Caves on the Whale Coast

The Whale Coast is littered with caves - big ones and small ones. Some of these caves are undiscovered while others have given shelter to Strandlopers (indigenous people who lived off the sea) and shipwreck survivors.

The most impressive caves can be seen in Arniston and De Kelders.

Waenhuiskrans (Wagon House Cliff) Cave in Arniston can only be reached at low tide when you can pick your way over the rocks to a small opening in the side of the cave. Climb through the cave wall to reach the cavernous interior, which the Dutch settlers believed was big enough for an ox-wagon to turn around in.

De Kelders has many caves to explore, but the most famous is Klipgat Cave. Extensive archaeology has been done on the site after evidence of human occupation was discovered. In fact, modern man (Homo sapiens) may have been living in Klipgat Cave for nearly 80 000 years.

Access to the cave is down a long flight of wooden stairs in the Walker Bay Nature Reserve at the edge of De Kelders.

To reach the other caves you'll need to clamber up and over the rocky shoreline.

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