Best for advanced divers, 46-135m, shore entry.
Chinhoyi Caves is a landlocked freshwater cave system in Zimbabwe featuring a main flooded chamber known as the Sleeping Pool. This technical site requires advanced cave and technical certifications due to its significant depth, which ranges from 46 metres to a surveyed 135 metres. Divers experience an overhead environment with visibility between 40 and 50 metres in the blue freshwater. There is no current, but the depth and limited exit options demand rigorous training. Access is via shore entry, though the site is reached by vessel. Divers should deploy a surface marker buoy to alert boat traffic. Facilities include parking, toilets, showers, changing rooms, and a cafe.
-17.35662, 30.12985
The site sits within a national park so an entry fee applies at the gate, and the on-site facilities including parking, showers, changing rooms, and a cafe mean you can stage and debrief without rushing. Arrive early to make the most of the midday light that filters down through the cave opening and illuminates the blue water at depth.
Permits can be obtained at the entrance of the park.
Expected in this region. No sightings logged here yet.
Depth
46-135m
Visibility
40-50m
Skill Level
Advanced
Entry
Shore
Current
None
Typical Dive
40 min
Best Time
Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
No nearby dive sites found within 50km.
No, this site is for advanced divers only. It requires specific cave and technical diving certifications due to the overhead environment and extreme depths.
The main flooded chamber, the Sleeping Pool, drops from 46 metres to a surveyed depth of 135 metres.
While the site is accessed via shore entry, the location itself is only reachable by vessel.
The water is a consistent 22-24°C year-round with no thermocline and visibility ranging from 40 to 50 metres.
The site presents risks associated with deep, overhead environments and low visibility. Divers must watch for boat traffic when surfacing and always deploy a surface marker buoy.
Diving at Chinhoyi Caves in Chinhoyi requires the following certifications: Advanced, Cave, Technical. Always dive within your training limits.
The best months to visit Chinhoyi Caves in Chinhoyi are April, May, June, July, August, and September. Conditions outside these months can still be good but are less predictable.
