Secret 4x4 routes in Botswana: Maun to Gcwihaba Caves

In this three-part series, Getaway, AVIS Safari Rental and BFGoodrich take you to some lesser-known places that only a trustworthy 4×4 with the right tread can get you to. This month, we head to Botswana’s Gcwihaba Caves.

In western Botswana, beneath the dry Kalahari landscape, is Gcwihaba Caves – an underground network of exceptional beauty and unusual assembly. From the floors of its gigantic chambers, stalagmites rise up between colossal flowstones, eerie frozen waterfalls and intricate time-forged formations. Exploring them is a challenge for the brave – the caverns are heavy with stale air, thousands of bats hang from the ceilings, and small spiders scurry between translucent webs on spongy gauno-filled floors.

Botswana BFG AVIS - Gcwihaba Caves - bats

Getting there is equally challenging: 118 kilometres of deep sand track separate this natural wonder from the uninitiated. With BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 tyres, however, it’s a breeze and navigating the windy tracks that carve through golden Kalahari scrub easily becomes the best part of this unusual adventure.

How to get to Gcwihaba Caves

Take the A3 from Maun to Sehithwa and then north onto the A35 to Mohembo. Some 53 kilometres up the A35 is the turning to Gcwihaba, and this is where the fun begins.

Camping and costs

Entrance to Gcwihaba Caves costs about R124 per person and includes a guided tour of the caves by a local guide. The campsite at Gcwihaba Caves is still under construction but informal camping can be arranged through custodian Eric Keharara and costs about R62 per person. Tel +26773756518.

The tyres and vehicle that will take you there