Cango Caves, Archaeological cave system in Oudtshoorn, South Africa.
Cango Caves is a show cave and archaeological site in the Swartberg Mountains near Oudtshoorn, South Africa. The connected chambers form an underground space with rock formations hanging from ceilings and rising from floors.
A farmer discovered the site in 1780 while looking for missing livestock. This discovery later prompted authorities to pass South Africa's first law protecting a natural site in 1820.
The system takes its name from the word "Kango", which local Khoisan peoples used to describe the region's rocky landscape. Visitors walking through the chambers notice how guides explain the meaning behind names given to rock formations by early explorers.
Two guided tours are offered: a simpler route through larger chambers or a more demanding tour through tight passages. Those choosing the second option should be comfortable moving in confined spaces and have reasonable flexibility.
The temperature throughout the cave system remains at 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit) year-round. Some of the rock formations inside reach a height of 16 meters (52 feet).
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