3 caves · down to 284 m · 2 suitable for an intro team
Cave diving in South Africa
- Caves3
- Max depth284 m
- Water temperature14–24 °C
- Dive centres1
Diving and fills
Dive here with
Fills nearby
- Komati Springs dive centreAir (R100, R110 above 12 l), nitrox, helium on request, oxygen (R0.35 per litre), argon
Why come here
South Africa has a few remarkable sites for technical and cave divers, all at altitude: the flooded asbestos mine of Komati Springs with eight levels to 186 m, at 915 m and ~3 hours from Johannesburg, the Wondergat sinkhole near Mahikeng at ~1,440 m, and Boesmansgat, one of the deepest underwater caves in the world and for expeditions only. You plan with altitude tables or a computer that accounts for altitude. The water is 14–24 °C; visibility is best in winter (June–August), as summer thunderstorms bring runoff and silt. Komati is by booking only, and Sterkfontein's underground lake has been closed to divers since 1984.
Don't miss
- Komati Springs: an asbestos mine that flooded after 1972 when the pumps stopped, with up to 40 m visibility in winter and, in summer, 24 °C at the surface and 16 °C at the bottom.
- Wondergat (Mahikeng): a training site for instructors and technical divers, with more than 30 m visibility in the cave and water of 14–21 °C.
- Boesmansgat (Bushmansgat): one of the deepest underwater caves in the world and the scene of depth records, where the altitude makes the deco from the bottom compare to a dive to 339 m at sea level; for expeditions with a support team only.
On a rest day
- Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein Caves: About 50 km from Johannesburg, a guide takes you through the Sterkfontein Caves, World Heritage for their finds on human evolution, and you visit the Maropeng centre.
- Barberton Makhonjwa Geotrail: A route of about 38 km on the R40 from Barberton to the Eswatini border, with information panels at rocks some 3.6 billion years old in a World Heritage area.
- Sudwala Caves: A dry cave near Mbombela with a central chamber about 70 m across and 37 m high, visited on a guided tour.
All 3 caves
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boesmansgat (Bushmansgat)Permission neededBackmount · Full cave | 284 m | Backmount | Full cave |
| Komati SpringsPermission neededEntry or dive feeBackmount · Intro to cave (first section) | 186 m | Backmount | Intro to cave (first section) |
| Wondergat (Mahikeng)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 58 m | Backmount | Cavern |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Dive centres and fill stations
1 dive centres, fill stations and instructors
Komati Springs dive centre
Nkomazi Game Reserve, between Badplaas and Barberton, Mpumalanga (turn-off from the R38)
Air (R100, R110 above 12 l), nitrox, helium on request, oxygen (R0.35 per litre), argon
Only with a booking; gates close at 21:00
Training: Cavern, Intro to cave, Full cave, CCR, Trimix · IANTD
Guided dives: Komati Springs
Rental: Twinset (R170), cave light (R200), rebreather (Inspiration/Evolution, R950 a day)
Dive centre at the mine, IANTD school and rebreather-friendly; camping on site; oxygen and first-aid staff on hand. Prices from an undated page. Private compressors and gas mixing are not allowed.
Order: partners first, clearly marked as partner; then dive centres by distance from Johannesburg and independent instructors by name. Not a recommendation: check what they offer yourself.
On this list, or should you be? Get a free partner card →Where to stay
Find a place near Badplaas, Mahikeng
Villages that work well as a base for the caves in this region. Find a place for your team:
- BadplaasBooking.com ↗
- MahikengBooking.com ↗
The links to Booking.com are affiliate links: if you book through one, DiveTripPlanner earns a small commission. You pay the same.
Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Emergencies
- DAN Southern Africa +27 82 810 6010 (24/7). DAN deliberately publishes no list of chambers: give oxygen, go to the nearest 24-hour casualty department and call DAN first. Hospitals near Komati: Mediclinic Nelspruit and Life Midmed (Middelburg); near Wondergat: Mafikeng Hospital (30 km). General numbers: police 10111, ambulance 10177, 112 from a mobile.
Access and rules
- Komati Springs: flooded asbestos mine in a game reserve between Badplaas and Barberton (Mpumalanga), ~3 hours from Johannesburg. Booking only; the guards let nobody in without one. 8.4 km of dirt road with 3 gates; lions can be near gate 3.
- Wondergat: sinkhole ~30 km from Mahikeng (North West); entry including parking, camping bookable online, air fills to 230 bar; poor mobile coverage.
- Boesmansgat: private hunting farm near Daniëlskuil (Northern Cape); expeditions only by arrangement with the owner; no published rules.
Closed or restricted
- No diving: Sterkfontein's underground lake has been closed to divers since a fatal accident in 1984.
Gas and fills
- Gas: Komati Springs fills air, nitrox, helium, oxygen and argon. In Gauteng dive shops such as Urban Dive (Randburg) also fill mixes; ask beforehand.
Water and season
- Altitude: all the sites are high — Komati Springs 915 m, Wondergat ~1,440 m, Boesmansgat ~1,450–1,500 m. Plan with altitude tables or a computer that accounts for altitude; Komati requires it.
- Season: the best visibility in winter (June–August); in summer thunderstorms with runoff and silt.
Getting around
- Travel: Johannesburg airport (O.R. Tambo); Komati ~3 hours, Wondergat ~300 km, Boesmansgat ~550 km (estimates).
News
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Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
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