Gcwihaba Caves

Gcwihaba, also called Drotsky's Cave, is a dolomite system in the Aha hills region of the northwestern Kalahari with two entrances joined by around a kilometre and a half of passage, holding stalactites, flowstone columns and large chambers. It is completely undeveloped: no lighting, no walkways, no railings. Several bat species roost inside in numbers. The site is a national monument and Botswana has proposed it, with the Aha hills, for future World Heritage consideration.

Highlights

• The formations - stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone columns through the chambers.
• The two entrances - separate openings linked by the main passage system.
• The bat roosts - several species using the caves in numbers.
• The undeveloped state - no lights, no paths and no handrails anywhere inside.

When to go

May to September is the dry season and the only practical access window. The rains from December to March cut the sand tracks. Temperatures inside are constant year round.

Good to know

There is no lighting and nobody underground to help; entering without proper lights, a guide and a party outside is genuinely dangerous. The drive in is deep sand and needs two vehicles and full self-sufficiency. There is no water or fuel anywhere near.

Nearby

The Aha hills are north, and Maun is far to the east.

Key facts