The Wonder Cave is an enormous cavern believed to be over two million years old and it’s the 3rd largest cavern in South Africa to be dazzled by up to 14 different cave formations of which 85% are still growing. The cave is still “alive” as almost the entire stalactite and stalagmite formations are still growing. The cave has the best example of a relatively young taluscone ( including plant, animal and other organic material that falls into a cave) Fossil remains of rodents, frogs, lizards, birds and small mammals have been found in the cave.
Location:
The wonder cave is located in the internationally known valley of Kromdraai. It is in Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve.
History:
They used to mine for gold down there in the late 19th, that’s how it was discovered, fortunately the mining didn’t ruin the formations there, but the explosions colored the top of the formations with dust. The mining stopped during the Second Boer War and never resumed again. The owner of the land where the cave exists changed three times without anyone knowing about it, until the 3rd owner who did open the cave, and announced its existence. It was officially opened to public since 1991.
Tours:
Tours are conducted by guides; there are lit pathways, no climbing or crawling. Drinkin , eating or smoking not allowed Going down: It’s a must to visit if you went to Getung, we went down 87 steps and then further 18 meters by lift, it was romantically lighted that made the formations look wooow. There you start enjoying up to 15m high of decorative formations.
Formations:
Rim stone pools, cave pearls, stalactites, stalagmites, popcorn formations, straw formations, mushroom formation (sometimes feel like it’s a jelly fish) , all these formation in the dard with the smooth lightning gives a romantic view.
Check the photos ( the lightning in the pics because of the flash)