Cango Caves, in South Africa, are among the great wonders of the world. These limestone caves are about 18 miles (30 kilometers) north of Oudtshoorn, in the foothills of the Swartberg mountains. The caves are South Africa’s longest-running tourist attraction.
Scientists estimate that some of the features of the Cango Caves are more than 150,000 years old. The caves were used by local people in prehistoric times. White settlers came across them in 1780, when a herdsman was tracking a wounded deer. In 1820, Cape Colony Governor Lord Charles Somerset passed laws to protect the caves. In 1821, Johnnie van Wassenaar became the first full-time guide for the Cango Caves. In 1938, the caves were declared a national monument.
