Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park
The Chinhoyi Caves are a group of limestone and dolomite caves in north central Zimbabwe. They were designated a National Park in 1955 and a Recreational Park in 1975, managed by ZimParks
The caves are located in Makonde District, Mashonaland West Province, in north central Zimbabwe. They lie approximately 9 kilometres, by road, northwest of Chinhoyi, the nearest large town, and the location of the district and provincial headquarters. This location lies about 123 kilometres, northwest of Harare, the Capital City of Zimbabwe. The caves lie along the main road, Highway A-1, between Harare and Chirundu, the International border with the Republic of Zambia, about 250 kilometres further North-west of the caves.
The cave system is composed of limestone and dolomite. The main cave contains a pool of cobalt blue water, which is popularly called Sleeping Pool or Chirorodziva (“Pool of the Fallen”). Divers have discovered a submarine passage leading from the Bat Cave, a sub-chamber of the Dark Cave to another room known as the Blind Cave. The local name for the cave’s pool, Chirorodziva comes from an incident that occurred in 1830, where members of the Angonni tribe attacked the local people and threw their victims into the cave to dispose of them. These limestone caves were first described by Frederick Courtney Selous in 1888.
The caves have an important place in African Traditional Religion, with the caves themselves as a site for rainmaking, surrounded by a sacred forest, from which trees could not be felled. Chinhoyi caves are the most extensive cave system in Zimbabwe that the public can access.
Diving is possible in the caves all year round, with temperatures never beyond the 22 to 24 °C (72 to 75 °F) range with zero thermocline. Visibility is high, and 50 metres and above is not unusual. This site is often visited by diving expedition teams of technical divers that perform ultra-deep diving. It is not uncommon for dives in excess of 100 metres to be made here by experienced technical divers. A campsite and motel, run by ZimParks, are located on-site.
Ramsar Sites
Services
Wetlands are vital for human survival. They are among the world’s most productive environments; cradles of biological diversity that provide the water and productivity upon which countless species of plants and animals depend for survival.
Wetlands are indispensable for the countless benefits or “ecosystem services” that they provide humanity, ranging from freshwater supply, food and building materials, and biodiversity, to flood control, groundwater recharge, and climate change mitigation.
Yet study after study demonstrates that wetland area and quality continue to decline in most regions of the world. As a result, the ecosystem services that wetlands provide to people are compromised.
Managing wetlands is a global challenge and the Convention presently counts 172 countries as Contracting Parties, which recognize the value of having one international treaty dedicated to a single ecosystem.
The Convention uses a broad definition of wetlands. This includes all lakes and rivers, underground aquifers, swamps and marshes, wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas and tidal flats, mangroves and other coastal areas, coral reefs, and all human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs and salt pans.
Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 aims to transform the country into a middle-income economy that is prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable. Central to this vision is the recognition of the importance of natural resources, including wetlands, in contributing to the nation’s socio-economic development and environmental health. Wetlands are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, water security, climate resilience, and the livelihoods of communities.
As part of its commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship, Zimbabwe has incorporated the conservation and sustainable management of wetlands into its National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which covers the period from 2021 to 2025. The NDS1 serves as the country’s blueprint for achieving Vision 2030 and outlines key objectives, strategies, and actions to foster economic growth, environmental protection, and social well-being.