The Chinhoyi Caves (previously the Sinoia Caves) are a group of

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

and dolomite caves in north central

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

. Designated a

National Park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

in 1955, and managed by the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority.

Location

The caves are located in

Makonde District Makonde District is a district in Zimbabwe. Location The district is located in Mashonaland West Province, in north central Zimbabwe. Its main town, Chinhoyi, with an estimated population of 61,739 people in 2004, is located about , by road, nor ...

Mashonaland West Province Mashonaland West is a province of Zimbabwe. It has an area of 57,441 km² and a population of approximately 1.9 million (2022). Chinhoyi is the capital of the province. Demographics Geography Districts Mashonaland West is divid ...

, in north central Zimbabwe. They lie approximately , by road, northwest of

Chinhoyi Chinhoyi, previously known as Sinoia during the colonial era, is a city in central northern Zimbabwe in the Makonde District. It has a population of 90,800 and is primarily a college town, although it was originally founded as an Italian group ...

(formerly Sinoia), the nearest large town, and the location of the district and provincial headquarters. This location lies about , northwest of

Harare Harare ( ), formerly Salisbury, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Zimbabwe. The city proper has an area of , a population of 1,849,600 as of the 2022 Zimbabwe census, 2022 census and an estimated 2,487,209 people in its metrop ...

, the capital. The caves lie on the main road, Highway A-1, between Harare and Chirundu, at the International border with the Republic of Zambia, about , further northwest of the caves.

Overview

The cave system is composed of

and dolomite. The main cave contains a pool of cobalt blue water, which is popularly called ''Sleeping Pool'' or ''Chirorodziva'' ("Pool of the Fallen"). Divers have discovered a submarine passage leading from the ''Bat Cave'', a subchamber of the ''Dark Cave'' to another room known as the ''Blind Cave''. Diving is possible in the caves all year round, with temperatures never beyond the range with zero

thermocline A thermocline (also known as the thermal layer or the metalimnion in lakes) is a distinct layer based on temperature within a large body of fluid (e.g. water, as in an ocean or lake; or air, e.g. an atmosphere) with a high gradient of distinct te ...

. Visibility is high, and and above is not unusual. This site is often visited by diving expedition teams of technical divers that perform ultra deep diving. It is not uncommon for dives in excess of to be made here by experienced technical divers. A

campsite Campsite, campground, and camping pitch are all related terms regarding a place used for camping (an overnight stay in an outdoor area). The usage differs between British English and American English. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an ...

, run by the National Parks Authority, and a motel are located on-site.

History

The local name for the cave's pool, ''Chirorodziva'' ("Pool of the Fallen") comes from an incident that occurred in 1830, where members of the Angonni tribe attacked the local people and threw their victims into the cave to dispose of them. The limestone caves were first described by Frederick Courtney Selous in 1888. These caves are the most extensive cave system in Zimbabwe that the public can access.

Religion

The caves have an important place in

African Traditional Religion The beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse, and include various ethnic religions.Encyclopedia of African Religion (Sage, 2009) Molefi Kete Asante Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural and are passed dow ...

, with the caves themselves as a site for

rainmaking Rainmaking, also known as artificial precipitation, artificial rainfall and pluviculture, is the act of attempting to artificially induce or increase precipitation, usually to stave off drought or the wider global warming. According to the clou ...

, surrounded by a sacred forest, from which trees could not be felled.

References

External links