Sannur Cave, Protected limestone cave in Beni Suef Governorate, Egypt.
Sannur Cave is a protected dripstone cave in Beni Suef Governorate, Egypt, with long passages leading through several chambers carved in pale limestone. Stalactites hang from the ceiling throughout, while stalagmites rise from the floor below them.
Workers came across the cave in 1991 while carrying out quarrying operations in the surrounding desert. The Egyptian government placed it under protection the following year.
The area around the cave has been shaped by quarrying for centuries, and marks left by that work are still visible in the rock faces near the entrance today. Visitors can see the contrast between the rough, cut surfaces and the smooth formations inside.
The cave sits about a two-hour drive from Cairo, with a short walk across desert terrain to reach the entrance. Sturdy shoes, water, and a flashlight are needed since the path is rocky and the interior passages have no lighting.
The cave contains rare salt deposits left behind by ancient thermal springs, something found in only a handful of caves around the world. These deposits give the rock surfaces a texture that looks different from what you would expect in an ordinary limestone cave.
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