1 caves · down to 104 m · 1 suitable for an intro team
Cave diving in Chinhoyi
- Caves1
- Max depth104 m
- Water temperature22–24 °C
- Dive centres2
Diving and fills
Dive here with
Fills nearby
- Dive Wild (Harare)Air, nitrox and trimix (according to its own website); ask about helium beforehand
Why come here
In the Chinhoyi Caves, ~9 km north-west of Chinhoyi, lies the Sleeping Pool: cobalt-blue water of 22–24 °C under a collapsed cave, with no thermocline and visibility of 50 m and more. Civilian divers first used trimix here in 1968, depths go beyond 100 m close to the entry, and deep dives by technical teams beyond 100 m are not uncommon. The pool is at ~1,200 m altitude, so you plan with altitude tables or a computer that accounts for altitude. You only dive here with a club or centre registered in Zimbabwe; visibility is best from August to November and 30–40 m after the summer rains. There are no dive facilities on site: Dive Wild in Harare fills air, nitrox and trimix.
Don't miss
- Chinhoyi Caves – Sleeping Pool: cobalt-blue water with visibility of 50 m and more in the 'pool of the fallen', where civilian divers first used trimix in December 1968.
On a rest day
- Chinhoyi Caves on foot: Without dive gear, walk down the sloping main passage or the steep steps of the Dark Cave route to the edge of the cobalt-blue Sleeping Pool.
- Lake Chivero Recreational Park: A game park on a lake near Harare with white rhino, giraffe and zebra, and rock paintings at Bushman's Point, a short walk away.
All 1 caves
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinhoyi Caves – Sleeping PoolEntry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 104 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
2 dive centres, fill stations and instructors
Dive Wild (Harare)
Harare
Air, nitrox and trimix (according to its own website); ask about helium beforehand
Ask
Training: PADI, SSI
Guided dives: Chinhoyi Caves – Sleeping Pool
Dive centre in Harare (since 2010) that goes to Chinhoyi and the Mutorashanga quarry. Lists a hyperbaric chamber at the centre; whether it suits diving injuries is not confirmed. The address differs between the website's pages: ask.
Scubaworld & Universal Adventures (Harare)
Harare
Training: PADI
Guided dives: Chinhoyi Caves – Sleeping Pool
Rental: Equipment for hire
PADI centre in Harare since 2000/2001 with dives at Chinhoyi, Mutorashanga and Kariba. Fills are not on the website.
Order: partners first, clearly marked as partner; then dive centres by distance from Chinhoyi 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 Chinhoyi
Villages that work well as a base for the caves in this region. Find a place for your team:
- ChinhoyiBooking.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
- 999 (general); police 995, ambulance 994 (landline), 112 (Econet) or 114 (NetOne) from a mobile. DAN Southern Africa: +27 82 810 6010. No hospital chamber confirmed in Zimbabwe: call DAN first; certain options are in South Africa.
Access and rules
- Access: the Chinhoyi Caves are a ZimParks recreational park (Ramsar site since 2013). According to operators and guides you only dive there with a dive club or centre registered in Zimbabwe; official ZimParks rules are not published: ask the centre. Entry (2023) US$10 for international day visitors; camping US$10 per person; ZimParks raised fees elsewhere in 2026, so check the current amount.
Gas and fills
- Gas: Dive Wild in Harare fills air, nitrox and trimix; ask about helium beforehand. No dive facilities on site.
Water and season
- Altitude: the pool is at ~1,200 m. Plan with altitude tables or a computer that accounts for altitude.
- Water: 22–24 °C all year, without a thermocline. The best visibility (up to ~100 m) from August to November; after the summer rains 30–40 m.
Getting around
- Money and fuel: bring US dollars in cash in small notes; cards and ATMs are unreliable and fuel is sometimes scarce and often cash only. Check the travel advice before you go.
- Travel: Harare airport, then ~120–135 km on the A1 (~1.5–2 hours); the park is ~9 km north-west of Chinhoyi. On site a ZimParks campsite and motel.
News
No recent news found about the caves in this region.
Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
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