous for me, and so we turn back before checking out the other entrance.
Again it’s impressive, and we walk a huge circle loop underground eventually popping out at the same entrance. More than a few times enormous bats come face to face with us to add to the eerie feeling.
We’re happy to be out it beaming sunshine again and find a fantastic place to camp on the road back.
The caves are remote and well worth a look for anyone is a strong 4×4 that can battle the sand.
-Dan
P.S. You can absolutely drive yourself into the caves and explore. The road is sandy and narrow, and you want 4×4.
At the time of my visit they’re building a visitors center and entrance gate, I assume you will have to pay entrance fees in the future.
Could we use this image on Wikimedia Commons? Thanks!
If you credit me, yes.
Dan Grec – theroadchoseme.com