Page 237 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

THE SOUTHERN C APE  235

r Cango Caves
Tips for Drivers Road map C5. R328 from
Oudts hoorn. Tel 044 272 7410.
Tour length: From Laingsburg on
the N1: 337 km (209 miles); from Open 9am–5pm daily. Closed 25 Dec.
& 8 every hour. 0 =
Oudts hoorn: 175 km (109 miles). ∑ cango-caves.co.za
Getting there: On the R323 from
Laingsburg turn left after 19 km Deep in the foothills of the
(12 miles). After 50 km (31 miles) Swartberg Mountains lies an
turn right for Seweweekspoort.
Take the R62 at Amalienstein, underground network of
5 Swartberg Pass then head north on the R328. chambers and passages, where
This spectacular 24-km (15- Before Prince Albert turn onto the dissolved minerals have
mile) gravel route took Bain’s R407 via Meiringspoort. To return crystallized to form stalactite
convict labour gang seven to Oudtshoorn take the N12. and stalagmite dripstone
years to complete (see p231). When to go: In spring–autumn. formations that resemble
Passes may close during Jun–Aug fluted columns and delicate,
due to snowfalls. ruffled drapes.
The complex was first
explored by Jacobus van Zyl
6 Prince Albert after his herdsman stumbled
Traditional architecture (see pp34–35) upon the cave opening in 1780,
and a perennial spring that waters fruit
and olive trees make this isolated but rock paintings and stone
village an old-fashioned delight. implements discovered near
the entrance indicate that the
N1 site was occupied as early as
80,000 years ago.
Prince Albert Beaufort Only Cango 1 is open to the
West
public. Access to Cango 2 and 3,
Gamka J discovered in 1972 and 1975
respectively, is prohibited in
Great order to preserve the crystals.
Swartberg Klaarstroom
Some of the dramatic dripstone
forma tions in Cango 1, which is
Cango Caves
Waboomsberg J 762 m (2,500 ft) in length, are
the 9-m (30-ft) high Cleopatra’s
Needle, which is believed to be
some 150,000 years old, a dainty
Ballerina and a Frozen Waterfall.
J
Cango De Rust The largest chamber is Van Zyl’s
Wildlife Ranch
Hall, 107 m (350 ft) long and
Oudtshoorn 16 m (52 ft) high.
An hour-long standard
tour takes in the first six
Ostrich Farms chambers, while the full tour
George is a 1.5-hour hike with 416
stairs that is best attempted
only by the fit. The temperature
inside is a constant 18°C (64°F),
4 Schoemanspoort but humidity can reach an
This pass leads 10 km uncom fortable 99.9 per cent.
(6 miles) through a nar-
row chasm. It was built
by Thomas Bain in 1862
along an existing bridle
path near a mountain
stream. Washed away in 7 Meiringspoort
1869, it took 11 years to A 23-km (14-mile) long tarred route
rebuild the route above runs along the valley of the majestic
the flood level.
Groot River gorge. The sandstone
cliffs, coloured deep red and burned
orange, loom above the pass in con-
torted folds, evidence of geological
upheaval within the earth aeons ago. Stalagmite and stalactite dripstone
formations in the Cango Caves
For keys to symbols see back flap
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