Namibia Holiday & Travel - Adventure in Namibia - Caving
Caving
Namibia has over a 120 registered caves situated across the country, the various environments providing plenty of adrenaline and educative experiences.
The longest cave in Namibia is the Arnhem Cave, with slightly over 4 800 m total passage length and intersect groundwater. At one stage the cave contained very large deposits of bat guano, which were extracted on a large scale. It is presently the only tourist cave in Namibia. The cave is very dusty and dry, with almost no secondary cave formations. It is advertised as an underground trail, and visitors are allowed only torches or cave lamps to negotiate Arnhem's large chambers and winding passages. Visitors therefore experience a genuine cave ambience, livened with unexpected evidence of human endeavour left behind by guano miners. The minimal development causes minimal disturbance of the extensive and diverse bat population, which also ensures the conservation of several unique invertebrate species. Most visitors prefer a guided tour, though the trail was designed to allow self-guided visits. Overnight accommodation is available at the site.
In view of other caves in Namibia some facts must be kept in mind. Permission from landowners is required to visit their property. Visits that have not been pre-arranged are generally discouraged, and trespassing (visits without permission) is illegal. Visits to certain caves require official permits. Some Namibian caves contain thick deposits of dry bat guano. Visitors are recommended to wear industrial dust masks in those caves. Visitors should appreciate the ecological importance of bats, and should not needlessly disturb bat colonies, particularly during the Namibian wet season (January–April) when bats are breeding.
Cave disease (histoplasmosis) has not been recorded from any Namibian caves, and care should be taken not to introduce spores of the fungus. Prospective visitors, particularly if they come from countries with histoplasmosis, or visit Namibia after caving in such countries, are therefore requested to ensure that all their equipment is cleaned and sanitised before entering Namibia. Such simple precautions may keep Namibian caves uninfected and safe for casual visitors. To view a cave register please visit: http://www.namibweb.com/cavesreg.htm
