PLEASE NOTE: Where applicable, select &complete pensioner discount option and/or Infant no-charge option, for each activity!
History of the Bothongo Wonder Cave:
This is a Self-Drive activity, the facility is situated inside the Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve and cannot be accessed by foot. We do not offer or provide transport and you need your own transport to reach the WonderCave.
The cave was discovered by Italian miners in 1898. They mined out approximately 15% from the formation and brought them to the surface. The formation consists of calcite which they placed in a self-built oven for 2 weeks at about 1100 degrees. This formed a powder which was taken by ox wagon to Pretoria & Johannesburg to make cement, toothpaste, use to extract gold, and the like. Mining was stopped in 1902 due to the outbreak of war and low productivity.
This is the 3rd largest chamber in South Africa, the largest being Cango Caves and the second largest Sudwala Caves.
• Food and beverages,
• Game Drive
• Accommodation
• Souvenirs
• Braai grid
Bothongo WonderCave Entrance
This is a Self-Drive activity, the facility is situated inside the Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve and cannot be accessed by foot. We do not offer or provide transport and you need your own transport to reach the WonderCave.
The entrance to the cave is going down 87 stairs at a 45degrees angle dropping 22 meters below the surface. You will then go down in an elevator with a drop of a further 18 meters into the cave.
The total drop down is 40 meters
Health & Safety Warning: Risk of Histoplasmosis – WonderCave
Visitors to the WonderCave should be aware of the potential risk of Histoplasmosis, a respiratory infection caused by inhaling spores of the Histoplasma fungus. This fungus thrives in environments with bat or bird droppings, which may be present in caves. While the risk of infection is generally low, individuals with weakened immune systems, respiratory conditions, or pre-existing lung diseases should take extra precautions.
Safety Recommendations:
- Avoid disturbing soil, bat guano, or bird droppings inside the cave.
- Wear protective masks if you have respiratory concerns.
- If you experience flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, fatigue) after your visit, seek medical attention and inform your healthcare provider of your cave visit.
By entering the WonderCave, visitors acknowledge and accept any potential health risks and agree that the management is not liable for any health-related issues arising from exposure to environmental elements within the cave.
Bothongo Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve
I think this review will need to be broken into 2 parts. The cave visit and self drive, and the facilities. 1) Cave Visit and Self Drive. The cave visit was amazing. Our guide, Reason, was really friendly, well spoken, and all round really knowledgeable which made the cave visit comparable to some of the other caves we visited like Sterkfontein and the Echo Caves. The Self Drive was made easy by easy to follow routes marked out on the provided map, and the feedings of the lions, wild dogs and cheetahs were something unique. The reptile park and surrounds was also really cool to see. 2) Facilities: The facilities at the entrance lulls you into a false sense that the rest of the park will have similar facilities which is not the case. The mens bathrooms at both the Wonder Cave and the Reptile / picnic and braai area were dirty, no soap, barely any toilet paper or none in some cases. This did put a damper on a otherwise great visit so if I could recommend anything apart from your drinks and snacks for the day it would be to pack in some toilet paper and soap if and when you need to use the bathrooms. - Wim
Purchased tickets online which seemed to disappoint the two women at reception as they were not welcoming, This was our first experience in South Africa coming all the way from Australia and New Zealand we were excited, We left reception feeling sad and hoped this was worth it. My daughter said to me "why are they so mean?" I expected at least a "hello or welcome." I don't want anyone to loose their job over this review but please for your international visitors a 'hello' or 'enjoy your day' would have being nice. Cave tour was excellent our guide was knowledgeable and entertaining, we would recommend this tour for everyone. We didn't have time to see the animals but might return another day. - Carmen
Thank you for an absolutely lovely day out. The animals are healthy, well looked after and we saw a huge variety. The cave tour was also a highlight. One day wasn't enough for us! We definitely want to book accomodation next time. The staff treated us like royalty with friendliness and enthusiasm. - Annelle
We had a fantastic time! This was booked as a final excursion before returning to a (freezing) UK. The caves were a glorious surprise, our guide was so knowledgable and I'm pretty sure my son now wants to become a geologist. The game drive was fab, we saw all the animals expect giraffes. Every time we thought we knew what to expect, we would turn a corner and another gem. The game part were the tigers and snakes were was fantastic, with good food and a baby Pygmy hippo! We saw a couple of week old lion cubs cuddling with their mum in a special nursery pen. This is a gem that we will definitely visit again when we return to SA. A fantastic day out for the family. - James
We had an excellent experience from booking to the tour, the staff were very helpful and the facilities were in excellent condition! Well done to all! - Laura
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