CANGO CAVES & SWARTBERG PASS

April & May 2021

We woke up to a fairly cloudy day and it looks like there may be a few showers during the morning. I’m not so sure if it’s such a good idea to ride the famous Swartberg Pass in wet conditions. But let’s cross our fingers that it dries out before we get there.

Early morning view from our overnight cottage, Soetdoring

DAY 3:

Today our final destination is ‘The Hell’, where we will relax for three days. The name does not sound that appealing to celebrate one’s 25th wedding anniversary, but apparently it is one of the most beautiful places in South Africa!

But before we get to ‘The Hell’, we first have an appointment for a guided tour at the world-famous Cango Caves just outside Oudtshoorn.

CANGO CAVES

Both Berto and I visited the Cango Caves in the late 80s and we were looking forward to experiencing this beautiful underground wonder again after so many years.

At the Cango Caves we had a great view over the valley at the foot of the Swartberg Mountains

The 20 million year old Cango Caves are one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, sculpted by nature over the centuries ā€“ fascinating limestone formations in a wide variety of colours.

We booked an hour guided tour in the caves. There are 2 routes, namely the Heritage and Adventure Tour. Unfortunately the Adventure Tour is currently closed due to Covid-19 and we could only do the Heritage Tour.

Note: While we both did the Adventure Tour on our first visit in the late 80s, I’m not so sure we’ll fit in all those narrow aisles again ā€¦ our bodies have changed quite a bit in the last 30 years.

Entrance at the Cango Caves

We had a very knowledgeable cave guide and she had our attention for the entire hour as she explained everything to us.

Our first stop on this tour was at the main chamber, which has numerous stalactite formations. It’s called the Van Zyl’s Hall – named after its discoverer – and is really BIG.

Van Zyl Hall inside the Cango Caves
The formations are just breathtaking

Although the extensive system of tunnels and chambers continues for more than 4km (2.5 miles), only a quarter of this is open to visitors. The Cango Caves were rediscovered in modern times in 1780 by a local farmer named Jacobus van Zyl (the first room, as mentioned earlier, was named after him).

A fine example of a stalagnate: When a stalactite (hanging from the ceiling of the cave) and stalagmite (growing upward from the floor) meet each other
I had to look twice … I was sure there was a guy lying on his stomach staring into the darkness of the cave. Can you see him too?

According to geologists, the caves were formed after being filled with water for a very long time and then with the draining rivers that carved into the rock. The cave is believed to be approximately 275m (902 ft) underground.

The second chamber was discovered in 1792
Monumental stalactite formations
Walking up to the next chamber on well-lit steps
The ‘Bridal Room’ inside the Cango Caves
The passages inside the cave are narrow and the humidity high

After our tour came to an end, we had another opportunity for a final look at the largest room in the Cango Caves, the Van Zyl Hall. The sheer size of this underground cave is just stunning.

Van Zyl Hall as seen from the top on our way out of the Cango Caves

It was really great to be back inside the Cango Caves after more than 30 years since our last visit.

However, it was sad to see how neglected the main building at the caves was (while the caves inside are as beautiful as we remembered them). Just after our visit, however, we read in the media that there are plans from the local municipality in Oudtshoorn to renovate the building and facilities at the Cango Caves – we hope this happens soon.

SWARTBERG PASS

There was a light drizzle when we left the caves. We now have to drive over the famous Swartberg Pass, as this is the only road access to Gamkaskloof and ‘The Hell’ where we will spend the rest of our short holiday.

The Swartberg Range in front of us – driving into the mist

I have read that the Swartberg Pass is for many South Africans the rubicon of dirt road passes. The pass is very long – 23.8km (14.7 miles) – and it takes about an hour to drive from start to finish. Today, however, we are only going to drive half of this pass before we turn down on the plateau towards ‘The Hell’.

And as expected the pass was as slippery as soap due to the light rain that fell during the night and this morning. We read that the pass can be a bit treacherous after rain. It’s fair to say that I was a little apprehensive.

A muddy Swartberg Pass
Going around hairpin bends to get to the top

The Swartberg Pass was built between 1881 and 1888 by Thomas Bain. This mountain range are amongst the best exposed fold mountain ranges in the world and the pass cuts through magnificent scenic geological formations.

Here’s hoping there is not a car coming from the front
Still driving to get to the top … slipping and sliding

And then, after what felt like an eternity, we reached the summit! There was a lookout point and we took the opportunity to take some photos (and catch our breath).

At the summit of the Swartberg Pass
Our Suziki Jimny must be a ton heavier because of all the mud

The mist only lifted for a few minutes and we could enjoy breathtaking views of the Klein Karoo in the south and the Groot Karoo in the north. It was definitely worth riding out this pass in wet conditions to see so much beauty.

On a clear day, the view must be spectacular, but even now, in rainy and misty conditions, it’s still beautiful
Another car going at a snail’s pace up the mountain

After taking pictures and enjoying the views, we got back in the car to drive the last part of the Swartberg Pass. Although I thought we were at the very top, we continued to ride further uphill for a few more minutes.

And once again I’ve prayed … please, no cars from the front
At the highest part of the pass, we drove into a thick misty cloud

And then, a sigh of relief! We reached the (real) top of the pass and suddenly the clouds lifted and the sun shone. We were amazed at how quickly the weather conditions suddenly changed!

The sun is coming through and no more muddy dirt roads

We drove for a while on the plateau of the Swartberg Pass and it was really beautiful. We were very happy to be able to enjoy these views in sunny weather.

Spectacular views on the plateau of the Swartberg Pass

It was now only a few kilometers to the turn off to Gamkaskloof and the road we would take into ‘The Hell’. I thought that, after a hectic ride up the Swartberg Pass, it should now be a leisurely ride further. Right? No, wrong!

We stopped at a sign as we entered the Gamkaskloof. It read: ā€œDangerous Road for 48km. Use at own riskā€.

Oh, hello …

We’ll show and tell you more about the road to ‘The Hell’ in our next post. In the meantime, fasten your seat belts and click here to read about our epic journey!