Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
10 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
14 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
20 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
21 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Zimbabwe Chinhoyi Chinhoyi Caves

Chinhoyi Caves

The stunningly blue waters of these beautiful caves also have a violent past.

Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe

Added By
Michael Henry
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Chinhoyi Caves  
Chinhoyi Caves  
The entrance to one of the caves.   Michael Henry / Atlas Obscura User
No one has been able to find the true extent of these blue depths.   Michael Henry / Atlas Obscura User
The caves offer cool blue water, and absolute silence.   Michael Henry / Atlas Obscura User
The largest cave has a skylight big enough for a small forest to grow inside.   Michael Henry / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Chinhoyi Caves National Park is a hidden gem not far from Zimbabwe’s capital Harare. Visitors to the park will find stunningly blue pools inside preserved limestone and dolomite caves. Inside the caves, the air becomes cool and damp and silence descends as one walks down to the water. Holes in the roof of the cave usher in sunlight that illuminates its depths.

One of the best parts of visiting the caves is that you’re likely to have them to yourself to enjoy in subterranean silence. 

What visitors can see is only the tip of the iceberg. The caves continue incredibly far underground in a complex limestone formation. The water is so clear and constant in temperature that scuba teams have descended to depths of more than 300 feet (100 meters). They have discovered subterranean passages linking the various pools. How deep these caves venture is still a mystery. 

Although serene, there is a bit of violent history surrounding the caves. In the early 1800s, as the story goes, an aggressive tribe swept into the region and murdered many local people. Their bodies were then tossed into the cave. The traditional name of the caves, Chirorodziva or “Pool of the Fallen” commemorates this event.

Related Tags

Caves Natural Wonders History & Culture National Parks Ecosystems Nature

Know Before You Go

Camping is possible in the small national park, but if you are a day visitor, note that you will only be allowed in during daylight hours (about 8 a.m.-5 p.m.). The entrance fee was about 8 U.S. dollars in 2018. Going to the deepest part of each cave is highly recommended, as each has a different feel.

Community Contributors

Added By

Michael Henry

Edited By

jonathancarey

  • jonathancarey

Published

October 14, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Chinhoyi Caves
A1
Chinhoyi
Zimbabwe
-17.356066, 30.129114
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Balancing Rocks of the Zimbabwe Dollar

Harare, Zimbabwe

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Africa

Places 4
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Balancing Rocks of the Zimbabwe Dollar

Harare, Zimbabwe

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe

Africa

Places 4
Stories 3

Related Places

  • Grutas del Palacio

    Flores, Uruguay

    Grutas del Palacio

    This wonderful rock formation constitutes the first geopark in Uruguay.

  • Ein Avdat pool and waterfall.

    Be'er Sheva, Israel

    Ein Avdat

    A magical oasis in the middle of the Negev Desert.

  • Cape Flattery

    Neah Bay, Washington

    Cape Flattery

    At the most northwestern point of the contiguous United States lies a trail leading through an ancient forest to stunning cliff-side vistas and massive oceanside caves.

  • Benagil Caves

    Lagoa, Portugal

    Benagil Caves

    Perhaps the most spectacular grotto along the Algarve coastline.

  • Moqui Cave

    Kanab, Utah

    Moqui Cave

    This ancient cave is home to a museum, bar, and is filled with fluorescent minerals.

  • The Fugaku Wind Cave.

    Narusawa, Japan

    Fugaku Wind Cave

    One in a pair of subterranean caves created by an ancient eruption of Mount Fuji.

  • View on Halvikhallen from the bay at Fårøya.

    Hellvik, Norway

    Halvikhula

    The largest cave in Northern Europe.

  • Caglieron Caves

    Fregona, Italy

    Caglieron Caves

    These caves are home to a small church and were used to age cheese.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.