Cango Caves – Oudtshoorn, South Africa - Atlas Obscura
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Cango Caves

Oudtshoorn, South Africa

Largest cave system in Africa. 

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Situated near to the well-known Swartberg Mountains, the Cango Caves are decidedly huge dripstone caverns, with vast halls and towering formations, known as the biggest in Africa.

The entrances to these caves were shown by artifacts to serve as homes during the Middle and Later Stone Ages. Discovered in 1780 by a farmer named Jacobus Van Zyl, the caves are now a popular tourist spot despite only 1/4 of their vast area being open to the public.

Know Before You Go

It's about 29 kilometers on the R328 north from Oudtshoorn. There are guided tours (in English, Afrikaans, German and French) and an "Adventure Tour" where you are taken through some of the more difficult-to-navigate caverns and passages.

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